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MEngSc in Materials Science and Engineering

MEngSc (NFQ Level 9)
Sustainable Development Goals

This course is available through the following application route(s)

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Materials Science and Engineering is an interdisciplinary field investigating the relationship between the structure of materials at atomic or molecular scales and their macroscopic properties. Materials Scientists and Engineers are at the centre of virtually every area of technology from optoelectronics to space materials and from automotive and automotive manufacturing to biomedical devices. The core knowledge in this field is essential in currently evolving advanced technologies such as additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) and nanotechnology. Graduates will gain expertise in fundamental materials science and real-world engineering application of materials, including metals, ceramics, composites and semiconductors.

This programme is delivered by a School with a long history of innovation, establishing its first spin-out company more than 40 years ago, attracting more than €5 million in research funding annually, and leading SFI’s national centre for advanced manufacturing.

Graduates from this programme will be fully qualified professional engineers, capable of working anywhere in the world at an advanced technical level.

  • Focus on real-world materials used for the manufacture of advanced engineered components and systems such as biomedical implants.

  • Integrated theoretical, conceptual and practical knowledge.

  • Technical research project in collaboration with world leading research groups and researchers.

About This Course

We provide a stimulating learning environment with a wide-ranging and relevant taught curriculum that is underpinned by a hands-on laboratory experience that will encourage students to develop a deep understanding of structure-property relationships in materials. A significant period of structured internship at an industrial partner is a key component of the programme. A variety of teaching, learning and assessment strategies are used to achieve the desired outcomes including individual and team assignments, technical presentations, internship assessment and a significant supervised research project. 

  • Advanced knowledge and understanding of the mathematics, sciences, engineering sciences and technologies underpinning their branch of engineering.
  • An understanding of the need for high ethical standards in the practice of engineering, including the responsibilities of the engineering profession towards people, society and the environment.
  • The ability to communicate effectively on complex technical activities with the engineering and science community and with society at large.
  • The ability to identify, formulate, analyse and solve complex engineering problems.
  • The ability to perform the detailed design of a novel system, component or process using analysis and interpretation of relevant data.
  • The ability to work effectively as an individual, in teams and in multidisciplinary settings, together with the capacity to undertake lifelong learning.

If you are a graduate of the MEngSc Materials Science and Engineering programme you can look forward to limitless employment opportunities in leading companies of the manufacturing, biomedical, aerospace, energy and electronic sectors. Manufacturing accounts for 24% of Irish economic output and employs 20% of the Irish workforce directly or indirectly. Ireland’s aerospace and aviation industry is worth over €4.1 billion to the Irish economy, and there are more than 250 companies involved in the aerospace, aviation and space sectors in Ireland, providing employment for around 42,000 full-time workers. Moreover, Ireland hosts 18 of the world’s top 25 medtech companies and a multi-national semi-conductor manufacturing company (Intel Leixlip), overall employing over 40,000 people. UCD materials graduates have taken up roles such as data scientist, manufacturing engineer, development engineer, and research engineer, in different industrial sectors including aerospace (General Electric, Rolls Royce, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics), electronics (Intel), biomedical (Boston Scientific, Stryker, DePuy Synthes) and energy (Siemens).

Hear from our alumni: MEngSc Material Science and Engineering (youtube.com)

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MEEN30090 Materials Science and Engineering II Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MEEN40080 Technical Ceramics Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MEEN40160 Materials Thermodynamics and Kinetics Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MEEN40560 Research Skills and Techniques Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MEEN40110 Advanced Polymer Engineering Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MEEN41150 Advanced Metals Processing Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
 MEEN40890 Project (MEngSc Materials) Summer  30
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 CHEM30090 Chemistry of Materials Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 CHEN40810 Nanomaterials Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 EEEN20070 Solid State Devices Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 MEEN40050 Computational Continuum Mechanics I Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 MEEN40060 Fracture Mechanics Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 MEEN40090 Energy Systems and Climate Change Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 MEEN40150 Computational Continuum Mechanics II Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 MEEN40600 Medical Device Design Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 MEEN40630 Biomaterials Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 PHYC40410 Physics of nanomaterials Autumn  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 BSEN40350 Renewable Energy Systems Analysis Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 CHEN40510 Advanced Characterisation Tech Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 MEEN30140 Professional Engineering (Finance) Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 MEEN40430 Professional Engineering (Management) Spring  5
Stage 1 Options - A)6 of:
OPTION MODULES: Students must speak to the Programme Director before choosing their Option Modules.
 MEEN40670 Technical Communication Spring  5

UCD ranks 1st in Ireland and in the top 50 worldwide in the QS Sustainability rankings 2023, which focus on what institutions are doing to tackle the world’s greatest environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges

Graduate Profile - Susan Nace

"As an undergraduate mechanical engineering student in the US, I was able to study abroad in Dublin for 6 weeks one summer, during which I lived on UCD’s campus and fell in love with Dublin’s historic-village-yet-international-city vibes. When it came time for me to decide where to pursue a postgraduate degree, I chose UCD based on both my previous positive experiences in Dublin— friendly people, good music scene, great burritos and pizza—as well as UCD’s one year Master of Engineering Science in Materials Engineering degree programme. The programme offered me a chance to study a wide variety of engineering materials used worldwide, such that after finishing the programme, I would be able to use my new knowledge anywhere, not just in jobs or academia in Ireland or the US. The programme required both module and research credits, which allowed me to gain a specialisation in the materials field of mechanical engineering, as well as jumpstart my desired research career. After completing my degree at UCD, I received an Irish Research Council Employment-based Postgraduate Programme doctoral fellowship with a UCD engineering professor and a non-profit based in Dublin, and I am currently in my second year of that PhD programme. I believe that UCD was key to my academic journey and that the university is continuing to help me establish myself in the engineering research field."

MEngSc in Materials Science and Engineering (T286) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 9530
nonEU    fee per year - € 29100

***Fees are subject to change

Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see www.ucd.ie/global/scholarships/

The College of Engineering & Architecture also offer scholarships for non-EU students, for more information see: www.ucd.ie/eacollege/currentstudents/noneuscholarships.

 

  • An honours undergraduate degree (NFQ Level 8) with a minimum upper second class honours or international equivalence in an Engineering or cognate Physical Sciences degree programme.
  • Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 6.5 (no band less than 6.0 in each element), or equivalent.
  • Students meeting the programme’s academic entry requirements but not the  English language requirements, may enter the programme upon  successful completion of UCD’s Pre-Sessional or International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information http://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/ 
  • These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes 
You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information.

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EU) applicants: Yes


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General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to MEngSc in Materials Science and Engineering:

ROWCLASS Apply to   Application Type  
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt T286
MEngSc in Materials Science and Engineering
Master of Engineering Science
Full-Time
Commencing September 2024
 Graduate Taught Closed
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt T286
MEngSc in Materials Science and Engineering
Master of Engineering Science
Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
 Graduate Taught Apply
* you can change options at the top of the page
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