Everything we use is made of materials, yet only a handful of these materials occur naturally. All the rest have been microscopically engineered originally by nature, but increasingly by materials engineers/scientists. Materials Science and Engineering is the foundation for creating high-performance components and devices from metals, ceramics, polymers and composites for use in society. This degree program provides the theoretical and practical skills that will put you at the forefront of innovation in developing materials that are lighter, greener and stronger. Your studies begin with a strong foundation in mathematics, chemistry and physics before delving deeper through courses in fundamental properties, structures of materials, aspects of engineering design, application and selection of materials. You will become more specialised in the later stages of the degree through electives, practicals and the Honours research project. We have a selection of electives in ceramic engineering, materials engineering, functional materials, physical metallurgy and process metallurgy.

More information at the UNSW Handbook.

Program outline:

Year 1

Term 1

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS1192, opens in a new window Design and Application of Materials in Science and Engineering
CHEM1811 Engineering Chemistry 1A
ENGG1811 OR COMP1911, opens in a new window Computing for Engineers OR Computing 1A


Term 2

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATH1131 Mathematics 1A
PHYS1121 Physics 1A

 

Term 3

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
DESN1000 Introduction to Engineering Design and Innovation
MATH1231 Mathematics 1B
First year Engineering elective First year Engineering elective

 

Year 2

Term 1

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS2001, opens in a new window Physical Properties of Materials
MATS2003, opens in a new window Materials Characterisation
MATH2019 Engineering Mathematics 2E

 

Term 2

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS2004 Mechanical Behaviour of Materials
MATS2005 Introduction to Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer
MATS2008, opens in a new window Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria

 

Term 3

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS2006, opens in a new window Diffusion and Kinetics
MATS2007 Sustainable Materials Processing

Year 3

Term 1

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS3001 Micromechanisms of Mechanical Behaviour of Metals
MATS3002 Fundamentals of Ceramic Processing
MATH2089, opens in a new window Numerical Methods and Statistics

 

Term 2

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS3004 Polymer Science and Engineering 1
MATS3006 Design and Application of Materials in Science and Engineering 3
MATS3007 Materials Industry Management

 

Term 3

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
Professional elective Any professional elective

 

Year 4

Term 1

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS4100, opens in a new window Materials Engineering Project
Stream prof. elec Stream professional elective
Any prof. elective Any professional elective

 

Term 2

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS4100, opens in a new window Materials Engineering Project
Stream Prof. Elec Stream professional elective

 

Term 3

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS4100 Materials Engineering Project
Professional elective Any professional elective
  • COURSE CODE
    MATH1131
    COURSE NAME
    Mathematics 1A
  • COURSE CODE
    PHYS1121
    COURSE NAME
    Physics 1A
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS3004
    COURSE NAME
    Polymer Science and Engineering 1
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS3006
    COURSE NAME
    Design and Application of Materials in Science and Engineering 3
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS3007
    COURSE NAME
    Materials Industry Management
  • COURSE CODE
    Professional elective
    COURSE NAME
    Any professional elective
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS4100, opens in a new window
    COURSE NAME
    Materials Engineering Project
  • COURSE CODE
    Stream prof. elec
    COURSE NAME
    Stream professional elective
  • COURSE CODE
    Any prof. elective
    COURSE NAME
    Any professional elective
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS4100
    COURSE NAME
    Materials Engineering Project
  • COURSE CODE
    Professional elective
    COURSE NAME
    Any professional elective

Year 1, opens in a new window

Term 2

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATH1131 Mathematics 1A
PHYS1121, opens in a new window Physics 1A

Term 3

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
ENGG1000 Introduction to Engineering Design and Innovation
MATH1231 Mathematics 1B
First year Engineering elective, opens in a new window First Year Engineering Elective

Year 2

Term 1

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS1192 Design and Application of Materials in Science and Engineering
CHEM1811 Engineering Chemistry 1A
ENGG1811 OR COMP1911 Computing for Engineers OR Computing 1A

Term 2

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS2004 Mechanical Behaviour of Materials
MATS2005 Introduction to Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer
MATS2008 Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria

Term 3

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS2006 Diffusion and Kinetics
MATS2007 Sustainable Materials Processing
General education General education

 

Year 3

Term 1

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS2001 Physical Properties of Materials
MATS2003 Materials Characterisation
MATH2019 Engineering Mathematics 2E

Term 2

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS3004, opens in a new window Polymer Science and Engineering 1
MATS3006, opens in a new window Design and Application of Materials in Science and Engineering 3
MATS3007, opens in a new window Materials Industry Management

Term 3

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
Professional elective Any professional elective
General education, opens in a new window General education

Year 4

Term 1

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS3001 Micromechanisms of Mechanical Behaviour of Metals
MATS3002 Fundamentals of Ceramic Processing
MATH2089 Numerical Methods and Statistics

Term 2

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS4100, opens in a new window Materials Engineering Project
Stream Prof. Elec Stream professional elective
General education, opens in a new window General education

Term 3

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS4100 Materials Engineering Project
Professional Elective Any professional elective

Year 5

Term 1

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS4100, opens in a new window Materials Engineering Project
Stream Prof. Elec Stream professional elective
Any Prof. Elective Any professional elective
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS1192
    COURSE NAME
    Design and Application of Materials in Science and Engineering
  • COURSE CODE
    CHEM1811
    COURSE NAME
    Engineering Chemistry 1A
  • COURSE CODE
    ENGG1811 OR COMP1911
    COURSE NAME
    Computing for Engineers OR Computing 1A
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS2004
    COURSE NAME
    Mechanical Behaviour of Materials
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS2005
    COURSE NAME
    Introduction to Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS2008
    COURSE NAME
    Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS2006
    COURSE NAME
    Diffusion and Kinetics
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS2007
    COURSE NAME
    Sustainable Materials Processing
  • COURSE CODE
    General education
    COURSE NAME
    General education
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS2001
    COURSE NAME
    Physical Properties of Materials
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS2003
    COURSE NAME
    Materials Characterisation
  • COURSE CODE
    MATH2019
    COURSE NAME
    Engineering Mathematics 2E
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS3001
    COURSE NAME
    Micromechanisms of Mechanical Behaviour of Metals
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS3002
    COURSE NAME
    Fundamentals of Ceramic Processing
  • COURSE CODE
    MATH2089
    COURSE NAME
    Numerical Methods and Statistics
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS4100
    COURSE NAME
    Materials Engineering Project
  • COURSE CODE
    Professional Elective
    COURSE NAME
    Any professional elective
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS4100, opens in a new window
    COURSE NAME
    Materials Engineering Project
  • COURSE CODE
    Stream Prof. Elec
    COURSE NAME
    Stream professional elective
  • COURSE CODE
    Any Prof. Elective
    COURSE NAME
    Any professional elective

Year 1

Term 3

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
ENGG1000, opens in a new window Introduction to Engineering Design and Innovation
MATH1231, opens in a new window Mathematics 1B
First year Engineering elective, opens in a new window First year Engineering elective

Year 2

Term 1

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS1192, opens in a new window Design and Application of Materials in Science and Engineering
CHEM1811, opens in a new window Engineering Chemistry 1A
ENGG1811, opens in a new window OR COMP1911, opens in a new window Computing for Engineers OR Computing 1A

Term 2

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATH1131, opens in a new window Mathematics 1A
PHYS1121, opens in a new window Physics 1A

Term 3

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS2006 Diffusion and Kinetics
MATS2007 Sustainable Materials Processing
General education, opens in a new window General education

Year 3

Term 1

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS2001, opens in a new window Physical Properties of Materials
MATS2003, opens in a new window Materials Characterisation
MATH2019, opens in a new window Engineering Mathematics 2E

Term 2

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS2004, opens in a new window Mechanical Behaviour of Materials
MATS2005, opens in a new window Introduction to Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer
MATS2008, opens in a new window Thermodynamics and Phase Equilibria

Term 3

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
Professional elective Any professional elective
General education General education

Year 4

Term 1

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS3001, opens in a new window Micromechanisms of Mechanical Behaviour of Metals
MATS3002, opens in a new window Fundamentals of Ceramic Processing
MATH2089, opens in a new window Numerical Methods and Statistics

Term 2

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS3004, opens in a new window Polymer Science and Engineering 1
MATS3006, opens in a new window Design and Application of Materials in Science and Engineering 3
MATS3007, opens in a new window Materials Industry Management

Term 3

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS4100, opens in a new window Materials Engineering Project
Professional elective Any professional rlective

Year 5

Term 1

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS4100, opens in a new window Materials Engineering Project
Stream Prof. Elec Stream Professional Elective
Any Prof. Elective Any Professional Elective

Term 2

COURSE CODE COURSE NAME
MATS4100, opens in a new window Materials Engineering Project
Stream Prof. Elec Stream Professional Elective
General education, opens in a new window General education
  • COURSE CODE
    Professional elective
    COURSE NAME
    Any professional elective
  • COURSE CODE
    General education
    COURSE NAME
    General education
  • COURSE CODE
    MATS4100, opens in a new window
    COURSE NAME
    Materials Engineering Project
  • COURSE CODE
    Stream Prof. Elec
    COURSE NAME
    Stream Professional Elective
  • COURSE CODE
    Any Prof. Elective
    COURSE NAME
    Any Professional Elective