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Nature-Inspired Solutions MSc

London, Stratford (UCL East)

Learn how to harness nature’s principles to develop innovative technologies for sustainable manufacturing on this one-year MSc. This programme will train you in systematic nature-inspired engineering methodologies and practical skills, and how to apply them in fields such as materials engineering, manufacturing and process intensification, energy and environmental engineering, and biomedical and healthcare engineering.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£20,500
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£39,800
Duration
1 calendar year
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
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

If you are interested in finding out more about what natural systems, materials or processes can teach us about resilience, scalability and efficiency, then this is the course for you.

For instance – what can the structure of human lung teach us about efficiency, which we can then use to redesign more efficient hydrogen fuel cells in our race to net zero? How can the self-assembling propensity of natural materials underpin the biomanufacture of sustainable alternatives to plastics? And how can the networks that trees build to distribute nutrients throughout their structure inform the design of more efficient chemical reactors?

The programme covers nature-inspired design approaches in areas like sustainable manufacturing, energy and environmental technology, functional materials, health and biomedical engineering, and the built environment.

You'll then take these insights and apply them to develop transformative technological solutions in different engineering and scientific fields.

Working with renowned academics from UCL Chemical Engineering, you’ll learn how to apply lessons like these from nature, to develop transformative solutions across a wide range of fields.

Based at UCL East, our new campus in east London, you'll have access to top-class facilities – and the chance to build your expertise alongside world leading academics and industrial partners.

Who this course is for

The programme is ideal for you if you have a first degree in chemical and biochemical engineering, materials science, chemistry, environmental science and engineering, physics, biomedical engineering, and allied fields. 

We welcome applications from those with an interest in problem-solving, who wish to apply theoretical engineering principles to real-world problems.

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

What this course will give you

This programme offers you the following benefits and opportunities:

  • Get a postgraduate degree from a top-ranked university. UCL is consistently ranked among the best universities globally (ranked 9th in the latest QS World University Rankings 2025), providing you with a prestigious qualification that is highly regarded by employers worldwide. 
  • Study at UCL Chemical Engineering, ranked 20th in the world (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024) and internationally renowned for its research and teaching.
  • Implement fundamental principles borrowed from natural systems to formulate solutions and innovative designs to complex engineering problems.
  • Build skills in unconventional problem-solving and analysis, and learn how to work across traditional discipline boundaries, to accelerate innovation in a rapidly changing world.
  • Gain hands-on experience in applying nature-inspired engineering methodologies through practical projects in diverse fields such as materials engineering, energy, and biomedical engineering.
  • Put yourself in a strong position for a building a stand-out career in research and development, entrepreneurship or industry.
  • Study in the world's best city for university students (QS Best Student Cities 2024). Our new UCL East campus is designed to promote interdisciplinary thinking and ground-breaking innovation, and boasts accessible, state-of-the-art facilities including shared labs and workshop spaces.
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme
Making an impact
UCL Portico building with welcome sign between columns.

Case study: Nature's water purifier

We're looking to nature to create innovative ways to tackle water supply issues.

The foundation of your career

This is a new programme, so accurate alumni destination data is not yet available.

However, UCL Chemical Engineering alumni have historically gone on to high-level roles in manufacturing, healthcare and diagnostics, pharmaceutics, energy and pharmaceutics. Destination companies include Transport for London, Johnson Matthey plc, Unilever, EY, and Trading Gas.

Others have gone on to further research at UCL and other leading universities worldwide, including University of Cambridge, University of Sheffield, and TU Delft.

Employability

With increased interest in sustainability and nature-inspired solutions, your skills will be particularly sought after by employers in industries related to chemical and biochemical manufacturing, energy and environmental processes, materials, pharmaceuticals, medicine and the built environment.

Networking

You will have regular opportunities to connect, collaborate and build professional contacts as part of your Master’s.

  • Take part in events hosted by UCL Careers to get 1-2-1 support, and enhance your CV writing and interview skills. 
  • Take part in regular seminars, to hear from expert academic speakers and industrial experts talking about topical issues, and network afterwards.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, individual and group coursework, as well as hands-on experience with relevant tools and and engagement with researchers in academia and industry.

This programme is assessed via examinations (short-answer and multiple-choice questions), presentations, essays, coursework, and a research project. Please note that assessment will vary according to the module choices of the student.

On this programme, you can expect approximately 14-18 hours of contact hours a week. The exact number of contact hours and composition varies throughout the terms depending on the module choices of the student. Some modules may have content online on Moodle (which you can study at your own pace), which complement weekly face-to-face sessions on campus. These sessions are a chance to talk to your lecturers and ask questions.

All teaching sessions take place Monday – Friday 9am to 6pm. Wednesday afternoons are normally kept free. There may be additional events, such as careers sessions, which may take place outside of these hours.

This is a full-time course, which means students should expect a weekly working schedule of approximately 35-40 hours a week divided between contact hours, self-directed learning, and preparing for assessments.

Modules

You'll undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

In Term 1, you'll take 3 compulsory modules covering topics on nature-inspired solution methodologies. You'll receive lectures on nature-inspired solution methodologies and their applications in several areas (including sustainable and scalable manufacturing, energy and environmental technology, the built environment and biomedical engineering). 2 of the compulsory modules, focusing on the technical knowledge and skills necessary for research projects, start in Term 1 and continue into Term 2.

In Term 2, you undertake another 3 compulsory modules to further develop and extend the toolbox of nature-inspired methodologies.

In Term 3 and during the summer, your focus will shift to the individual research project, which culminates in a project report and an oral examination. You'll apply the acquired interdisciplinary knowledge and the nature-inspired methodologies to solve a possible challenge in engineering process and/or product design.


You may select 2 optional modules to study in Term 1 and Term 2.
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative.

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 Nature-Inspired Solutions.

Fieldwork

Fieldwork offers the opportunity for students to observe nature and discuss many of the topics discussed in lecturers, seminars and tutorials. Fieldwork may include: 

  • A one-day trip to Kew Gardens in the reading week of the first term (November)
  • A one-day trip to London Zoo in the reading week of the second term (February)

Accessibility

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

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Where can a UCL Engineering degree take you - Alumni Perspectives

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Where can a UCL Engineering degree take you? Join us for a panel and Q&A event with UCL Engineering alumni. You'll learn what you can expect from postgraduate study at UCL Engineering and get application advice from previous students! This is an opportunity for all applicants to hear personal experiences of studying with us, but may be most relevant to those applying from the USA, Latin and South America.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £20,500
Tuition fees (2025/26) £39,800

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders 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.

Students may be required to cover costs of printing 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.

The cost of field trips, including travel costs and related personal costs, within the UK are to be covered by the student. This is estimated not to exceed £100/day.

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 £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. 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

Please consult the bursaries and scholarships page of the Chemical Engineering website for existing funding opportunities.

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

Next steps

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Nature-Inspired Solutions at graduate level
  • why you want to study Nature-Inspired Solutions 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: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering

chemeng.pgt.queries@ucl.ac.uk

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