Materials have always played a significant and defining role in human development, from the Stone Age to the material world of today. Materials are central to our prosperity and new materials hold the key to our future development. Material engineers therefore have an essential role in developing the materials of today and the future and in taking performance to the next level.
Programme description
Material related issues can be found in all areas of life and engineering e.g. in biomedical, telecommunications, aeronautical, construction, chemical and mechanical, and in
all aspects of a products life, from an idea or discovery to a prototype or finished product and recycling. In the puzzle of innovation, material engineers focus on the application of materials, where they test, develop and modify materials that are used in a wide range of products, from jet engines and snow skis to smartphones and diapers.
The ultimate performance of most products and processes is limited by the performance of materials, which are linked to the structure and resulting properties of a material. This in turn is affected by how the material is manufactured and processed. Materials must also perform in an economical and societal context. The challenge for the materials engineer lies in understanding the relationship between these aspects of materials, to improve their properties and to communicate these findings.
In addition, materials science and engineering is a key technology for environmentally sustainable development, and the importance of materials engineering is therefore growing in society.
The overall aim of the Materials Engineering Master’s programme is to offer both depth and flexibility in a comprehensive materials education focused on the application of materials. Courses are closely linked to the industry as well as contemporary research; the degree you receive here will have a wide application.
You will become an engineer of reality, a problem finder and developer both in theory and practice and besides becoming an expert on materials, you will also represent a bridge between researchers and constructors.
Educational methods
Contemporary challenges in materials cut across the traditional lines of engineering and science. Methods of modern materials engineering rely on the mix of competence and knowledge, presence where the problems occur, effective testing and model building. This is reflected in the education, which provides for example advanced experimental equipment, modern software for materials simulation applied on real material problems. In labs, with real life problems provided by the industry, you will learn through a make and brake pedagogy, exploring the limits of new materials and concepts through experiments in both theory and practice. We also emphasise that interdisciplinary intercultural international communication and teamwork are essential parts in successful projects.
Courses are run by faculty from departments of Materials and Manufacturing, Chemical and Biological engineering, applied Mechanics, Microtechnology and nanoscience, and applied Physics. Courses cover metals, ceramics, polymers and composites as well as topics of particular current interest in industry, such as material selection and design, environmental adaptation, failure analysis or materials innovation processes.
As a student, you will gain knowledge and skills to handle the complexity of materials problems and to find solutions to problems within the entire chain of a product from design, manufacturing and use to recycling. You will learn how to understand failures, select materials, develop processes and develop properties, making processes more efficient, cost-competitive, reliable and environmentally sustainable.
Other Programmes that might interest you
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Production Engineerin
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Entry requirements (academic year 2018/19)
General entry requirementsTo be eligible an applicant must either be a holder of a Bachelor's degree in Science/Engineering/Technology/Architecture or be enrolled in his/her last year of studies leading to such a degree.
General entry requirements in detail
Chalmers Bachelor’s degree
Are you enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree programme at Chalmers now or do you already have a Bachelor’s degree from Chalmers? If so, different application dates and application instructions apply.
Specific entry requirements
Bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent) with a major in: Material Science, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Chemistry, Industrial Engineering and Management or Industrial Design Engineering
Prerequisites: Mathematics (at least 30 cr. including Linear algebra (including Eigenvalue analysis, Diagonalization and Spectral decomposition), Multivariable analysis, Optimization, Numerical analysis and Mathematical statistics or Probability theory), Metals, Polymers, Thermodynamics and Strength of materials or Solid mechanics
English Language Proficiency
The most common and important scores that are accepted are
- IELTS (academic training), 6.5 (with no part of the test below 5.5)
- TOEFL (Internet based): 90 (with a minimum of 20 on the written part)
- TOEFL (paper based): 575 (with a minimum of 4.5 on the written part)
Citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)
Chalmers cannot admit applicants with citizenship only of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea due to the European Council Regulation U2017/01157/UH concerning restrictive measures against DPRK. Applicants with double citizenships of which one is of Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the other of another country, the citizenship of the other country has precedence in this respect.
Useful links
Please note that the above schematic view corresponds to the academic year starting in autumn 2016. Minor changes may occur.Programme content in detail
Career opportunities
The program prepares you for a professional role in fields like lightweight design, recycling, biodegradable materials or corrosion resistant alloys. Future opportunities can be found in: Product development and testing, Technical design, Process development, innovative business development, R&D, Engineering and problem solving and sustainable development.
Graduates of the Master’s programme in Materials Engineering can also apply to the joint Chalmers Graduate School in Materials Science. On the PhD level, the cross-departmental graduate school in Materials Science provides genuine cross-disciplinary training and a common curriculum in materials science for PhD students from five different departments.
Research and industry connections
Chalmers has a record of high quality research into e.g. microstructural characterisation, surface engineering, mechanical behaviour, polymer processing and synthesis, high temperature corrosion, powder metallurgy, biomaterials and liquid crystals. At Chalmers, PhD students are involved in teaching, and master’s students can perform small projects as well as large diploma projects within on-going research.
We also cooperate with large and well-established companies and institutes such as Volvo, Volvo Cars, GKN Aerospace, SAAB, SKF, SCA, Sandvik and SWEREA, but also smaller young entrepreneurial companies such as ARCAM.
Courses take place in several departments at Chalmers, cooperating within one of our Areas of Advance - Materials Science.
Department of Materials and Manufacturing Technology International opportunities during the studies
Double-degree: you can spend the 2nd year in Stuttgart and get two master degrees.
Erasmus: you can do your compulsory courses in Barcelona, Leuven; get a M.Sc. in welding in Cranford.