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Digital Manufacturing of Advanced Materials MSc

London, Stratford (UCL East)

The Digital Manufacturing of Advanced Materials MSc will equip you with interdisciplinary skills highly sought after by industry and academia. You will gain the abilities needed to develop and produce advanced materials such as new drug molecules and pharmaceuticals, materials for energy generation and storage, catalysts facilitating sustainable processes, functional nanomaterials for precious metal recovery or biomedical applications, and more.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
£19,300
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
£37,500
Duration
1 calendar year
Programme starts
September 2024
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 28 Jun 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 30 Aug 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

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

The English language level for this programme 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.

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 fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0, is transforming chemical and process research laboratories as well as manufacturing sites, where smart technologies and digitisation are radically changing the way new chemicals and materials are developed and produced. Automated processes and robotic systems allow for operator-free experimentation and material development and optimisation empowered by computational tools such as machine learning. In this new paradigm-shifting scenario, R&D must go far beyond the traditional, and labour-intensive, manual experimentation and analysis. The new industrial demands require the materials engineers of the future to take a holistic digital approach, combining up-to-date synthetic and analytic procedures, automation, data science, and a variety of computational tools. The MSc in Digital Manufacturing of Advanced Materials (DMAM) was co-developed with our industrial partners to meet these requirements and to equip the next generation of engineers and scientists with the interdisciplinary skills needed.

Experiential learning is at the heart of the DMAM MSc programme, and you will learn through case studies and open-ended research questions developed with industry. Learning by doing will be an essential part in all experimental and computational module tasks, including materials synthesis and characterisation, automation and data acquisition, and analysis and system optimisation; for example, using digital twins and machine learning in practical lab set-ups. 

The 12-month-long DMAM programme is structured in three terms. Term 1 will provide an overview of the crucial aspects of materials and data science and showcase digital manufacturing in a way that is suitable for students with different educational backgrounds. In Term 2, advanced concepts of data science (with a focus on machine learning) and their relevance for automated materials manufacturing will be covered. An integrated module will enable you to apply the concepts and methodologies of digital manufacturing in a practical context. Term 3 will be devoted to the MSc research project, covering elements of data-driven materials manufacturing, with an emphasis on experimental and/or computational work. Each project will be supervised directly by UCL academics and will be based upon input from our industrial partners. 

This DMAM programme will be based at UCL East, the home of the new Manufacturing Futures Lab. These unique facilities provide laboratories for materials production at all scales (including double floor labs), high-end materials characterisation techniques, state-of-the art robotics combined with reactor and process analytical technology, a well-equipped workshop with multiple 3D printing technologies, and large computational and wet labs for teaching, all to give you a unique hands-on experience. The MSc sits within the UCL Department of Chemical Engineering, which is one of the top-rated departments in the world, being internationally renowned for its outstanding research and education. The DMAM programme has been developed by world leading and industry-experienced academics with backgrounds in chemical engineering but also other disciplines such as physics, chemistry, materials science, and electrical engineering, and will strive to invite industrial guest speakers. 

Who this course is for

The programme will consider prospective students from Chemical Engineering but also Biochemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry and Physics, Environmental Science and Engineering, and their allied fields.

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or a cognate discipline (such as Biochemical or Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry and Physics, and their allied fields) from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

Candidates offering recent industrial experience are also encouraged to apply. Criteria for candidates applying via the industrial experience route would be a minimum of a lower second-class Bachelor’s degree from a UK university or the equivalent from an approved overseas institution. Industrial experience would need to be a minimum of two years’ experience within the last five years in a role involving materials processing, data science or chemical engineering at a company in the pharmaceutical, specialty chemical or a related sector.

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

What this course will give you

On successful completion of this programme, you will have unique problem-solving skills for accelerated innovation in a rapidly changing world. More particularly, you will be able to bridge experimental and digital technologies for material development and production and will learn through the degree programme that has been developed in close collaboration with our industry partners, which should make you highly sought after in industry and academia alike.

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

The foundation of your career

The MSc in DMAM is a new programme launched in September 2023. However, based on information from Chemical Engineering alumni including MSc and PhD graduates, typical destinations of graduates are expected to be either in a professional career (industry – for example manufacturing, healthcare and diagnostics, pharmaceutics, energy and pharmaceutics, as well as entrepreneur or policy maker) or have an academic/research focus (PhD, mostly interdisciplinary).

Employability

The MSc will prepare graduates with a firm foundation in research methods and research knowledge of high industrial relevance, as well as interdisciplinary team working skills to apply experimental and computational methodologies in the field of digital manufacturing.

The programme is strongly influenced by our industrial advisors and collaborators representing various fields of manufacturing R&D in the UK but also internationally. 

With a strong emphasis on experiential learning of material development production within our holistic (and industry guided) digital manufacturing approach, and the industry related research projects in Term 3, our graduates shouldl be in high demand in academia and especially in industry.

Networking

In partnership with UCL Careers, we organise careers events during the academic year, where you learn how to impress potential employers with your postgraduate achievements and enhance your CV writing skills. The department also organises a regular seminar series, where expert academic speakers from different Universities around the world are invited to give talks on topical research issues, with an opportunity to network afterwards.

Furthermore, seminars by selected industrial guest speakers with Q&A sessions are an essential part of several modules, not only to showcase current industrial practices, but also for you to engage directly with our industrial partners.

Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning methods/strategies include:

  • Lecture-based modules delivered by highly experienced academics from different disciplines.
  • Team-based projects and coursework for example around material synthesis and characterisation, sensor integration and digitalisation, coding (e.g. in Python or Matlab) as well as machine learning.
  • Formative assessments (such as quizzes, project-based tutorials, critical literature reading).
  • Workshop discussions.
  • Engagement with world-leading academics and non-academic practitioners through the departmental seminars.

The assessment methods include:

  • Formative assessments (such as quizzes, project-based tutorials, critical literature reading).
  • Formative coursework and project tutorials.
  • Formative group presentations.
  • Formative self-tests of your (newly developed) coding skills.
  • Hands-on computer tutorials.
  • Peer-to-peer presentations.
  • Project work in response to an open-ended research question.
  • Short oral examination in the laboratory.

All full-time students are expected to study 40 hours per week during term time. This time is made up of formal learning and teaching events such as lectures, seminars and tutorials, as well as independent study. You are expected to read around the subject matter given in lectures. Your lecturers will not prescribe exactly what you should do in your private study time.

Some modules may have asynchronous content in Moodle (resources for you to study at your own pace) as well as weekly face-to-face sessions on campus to give you the chance to learn in real time with your lecturers and this will be a chance to ask questions.

Normal teaching hours are Mon – Fri 9am to 6pm, and all sessions will take place during these hours. There may be additional events, e.g. careers sessions, which may take place outside of these hours. Wednesday afternoons are normally kept free to allow time for sports and other activities.

Modules

The MSc in DMAM is a full-time programme and students will undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme consists of six compulsory modules, of which one is the MSc research project in the 3rd and last Term, as well as two optional modules, one of which must be taken from List A and one from List B.

Optional Modules: List A (15 Credits) 

  • Nature-Inspired Materials Engineering   
  • Mathematical Modelling of Engineering Systems   
  • Sustainability Analysis of Engineering Systems
  • Advanced Characterisation  
  • Electrochemical Materials  
  • Fundamentals of Nanoengineering  
  • Precision Manufacturing

Optional Modules: List B (15 Credits) 

  • East London Lab  
  • Find Your Future  
  • Inclusive Design and Environments  
  • Innovation for a Fairer World
  • Exploring Power, Inclusion and Exclusion with Local Communities  
  • Sustainability and Decision-Making  
  • Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 
  • Community Wellbeing, Health Inequalities and the role of Social Prescribing
  • Foundations of Citizen Science

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 is subject to change. Also, not all module combinations may be possible due to timetable clashes

Compulsory modules








Optional 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 Digital Manufacturing of Advanced Materials.

Fieldwork

Fieldwork opportunities are being considered for this programme.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2024/25) £19,300
Tuition fees (2024/25) £37,500

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Additional costs

Students may be required to cover costs of printing of final project reports and/or posters, as well as for minor laboratory equipment such as a laboratory logbook. Indicative prices for printing can be found here and UCL poster printing prices can be found here. Typically laboratory logbooks can be purchased for approximately £2-£5.
 
Moreover, any additional costs associated with, for instance, travel to exam venues within London, will be met by the student.  You can find more information about travel card costs on the TFL website.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

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

Brown Family Bursary

Deadline: 20 June 2024
Value: £15,000 (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: UK

UCL East London Scholarship

Deadline: 20 June 2024
Value: Tuition fees plus £15,700 stipend ()
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

When we assess your application, we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Digital Manufacturing of Advanced Materials at graduate level
  • why you want to study these topics at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your academic, professional, and personal background meets the demands of this 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.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (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: 2024-2025

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering

pg-chemeng@ucl.ac.uk

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