Materials Science Engineering with a Foundation Year MEng (Hons)

The University of Sheffield

If you don't have the usual scientific or mathematical background for an engineering degree, a foundation year is for you. After successfully completing the foundation year, which has modules in mathematics, physics and chemistry, you can start the MEng degree.

In our core undergraduate degree, you'll discover the underlying principles of materials science, and how these are applied across materials engineering situations. You can keep your course general or tailor your degree with optional materials modules.

As well as lectures and tutorials, you'll learn through experiencing real-world engineering situations with extensive practical work in important manufacturing processes and using the latest investigative equipment.

In the first year, you'll take the Global Engineering Challenge. Working with students from other engineering courses, you'll have to find creative solutions to problems. The project looks at challenges faced by communities throughout the world. It's designed to develop you as a professional engineer and get you thinking about sustainable solutions.

If you enjoy a specific area of materials science, you may choose to switch to one of our more specialised courses before the end of the second year.

All MEng courses include a guaranteed five month paid industrial placement, which may be in the UK or abroad. This is a great way of getting additional experience and improving your CV.

In the third and fourth year of the MEng degrees, you'll take part in four Industrial Training Programmes, focusing on the areas of nuclear, glass, aerospace and advanced manufacturing. For each, there are small group seminars with industry experts and engineers, academic lectures and visits to industry sites and technology centres. You'll apply your materials science and engineering knowledge to analyse and solve a real current industrial problem.

BEng or MEng

It is possible to switch between many of our courses and between the BEng and MEng (based on performance on the exams in the course) up to the end of the second year.

This course is fully accredited by the IOM3, meaning it counts towards later professional registration as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng) or Chartered Engineer (CEng).