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Materials

View the employability skills

A graduate in materials science typically will:

  • have acquired a good knowledge of basic principles of materials, supported by the necessary background science
  • have a good understanding of the interaction between composition, processing, microstructure and properties, leading to appropriate application of materials
  • have acquired some key practical skills and competence
  • are able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
  • have the ability to design and execute an individual project
  • have an awareness of the importance of materials to industry and society
  • have an awareness of sustainability and environmental issues
  • have acquired the relevant mathematical and computational skills
  • have problem-solving skills
  • be able to exercise original thought.

The study of materials science develops a basic understanding of the part played by selection of materials and choice of manufacturing process in meeting an engineering specification. The study of materials engineering must have its foundations in materials science. Materials are central to the economic wellbeing of the country. This is reflected by rapid developments in new areas of materials such as smart materials, soft solids, nano technology, sensors and biometrics. Materials scientists or engineers help to develop the materials required for new products, find better lower-cost manufacturing routes and enhance the performance of existing materials. They consider the environmental impact and sustainability of their products. They discover how to optimise the selection of materials and create sophisticated databases from which properties and service behaviour can be predicted.

Materials engineers need a foundation of engineering science, mathematics and other sciences in order to understand manufacturing, processing and fabrication methods and to predict the service performance of materials e.g. strength of materials and mechanics of solids, principles of manufacture including computer-aided engineering.

Graduates in materials are also likely to be able to design with materials based on customer requirements and to have practical experience of a range of techniques and materials including computer modelling and project work.

Materials scientists or engineers may work in the manufacturing, processing or user industries, in research, in production, management or in sales. They may be concerned with mass produced artefacts such as cars, tableware, or building materials, or specialist products such as those needed for micro-electronics, sports equipment, replacement body parts, energy generation or aerospace.

To check the growing range of resources produced by the Subject Centre to support employability and the use of this profile (including the Skills and Attributes map) go to www.materials.ac.uk.

This profile, produced in 2004, is based on the QAA benchmark to be found at www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/honours/default.asp.


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