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Advanced Materials Science (Data-driven Innovation) MSc

London, Stratford (UCL East)

The digital revolution in data science, machine learning and artificial intelligence have all sparked demand for the next generation materials data scientists, able to utilise these emerging technologies for enhanced materials design and discovery. On this programme you will explore in depth how the establishment of  Processing-Structure-Properties-Performance (PSPP) relationships can be significantly enhanced using data driven approaches.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£16,800
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£42,700
Duration
1 calendar year
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this course is: Level 1

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

If you are intending to apply for a time-limited visa to complete your UCL studies (e.g. Student visa, Skilled worker visa, PBS dependant visa etc.) you may be required to obtain ATAS clearance. This will be confirmed to you if you obtain an offer of a place. Please note that ATAS processing times can take up to six months, so we recommend you consider these timelines when submitting your application to UCL.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

The Advanced Materials Science MSc (Data-Driven Innovation) relates scientific theories to research and applications of advanced materials, encourages innovation and creative thinking, and contextualises scientific innovation within the global market and entrepreneurship. The programme delivers innovative teaching; from the group design projects where you are challenged to design the next advanced material to learning how to apply research in the commercial world.

The programme, delivered by UCL’s Institute for Materials Discovery (IMD) within the Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, equips you with advanced, comprehensive knowledge and expertise in data-driven materials science.

You will learn about the computational materials modelling and machine learning methodologies needed to solve problems in materials science, particularly in the fields of regression and classification, feature extraction, and data clustering.

The programme focuses specifically on the methodologies and technologies required to better understand of Process-Structures-Properties-Performance (PSPP) relationships in advanced materials for energy, health and environmental applications of materials.

You will also to practise contemporary scientific research skills and gain the insights and capabilities to be a proficient researcher or an entrepreneur in the field.

In addition, you will engage in a literature project and a six-month research project related to the application of data-driven approaches to advanced materials and applications.

Who this course is for

This programme is for those with a background in physics, chemistry, polymers, materials science or biology. The course covers advanced physics-based materials modelling on all scales as well as data-driven modelling.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

Students will build a solid foundation in creating, managing and using materials data to better understand and guide the design and discovery of novel advanced materials for various contemporary and emerging applications. 

We deliver innovative teaching that fosters critical thinking, creativity and peer collaboration.

Students on this interdisciplinary programme benefit from UCL's emphasis on enterprise- and research-led  teaching informed by current research input from departments across UCL.

In addition to the specific skills and knowledge students acquire by taking this programme, they also develop managerial and entrepreneurship skills, and transferable skills in areas including literature survey, design of experiments, materials research, critical data analysis, teamwork and effective communication skills using real-life case scenarios and student-led group projects.

Students are based at our UCL East campus in the heart of East London, with easy access to all the cultural, entertainment and academic resources across the capital. 

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Possible career pathways for graduates include computational modelling or data-driven innovation such as big data analytics, machine learning and digitalisation, targeting advanced materials for nanotechnologies, energy and the environment, as well as advanced manufacturing and processing.

Graduates from this programme are prepared to enter a variety of fields such as aerospace, biomedical, engineering and other multidisciplinary industrials. For national statistics on graduate destinations, including for UCL, please see the HESA Graduate Outcomes data.

Employer examples (illustrative): alumni have taken roles at companies such as Shell, Johnson Matthey, Rolls-Royce, Merck, Oxford Instruments, Huawei, Bytedance, Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola. These employer examples are illustrative and drawn from a internal records, alumni feedback and the Graduate Outcomes Survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017 - 2022 cohorts.

The programme also provides an excellent foundation for further academic study. Past graduates have progressed to another postgraduate degree or doctoral research, some of whom have been awarded full PhD studentships. They have gone on to study at institutions including Purdue University in the USA, Universities of Oxford, Bristol, Queen Mary, Nottingham, Bath, St Andrews, Imperial College London, and UCL in the UK, as well as other top universities in Australia and Hong Kong.

Find out more about which sectors / job roles our graduates are working in 15 months after they leave UCL on our find out what graduates do page to learn more about the broad range of potential options open to you.

Employability

You'll be equipped with the comprehensive knowledge and research skills for a future career as a materials scientist or engineer in academia or industry, or as an entrepreneur.

As well as developing a sought-after set of skills in materials science, you will develop your managerial and entrepreneurship capabilities. You will also build transferable skills in areas such as literature survey, designing experiments, machine learning, materials research, critical data analysis, teamwork and effective communication, using real-life case scenarios and student-led group projects. 

Networking

Staff at UCL IMD have extensive professional networks and often organize research seminar talks given by internal and external academic and industrial speakers worldwide. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in these scientific seminars. In addition, students are also encouraged to organize their own academic, social and alumni events with staff supports to enhance their sense of belonging.

UCL Careers also offers a range of services, providing access to skills development, recruitment and networking events.

Teaching and learning

Teaching is delivered through a mix of lectures, interactive tutorials, case discussions and modelling projects. Assessment is through a combination of ongoing coursework, presentations, a group project and/or a written examination, a dissertation and a viva voce.

Each taught module is normally lectured for 30 hours, with around 20 hours of tutorials or tutorial-lead practices. You will need to spend around 100 hours on self-directed study for each taught module.

The compulsory curriculum is assessed by a combination of different methods that typically include individual coursework, a group project and/or a written examination, individual research projects with associated presentations, dissertation reports and viva voce. You are also given time to revise and work through your assessed work with opportunities for individual and group feedback.

Assessment methods vary according to modules and are designed to enable students to demonstrate learning over time.

Each taught module is normally lectured for 30 hours with around 20 hours tutorials and/or tutor-lead practices. The student is expected to spend around 100 hours on self-directed study for each taught module.

For full-time students, typical contact hours are around 12 hours per week. Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments.

In Terms 1 and 2 full-time students can typically expect between 10 and 12 contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, crits and tutorials. In Term 3 and the summer period students will be completing their own research project, keeping regular contact with their supervisors.

Modules

You will take modules to value of 60 credits per term. In Term 1 you will study compulsory modules relating to the Microstructural Control in Advanced Materials, Advanced Materials Processing and Manufacturing, and you will be exposed to the concepts of research design and research methods, thus gaining the necessary knowledge to develop your research project during the year. You will also start a route-specific compulsory module Integrated Data-driven Materials Science and Digitalisation.

In Term 2 you will further develop the skills gained in Term 1, where you go on to undertake compulsory modules in Advanced Materials Characterisation, Materials Design, Selection and Discovery as well as starting your six-month independent research project on cutting-edge topics on the field of multiscale materials modelling and data-drive materials science to be familiar with state-of-the-art methods and empowered with the specialized skills in materials modelling, machine learning, artificial intelligence and data science for materials discovery. You will further consolidate your knowledge and skills in data-driven materials innovation by studying the route-specific compulsory module Machine Learning and Data-driven Materials Science.

In Term 3 and over the summer you will continue to engage in your research project, supported by your project supervisor. This will culminate in you presenting your research progresses and findings to your contemporaries in both written and oral presentation formats.

Compulsory modules











Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Advanced Materials Science (Data-driven Innovation).

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: UCL Institute for Materials Discovery Session (AM)

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Join us for a Virtual Graduate Open Event to find out more about our wide range of Master's programmes, how our programmes are taught, and what it's like to study at the Institute of Materials Discovery at UCL. You'll have the chance to hear from our academics and ask any questions you might have in a live Q&A.

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: UCL Institute for Materials Discovery Session (PM)

—

Join us for a Virtual Graduate Open Event to find out more about our wide range of Master's programmes, how our programmes are taught, and what it's like to study at the Institute of Materials Discovery at UCL. You'll have the chance to hear from our academics and ask any questions you might have in a live Q&A.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £16,800
Tuition fees (2026/27) £42,700

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

There are no programme-specific costs.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Bseisu-UCL Scholarship

Now closed for 2025/26 entry
Value: Fees plus stipend (1 year)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

UCL East London Scholarship

CLOSED FOR 25/26 ENTRY
Value: Tuition fees plus £16,000 stipend ()
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

You are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.


There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we access your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Advanced Materials Science at graduate level
  • why you want to study Advanced Materials Science at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver. Applicants who have a portfolio are strongly recommended to submit it when they apply.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences

imd-msc@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.