Engineering Materials Science

Materials science studies the production of different structural and functional materials, their consistency and structure, technical properties, and industrial applications. In reality, essentially all products of our society comprise materials, and the most significant challenges of our society are somehow related to materials. For example, recycling and developing sustainable materials, energy production with more heat and wear resistant materials, reduced emissions from transportation with lighter and stronger materials can all be solved with future materials innovations. Come and study Engineering Materials Science with us and be part of the solution!

In 2021 we launched new majors dedicated to students who have strong background in solid mechanics and who want to expand their expertise to materials science to give them the edge on the competed job markets. The new Mechanics of Materials major deepens your understanding of mechanics and adds scientific explanations and background understanding of material microstructures and mechanical behavior to your practical toolbox. This combination of skills is very sought after in the job market.

We take pride in our excellent quality of education; our teachers, laboratories and research are at the cutting edge of materials science in Finland. Many of our research groups are internationally recognized and merited, as are our teachers and researchers. The teaching in the Master’s Programme in Materials Science and Engineering is intimately related to scientific research and other R&D projects at our department. Our research laboratories are used also for education, and therefore, you will have access to the best available experimental facilities. In terms of both teaching and research, we are committed to providing scientific solutions to the materials challenges faced by our future society. Even if it requires developing highly ductile ceramics.

The Master’s Programme in Materials Science and Engineering offers multidisciplinary and flexible study opportunities of a high standard and quality. It operates in an internationally-oriented and innovative study and research environment, preparing students for flexible professional and academic career opportunities both in Finland and abroad. The Master’s Programme in Materials Science and Engineering leads to the degree of Master of Science in Technology.

The official language of the programme is English, meaning that all the courses, exams and student services are arranged in English. Consequently, proficiency in both written and spoken English is an absolute prerequisite. Students are required to submit an approved certificate of their language proficiency when applying for admission. Students are also required to complete a course in the Finnish language. It provides them with basic knowledge of everyday Finnish and introduces them to Finnish culture. 

Engineering Materials Science provides students with a broad, cross-disciplinary education. Besides the conventional lectures, we employ practical teaching methods, such as exercises, laboratory assignments and web-based methods, and foster a problem-based approach to learning. Our graduates are well prepared for innovative thinking and solving various complex problems using methods strongly based on materials engineering and natural sciences. This education gives you excellent career options for further studies (PhD) and prepares you for engineering career in the industry but also allows you to pursue the career of a scientists at the university, national research centers, or industrial R&D.

The compulsory basic studies of the Master’s Programme provide an introduction to the field of materials science and the prerequisite knowledge for pursuing more advanced studies. The module also provides students with other necessary skills, such as the basics of the Finnish language and guidance for thesis writing.

The education in our programme comprises theoretical, numerical, and practical learning. Our student laboratories are well equipped with modern facilities, but we also use our full scale research laboratories for educational purposes. You will have access to electron microscopes, large scale mechanical test facilities, thermal analysis labs, and even a pilot scale paper converting line. You can take a look for more details of our research groups and facilities on our website.

The focus areas, or major subjects, available in the programme provide in-depth knowledge of materials science and engineering from a variety of different perspectives. The three focus areas offered in the programme are Advanced Engineering Materials, Mechanics of Materials, and Sustainable Materials.

We offer our students the opportunity to gain international experience in the form of a double degree program. The double degree programme comprises a curriculum of 120 ECTS credits at Tampere University and at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). This cooperation allows students to not only widen their knowledge of materials science in a very international framework but also tailor their degree to stand out in today’s challenging job market. You will receive two degree certificates from this program; one from Finland and one from Spain.

In our programme you will complete an advanced (30 credits) or an extended (50-60 credits) major subject. To complete a Master's Degree in Technology, the students are required to prepare a master's thesis related to their major subject (30 credits). The master's thesis is an extensive treatise, which prepares the student for independent study and research, the mastery of scientific methods, referencing conventions, and the scientific mode of presentation in a good literary form.

Students completing an extended major are not required to pursue a minor subject. A minor subject can be freely selected, and with their choice of minor students can direct their expertise towards their desired career path or field of interest. Already during the early stages of your studies you will be assigned to a student tutor who will help you with many practicalities of the studies, but also a professor mentor to guide you with the selection of studies and especially the major and minor subjects so that you will gain the most benefit from your studies and direct them according to your career goals.

During your advanced studies, you can choose to focus on Advanced Engineering Materials, Mechanics of Materials, Sustainable Materials or Medical Biomaterials and Their Applications.

Advanced Engineering Materials

This major allows you to deepen your understanding on the Materials Science and Engineering of advanced metals, ceramics, coatings, polymers, and composite materials. You will learn the relationships between the processing and structure of the material, and how the structure affects the properties and performance of the material. Understanding and utilizing these correlations is essential for finding the most suitable existing materials, and developing new materials that meet the requirements of different applications. You may focus more on metals and ceramic materials or on polymeric materials. Focusing on metals and ceramic materials will give you state-of-the-art knowledge of recent developments, for example in advanced steel technology, nano- and ultrafined grained metals and alloys, functional materials, coatings and coating technology, and advanced ceramic sciences. Focusing on polymeric materials on the other hand provides the student with broad-ranging knowledge of various polymers, biopolymers, elastomers and composite materials and places special emphasis on the properties and structure of materials.

Mechanics of Materials

This major focuses on the experimental characterization of mechanical behaviour of materials and the simulations of material behavior in various applications. The studies will give you deeper understanding and scientific explanations for material models and the phenomena that they simulate. Depending on your interest you may focus your studies towards different areas for example focusing on the mechanics of lightweight load carrying materials where you will learn numerical methods for evaluating behaviour of highly anisotropic composite materials. You may also choose to focus your attention to evaluating tribology in machine elements, wear of materials, and mechanics of metallic materials used in heavy industry. No matter how you focus your studies within this major, you will have excellent knowledge of materials science and engineering combined with skills in mechanics that you can apply either for industrial or academic R&D. Our programme also allows you to learn at the world class experimental facilities including the IMPACT –high strain rate laboratory, the Tribology and Machine Elements laboratory, and the composites manufacturing and experiments laboratory. This major is particularly suitable for students who have a strong background in Materials Science and Engineering, Solid Mechanics; Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering or other similar subject, and who wish to deepen their solid mechanics know-how with materials science.

Sustainable Materials

Sustainable materials focuses on sustainability and environmental aspects of Materials Science and Engineering. Environmentally friendly materials, recycling, and understanding of the Life Cycle Analysis of the material production and use are critically for our future society. This major includes several focus areas that you may choose from. Computed Energy-Saving materials focuses on computational materials design and selection with clear focus on light and energy saving materials. Bio-Based Materials focuses on pulp and paper production as well as engineering of various biopolymers. Bio-based material technology at our university focuses among other things on paper, paperboard, and polymer processing as well as converting and packaging technology using wood-, fibre-, and plastic-based materials and products. During your studies you have access to various high class experimental facilities, and can even operate a roll-to-roll pilot line. On the other hand, focusing on Sustainable Raw Materials gives you an opportunity to deepen your materials science know-how with environmental engineering, and teaches you how to manage practical environmental problems related to Raw Material extraction and production. To be successful in Sustainable Materials you should have background in materials science, chemistry, polymer chemistry, bioprocessing, bioengineering, environmental engineering or similar.

Medical Biomaterials and Their Applications

(in co-operation with Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology)
Biomaterials are engineered materials aiming at treating, repairing or augmenting diseased or injured tissue. To choose this specialization you must have some previous studies related to biomaterials. All students enrolling on this this module will learn about the various materials used in clinics. They will be able to not only understand the tissue/materials interactions but also the properties dictating their unique role in improving human health. Students will have the privileged to specialize their module by choosing either a Materials Science or a tissue engineering track.

The tuition fee of the programme is 12 000 euros per academic year for non-EU/EEA students with a scholarship system for fee-paying students. For more information, please see Tuition Fees and Scholarships.

For more information, please see the Curriculum.

The most significant feature characterising the career opportunities that Engineering Materials Science offers is versatility. Describing the career path of a typical graduate is not straightforward, as materials expertise is needed in multiple companies in different fields of industry in the development and maintenance of industrial processes. The degree opens up a wide range of career opportunities. By making certain choices during your studies, you will be able to tailor your degree towards your desired direction. 

Due to our world-class research, it is not uncommon for our graduates to continue working in academia as scientists or pursue a doctoral degree. Tampere University offers its own internal funding programme for doctoral studies that is a great opportunity for someone seeking a PhD, but as a reflection of that, it is also highly competitive. The Finnish industry today boasts a wide variety of career opportunities ranging from modern steel industry and the design and production of heavy machinery to the production and design of electronic components, such as mobile phones and semiconductor devices. 

In addition to studies in one’s own programme, students may take full advantage of the teaching offered by the Tampere higher education community ranging from technical to vocational studies in various fields.