What is Materials Science and Engineering?

This field is focussed on the development of new and better materials for the next generation of engineering applications. It views the fundamentals of biomaterials, nanomaterials, ceramics, metals, polymers, electronic materials and composites, emphasising the relationships between atomic structure and microstructure as well as the properties, processing and performance of the material.

In this new century, sustainability and environmental impact lie at the core of materials development and application.

Skills and expertise

Skills and Expertise MSE combines chemistry, physics and biology with mathematics and the principles of mechanical, chemical and electrical engineering. As a result, materials engineers are highly marketable.


Along with a solid technical foundation, you will be equipped with communication, project management, time management, organisational and computing skills.

Interesting materials research around the world

Desalination diagram

Corrosion-resistant desalination device can handle super-salty water

Desalination systems play an important role in improving access to fresh water, but some types of the natural resource are too salty for current solutions to handle. Such hypersaline water can have salt content as much as 10 times greater than seawater, and now scientists have developed a solar-powered desalination system that relies on a special coating to take the fight to this super-salty foe.

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Snail on glass

Snail slime inspires reversible, super-strong glue

The promise of reusable sticky things, from Post-it Notes to Blu Tack, has never quite been fulfilled. They're just never quite as sticky the second time around, or the third. But now, a team of engineers from University of Pennsylvania and Lehigh University thinks it has an answer, inspired by one of nature's great stickers, the humble – and slimy – snail.

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