© Anna Groh
Material Science and Engineering, B.Sc.
Program overview
The field of material science is dedicated to the physical and chemical basic principles of materials. Materials’ mechanical, thermal, electrical, and magnetic properties as well as the possibilities to process and further develop materials are the focus of this field. In the Material Science and Engineering bachelor’s program you will primarily focus on metals, plastics, and (glass) ceramics. You will acquire basic knowledge about their composition, properties, and uses as well as related technologies. You will also learn how to develop, manufacture, characterize, and use materials. Further, the study program enables you to expand on and improve material uses. To achieve this, you will study specialized and general methods used in engineering. The curriculum provides students with an education in natural, engineering, and material science basic principles as well as transdisciplinary skills. You are thus optimally prepared to handle and solve practical problems relating to material science and engineering.
| Degree | Bachelor of Science |
|---|---|
| Standard period of study | 6 semesters |
| Credit points | 180 |
| Program start | Summer and winter semester |
| Admission | Open admission |
| Language of instruction | German |
Admission requirements
As for every other bachelor’s degree program at TU Berlin, applicants must possess a university entrance qualification certificate to apply. Generally, the Abitur serves as the university entrance qualification certificate. If you do not have a formal university entrance qualification, you may still be able to study at TU Berlin if you can provide proof of certain professional qualifications.
The Material Science and Engineering bachelor’s program is taught in German. If you are applying with a foreign school-leaving certificate, you must provide proof of German skills at a specific level. This is a prerequisite for admission.
Knowledge of English is useful as some courses/modules are also offered in English. However, it is not a condition for admission to studies.
The objective of the bachelor's program is for students to acquire an interdisciplinary understanding of materials. As such, applicants should possess an interest in and basic knowledge of the fields of engineering and natural science, such as physics and chemistry. It is particularly advantageous if you took advanced level courses in these subjects in school.
Program structure
At the start of the program students learn the necessary basic principles of mathematics, natural science and engineering. Through project work they learn about working methods and how to approach engineering work and problems. During the technical component of the study program, students take integrated courses to learn about material science and engineering in further detail as well as acquire new skills and abilities, which are in turn developed in seminars and labs. The final requirement is a scientific bachelor’s thesis, which students complete independently.
There is a proposed course schedule for the degree program. This is a recommendation for how to complete the degree program within the standard period of study of six semesters. It provides an example of which modules to take in which semesters. While this proposed course schedule is ideal on paper, it is not mandatory. It’s simply an example of how to successfully schedule and shape your studies.
You can find the proposed course schedule in the study and examination regulations. The most current version of the regulationsapplies to applicants.
Study and examination regulations:
Content and modules
The bachelor’s degree program in Material Science and Engineering is modular in design. A module combines curriculum content relating to a specific topic. Modules often include a variety of different study and teaching formats such as lectures, practical tutorials, seminars, and practical projects. Students are required to earn a specific number of credit points and complete certain coursework and assessments in each module.
A current overview of all modules in the bachelor’s program in Material Science and Engineering is available in TU Berlin’s module transfer system (MTS). The MTS also provides an overview of which modules are mandatory and which are elective. Detailed module descriptions provide information about the contents of modules, learning objectives, participation requirements, workload, types of assessment, etc. The module catalogue is based on the study and examination regulations.
Internships
Two non-university internships are mandatory for this bachelor’s program. a basic internship and a technical internship. We strongly recommend completing the 6-8-week basic internship before beginning your studies. The two industry internships combined last a total of 12 weeks. Students are to submit proof of having completed all 12 weeks before registering for their final exam in the program.
During the basic internship you learn about production and processing methods used in industry and gain initial experience in a technical or industrial field. Students should gain experience in more than one of the following areas:
- Manufacture of materials
- Processing of materials and components
- Testing
During the technical internship you learn about work in industry and technology from an engineering perspective. It provides an opportunity for you to apply the knowledge and methods skills you have acquired in your studies to an industrial environment. The internship is intended to provide you with professional orientation, offering you insight into how you might wish to specialize and advance your knowledge.
In the process you are to work in a number of the following areas:
Two non-university internships are mandatory for this bachelor’s program. a basic internship and a technical internship. We strongly recommend completing the 6-8-week basic internship before beginning your studies. The two industry internships combined last a total of 12 weeks. Students are to submit proof of having completed all 12 weeks before registering for their final exam in the program.
During the basic internship you learn about production and processing methods used in industry and gain initial experience in a technical or industrial field. Students should gain experience in more than one of the following areas:
• Manufacture of materials
• Processing of materials and components
• Testing
During the technical internship you learn about work in industry and technology from an engineering perspective. It provides an opportunity for you to apply the knowledge and methods skills you have acquired in your studies to an industrial environment. The internship is intended to provide you with professional orientation, offering you insight into how you might wish to specialize and advance your knowledge.
In the process you are to work in a number of the following areas:
• Planning, project management
• Design, construction,
• Research, development
• Preparation, execution, and evaluation of trials
• Plant operation, maintenance, optimization
• Scheduling, operations planning, operational logistics
• Modeling, simulation, automation engineering
• Application technology
• Quality assurance
• Analysis of operational processes
• Material testing, materialography
Further information is available in the program’s internship regulations.
Stays abroad
You can generally complete parts of the program abroad, either in the form of study abroad or internships. General information regarding stays abroad can be obtained from the TU Berlin International Office (study abroad) and from the Career Service (internships abroad).
Acquired skills
As a graduate of the Material Science and Engineering bachelor's program, you have a firm understanding of basic principles in engineering and natural science as well as those specific to material science. You will acquire the necessary theoretical and practical skills to analyze the structural properties and composition of metals, plastics, and (glass) ceramics and are able to determine their physical-chemical properties. You will also gain a comprehensive understanding of the technologies in the production process to manufacture materials as well as of materials’ suitability for certain situations and uses. Further, you possess not only a thorough knowledge of the ways to apply materials but also of their damage analysis and fatigue behavior.
After your studies
As a graduate of this study program, you can either continue your studies in material science and engineering in a consecutive master's program to advance your knowledge and skills, for example at TU Berlin, or immediately begin working. Typical career fields include development and production departments in businesses that manufacture, process, or use materials, components, modules, and systems, and engineering offices and research institutions. Additionally, material engineers work in nearly all industrial branches of basic and application-oriented research.
Further information & downloads
Guidance and choosing the right degree program: Academic Advising Service
Questions about the degree program: Course Guidance
General questions: Student Info Services
Application and enrollment: Office of Student Affairs - Undergraduate Admissions
Recognition of previously acquired credits: Examination Board