Materials Science and Engineering

Materials science and engineering sits at the point where science and engineering meet, asking what everything is made of and how to make it better. The properties of materials, their strength, electrical conductivity, thermal behaviour, optical characteristics and biocompatibility, are determined by their structure at the atomic, microstructural and macro levels, and understanding these relationships is what materials scientists and engineers do. At the University of Leeds, this three-year full-time degree incorporates a sandwich year, year abroad and work placement, making it one of the most practically and internationally enriched materials degrees available, taught within a leading university for materials technology and research.

You will study metals, ceramics, polymers and composites alongside the processing techniques used to manufacture and shape them, developing skills in characterisation methods including electron microscopy, diffraction and spectroscopy, and the ability to select and specify materials for specific applications. Leeds's programme covers emerging areas including nanomaterials, biomaterials and sustainable materials alongside established engineering materials, reflecting the breadth of the discipline and the research strengths of the department. The sandwich year gives you professional experience in a materials or engineering company, and the year abroad extends your education into an international context.

A typical entry tariff of around 136 points is expected.

Materials science graduates work across aerospace, automotive, energy, biomedical engineering, electronics, construction, sustainable technology and advanced manufacturing. Roles include materials engineer, process engineer, research scientist and quality engineer, and the profession offers strong routes to chartered engineer status. The growing importance of new materials for low-carbon technology, from battery materials to lightweight structural composites and thermoelectric devices, means that the field is in a period of rapid expansion, and well-trained graduates are in sustained demand.