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Future Manufacturing and Nanoscale Engineering MSc

London, Stratford (UCL East)

A sustainable future depends on transformative solutions enabled by nanoengineering – and you could become one of the next generation of experts in this field. This MSc blends technical knowledge with practical skills, enabling you to design and manufacture materials and structures with unique applications at the nanoscale. Taught at UCL, a global centre of innovation, you will graduate from this programme ready to develop solutions for emerging and established industries with global reach.

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


This programme will train you on the design, characterisation, testing, and applications of nanoengineered materials, and their manufacturing techniques, enabling you to be leaders in this growing field. It will provide you with demonstrable, hands-on experience in all the above fields.

Nano-engineered materials in the context of this programme refer to solid-state materials that are engineered in the nano and micro scale to have unique mechanical, optical, or thermal properties. Some examples are:

  1. Coatings for colour, wettability and anti-fogging and anti-freeze properties.
  2. Composites for corrosion and wear protection.
  3. Microlattices with unique properties e.g. negative Poisson’s ratio, high stiffness/strength at lightweight.
  4. Alloys with controlled nanocrystalline architecture for mechanical and corrosion protection.

This programme will:

  • Equip you with next generation knowledge, technical and numerical toolsets to design materials at the micro and nanoscale.
  • Equip you with mastery knowledge in nanoscale manufacturing technologies for such materials, both of the bottom-up (e.g additive manufacturing) and top-down (e.g. precision manufacturing) type, enabling you to work inventively and inclusively with the future needs of the manufacturing sector.
  • Provide ample opportunities to get hands-on, industry-relevant experience with the manufacturing, characterisation, metrology, and testing of materials and structures.
  • Enable you to apply a sophisticated knowledge base in manufacturing technologies to real-world problems through experiential and inspirational learning approaches.

Who this course is for

This programme is for students with a background in chemistry, materials, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering or civil engineering. Those with an interest in materials – particularly from a design, engineering and manufacturing angle – are well suited to apply for this programme.

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

What this course will give you

From modern diagnostics, construction materials and alternative energy solutions, to anti-freeze coatings, biodegradable packaging and high-strength composites, nanoscale engineering has the ability to make a big impact when applied to the manufacturing of materials. This MSc programme teaches a solid foundation in the technical skills of nanoscale engineering, and equips you with the practical ability to design and create materials at the nano and micro scale. The hands-on experience you will gain at the nano and micro scale has genuine changemaking potential.

You will be studying at a global top 10 university. UCL’s Engineering research was deemed either 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent' in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF2021).

Through this programme, you will learn how to create materials and structures with nanoscale-enabled innovations, and will develop skills in a variety of experimental and numerical techniques pertinent to future manufacturing. With a focus on experiential learning, theory on this programme is supported by hands-on satellite projects (industry-relevant Manufacturing Challenges) that allow you to put your learning into practice. In each module, you will learn, create, test, and communicate, equipping you with a range of essential skills that can apply to any industry or sector.

The home for this programme is the brand new, purpose designed UCL East campus on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. A modern learning environment that embraces ideas of community and innovation, you will be surrounded by like-minded individuals who strive to be at the forefront of solutions that will solve the needs of society and industry. Your studies on this programme will benefit from the state-of-the-art engineering facilities on this new campus.

Run by UCL Mechanical Engineering, the Future Manufacturing and Nanoscale Engineering MSc is a programme where you can learn about the intersection between materials, manufacturing and engineering. Taught with a hands-on focus, every module involves lab work or design activities to complement a solid theoretical foundation. This provides valuable evidence to future employers of your technical knowledge, as well as your practical abilities to design materials, test them, work in groups in a contemporary research and development setting, and communicate your ideas to technical audiences and the public.

The programme has been developed to mirror an industrial setting as much as possible. You will also take away an array of skills that will enable you to work effectively as part of a team, as well as to design and run projects. You’ll have regular access to industry experts throughout the programme too, which includes industry supervision over a group project.

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

The foundation of your career

As a graduate of this programme, you will have the skills needed to work in any industry that uses, designs, or manufactures materials. Your expertise in manufacturing at the small scale – as well as testing designs on a large scale – will be invaluable to a range of employers.  

In particular, your skills will be well suited to the automotive, aerospace and additive manufacturing (3D printing) industries, in roles such as design engineers, structural analysts, and innovation consultants. Start-ups are increasingly working with materials innovation specialists too, in order to research and develop materials for new products. Numerous companies also require experts in product or component testing and design, as well as in manufacturing operations.

Employability

When you graduate from the Future Manufacturing and Nanoscale Engineering MSc, you will bring a breadth of in-demand and transferable skills to future employers.

You will have the knowledge and skills to design materials at the micro and nano scale. You will also be able to use nanoscale manufacturing technologies from the bottom-up, e.g. additive manufacturing (3D printing), and from the top-down, e.g. precision manufacturing. In addition to obtaining demonstrated experience with manufacturing, characterising and testing materials, you will be well-trained in applying your knowledge to real world problems. Together with an understanding of commercialisation, sustainability, and the scaling-up of processes, you will bring an important skillset to the future of manufacturing.

Networking

All postgraduate students have access to rich ecosystem of opportunities to enrich their study and future career prospects by networking. These include a range of networking events, talks and training facilitated by UCL Careers, UCL Engineering Careers, the Office of Vice Provost Advancement (OVPA) and UCL Innovation and Enterprise, with tailored events at department level, including a Mechanical Engineering Careers Fair.  These are complemented by student-led events with guests from industry, often featuring UCL alumni, industry visits and a range of events from dedicated UCL student societies, focussed on specific industrial sectors, as well as entrepreneurship.

Accreditation

The programme will apply for accreditation by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the requirements for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements.

Teaching and learning

The programme offers a unique approach of delivering learning outcomes through learning in experiential settings, i.e. learning by doing, and participating in ample hands-on activities. Core modules are assessed through coursework (traditional, practical, and lab-based) and exams, but always including a research-based component and laboratory work. A practical manufacturing challenge is issued by each module and is assessed in the Group Manufacturing challenges. In them, you will be faced with an open ended R&D challenge formulated in collaboration with industry.

You will be assessed through coursework (traditional, practical and lab-based), exams and group projects. Each module has a practical manufacturing challenge, where you will be faced with an open-ended research and development challenge formulated in collaboration with industry.

Content for this programme is delivered through lectures, workshops, design studios and practical classes, including hands-on lab work (practical and computational). Contact time takes a variety of forms, including lectures, seminars, tutorials, project supervisions, demonstrations, practical classes and workshops, student and feedback consultation hours (where staff are available for consultation), email, videoconference, or other media, and situations where feedback on assessed work is given (one-to-one or in a group). This is supplemented by self-directed learning to build up knowledge and skills, as well as group projects to put learning into real world practice.

Each module has a credit value that indicates the average learning hours you will spend on the required content. One credit typically equates to 10 hours of learning, which includes all contact time, self-directed study, and assessment.

The contact time for each of your 15 credit taught modules will typically include 22-30 hours of teaching activity over the term of its delivery, with the balance then comprised of self-directed learning and working on your assessments. You will have ongoing contact with teaching staff via each module’s online discussion forum, which is typically used for discussing and clarifying concepts or assessment matters, and will have the opportunity to access additional support via regular student feedback and consultation hours with module leaders and programme directors.

Your project module is 60 credits and will include regular contact with your project supervisor(s), who will guide and support you throughout your project. You will dedicate most of your time on this module to carrying out research in connection with your project and writing up your final report.

Modules

The MSc in Future Manufacturing and Nanoscale Engineering is a one-year programme.

In the first term, you will study the fundamental concepts of nanoengineering, and the experimental tools of characterising, measuring, and testing materials and structures in the nano and microscale.

In the second term, you will study modules with specialist content, on nano and micro architected materials, designing materials for manufacturing, and precision manufacturing. In both the first term and the second term, theory will be put into practice in the Group Manufacturing Challenges module.

During the third term, you will work on an advanced research project in a small group, which will be directly supervised by an industry expert. It will culminate in a community outreach event.

The programme is highly experiential; there is both a focus on ‘learning by doing’, and significant laboratory components (physical and computational) in all modules. It emphasizes effective group work within diverse teams, to prepare you for the importance of this work in a professional setting.

Compulsory modules









Optional modules

East London Lab













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 Future Manufacturing and Nanoscale Engineering.

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

Additional costs

There may occasionally be small, incidental expenses which can be reimbursed by the department once claimed.

Some elements of the project modules may require travelling to the Bloomsbury campus, which will incur travel costs.

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

UCL East London Scholarship

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

Next steps

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study future manufacturing and nanoscale engineering at graduate level
  • why you want to study future manufacturing and nanoscale engineering at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this Future Manufacturing and Nanoscale Engineering MSc programme
  • how your personal, academic and professional background has prepared and qualified you for the demands of this challenging academic environment and the Future Manufacturing and Nanoscale Engineering MSc programme
  • where you would like to go professionally following this programme of study

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

Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering

graduate-info@meng.ucl.ac.uk

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