Materials Engineering

#32

in the world
QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023

Design windows that generate electricity and let light through. Produce replacement bones and custom equipment for athletes using 3D printing. Work alongside industry partners to develop corrosion-resistant steel pipes.

You’ll redesign existing materials – or create entirely new ones – to make stronger, lighter, cheaper and more sustainable products.

Specialisation overview

Collaborate across disciplines, solve complex problems and enhance material properties to design fit-for-purpose products

You’ll delve into areas like polymeric materials, renewable energy production and storage, durability, biomaterials and biomechanics, additive manufacturing and sustainability.

See how cutting-edge materials are reshaping industries. From 3D-printed jet engines that fast track production and more efficient solar panels, to antimicrobial therapeutics that fight bacteria and biodegradable tissue scaffolds.

Materials engineers prepare and enhance the materials of today to meet the demands of tomorrow.

See the course map and handbook for an outline of the course structures, units and electives.

My research project is on additive manufacturing (or commonly known as 3D printing) of titanium orthopaedic implants integrated with complicated porous meshes. The aim is to speed up the process of designing and manufacturing patient-specific implants so that the implant is ready within a few hours as soon as the patient is registered into a hospital.”

Ezgi Onal

PhD, Materials Science Engineering

Consultant, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Careers in Materials engineering

Material engineers are problem solvers at their core and closely collaborate with other specialists – like chemists, physicists and biologists – to design fit-for-purpose solutions. Demand for materials engineers remains high and in this multidisciplinary field you might:

Refine tissue engineering to repair damaged organs
Design smart fabrics that act as a sensor to control vehicles
Apply 3D bioprinting to generate living tissue for personalised treatments
Develop lighter, stronger materials for flight and space travel
Work with bioscientists to detect drugs and toxins
Create nanoparticles that seek out and destroy cancer

What you will learn

Materials Engineering

As you examine the next generation of applications and technologies, you’ll explore the following topics:

Biomaterials

Design stronger, lighter knee replacements, swiftly detect disease markers, increase biocompatibility for cardiac devices, or combine biomaterials and genomics to repair damaged tissue. You’ll improve lives – and save them.

Nanomaterials

Develop stronger alloys for the demands of space, refine nanomedicine to improve patient wellbeing and use nanoparticle toxicology to aid diagnosis and treatment. With nanotechnology, think small to make a big impact.

Additive manufacturing

With the rise (and rise) of additive solutions (particularly in China), you’ll investigate how 3D printing and manufacturing are transforming the aerospace, automotive and biomedical industries.

Advanced materials modelling

Sharpen your skills as you simulate and model material behaviour. You’ll explore a range of techniques, like finite element modelling, atomic structure modelling, electronic structure and chemical bonding.

Advanced photovoltaics and energy storage

Want to improve efficiencies in energy storage systems and allow more light to pass through solar windows? As the renewable revolution accelerates, you’ll delve deep into the latest breakthroughs to explore pros, cons – and opportunities.