Materials Science and Engineering (with placement year) BEng (Hons)

Loughborough University of Technology

The development of new and improved materials is at the heart of a huge range of technologies, from the objects we use every day, such as food packaging, to novel batteries and fuel cells to power electric vehicles, through to more advanced materials for biomedical applications, such as implants. Our Materials Science and Engineering degree will give you the opportunity to explore and deepen your knowledge and understanding of the scientific, engineering and design aspects of materials, their structure, properties, processing, in-service behaviour and environmental impact.

At Loughborough, our course will take you from the fundamental science and engineering of materials, to the cutting-edge of the subject. During your time with us, you will have access to our state-of-the-art experimental labs to complement your lectures and will be taught by world-leading academics whose influence extends outside of the lecture theatre. In year three, students will complete a research project on a specific topic of interest supervised by a member of academic staff, potentially in collaboration with an industrial partner.

Our degree prepares our students for careers in a wide range of sectors, including aerospace, automotive, biomedical, energy and sustainability, consumer goods, sports, and defence, and our graduates go on to work in large and small companies in the UK and internationally. Some remain in the Higher Education sector to continue their research into Materials Engineering.

What's the difference between MEng and BEng?

The first two years of a BEng or MEng share the same content, format and structure, with a good mix of theory, application and practical content from day one. The MEng differs from the BEng course in the third and fourth years by offering the opportunity to study technical and management topics at a more advanced level. It is possible to transfer from a BEng to an MEng from the start of the course up to the end of the second year, providing that the transfer progression criteria have been met.