UndergraduateCourses.

Department OfMaterialsScience &Engineering.

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ContentsWhat is Materials Science and Engineering? 3

What do materials scientists and engineers do? 3

Why choose to study Materials at The University of Sheffield? 4

What courses are available? 5

Meet our students 7

What do our courses involve? 8

Where are our graduates now? 8

First and Second Year course structure 9

Third and Fourth Year course stucture 10

Industrial liaison, sponsorship and awards 11

Student life 12

Location and facilities 13

Living in Sheffield 13

Admission process 14

Entry requirements 15

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Materials Scienceand Engineering iskey to most of thetechnology uponwhich societydepends.

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What is Materials Scienceand Engineering?Materials Science and Engineering is key to most of thetechnology upon which society depends. It covers areasranging from lightweight alloys for aircraft tosemiconductors for PCs, photovoltaics for energygeneration, superconductors for whole body scanners inhospitals and implants for human body repairs.

Materials scientists and engineers are employed in theareas of materials design, materials performance andmaterials selection, tailoring the properties of materials tomeet design requirements in a wide range of engineeringcontexts. To do this, they apply their understanding of howcomposition and processing conditions affect the structureand properties of materials. Some develop sophisticatedcomputer modelling programs to help them predict theoutcome of changes to these variables.

The demands for miniaturisation, reduction ofenvironmental impact, replacement body parts, smartmaterials, information technology, changes in the builtenvironment and transport all influence materialsdevelopment. By studying Materials, you can be part of thisvital and dynamic process.

What do materialsscientists and engineers do?A degree in Materials Science and Engineering will equipyou for many different careers in a wide range of industriesand professions, from Research and Development toProcess Engineering on a large industrial plant.

Over 80% of our graduates choose to continue in theMaterials sector after graduation. Some of our graduates goon to work with materials producers, such as glass orcomposites manufacturers. Others gain employment in amaterials-user industry, such as the automotive industry,telecommunications or the sports equipment industry. Ourgraduates are also employed in related industries, such asfood processing, forensics, environmental engineering,teaching, sales and finance. Many of our graduates also goon to work in Materials research, in areas such asnanotechnology, nuclear engineering, metallurgy, functionalceramics, composite materials or biomaterials.

After graduation, many take on increasing managerialresponsibilities, with some going on to become companydirectors. Others progress to become specialist consultantsas they gain experience.

Our courses help you develop many transferable skills,including:• Good analytical and problem-solving skills• The ability to apply scientific understanding and engineering

principles to large and smaller scale processes• The ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team• The ability to manage projects, people, resources and timeFor more information and examples of our graduates'careers, see 'Where are our graduates now?' (Page 8).

Strong teaching recordThe Department of Materials Scienceand Engineering has a reputation forexcellent teaching, and was awarded22 out of a possible 24 in the latestHEFCE teaching quality assessment.Our 2011 Accreditation Report fromthe Institute of Materials, Mining andMinerals noted that our students are'...high calibre with excellent employabilityprospects on completion of the course’.

Teaching on our courses is mostlycarried out by full-time academic staff,with occasional lectures contributedby visiting industrialists.

Accredited programmes

Our Materials Science and Engineeringdegree programmes are accredited bythe Institute of Materials, Minerals,and Mining. This facilitates progressionto Chartered Engineer status (CEng) ifyou enter a Materials-related professionafter graduating.

Accreditation is an accepted andrigorous process of peer reviewagainst standards published by theEngineering Council in the UKStandard for Professional EngineeringCompetence (UK SPEC). An accrediteddegree meets the EngineeringCouncil’s required output standardsand provides some or all of theunderpinning knowledge, understandingand skills for eventual registration asan Incorporated or CharteredEngineer. It may be recognised byother countries that are signatories tointernational accords.

International reputation

The University of Sheffield has astrong international reputation. In thelast national Research AssessmentExercise in 2008 the Department wasrated as one of the leadingdepartments in the country with all itsresearch activity rated as being“recognised internationally in terms oforiginality, significance and rigour” orabove. Our academic staff are regularlyinvited to give keynote lectures abroad,publish extensively, and hold keyoffices in international organisations.This means that you are taught byacademic staff who are at the cuttingedge of their particular field.

We are also particularly proud of thequality of our graduates, many ofwhom have received national honours,for example:

Michael Robinson, 23, who graduatedfrom the Department in July 2009,received the Morgan Crucible Awardfor Best Materials Student at the2009 Science, Engineering &Technology Awards for his project onHigh-Speed Machining of AerospaceTitanium Alloys supervised by Dr Martin Jackson. Michael has nowstarted on the EngineeringProfessional Excellence GraduateProgramme at Rolls-Royce. Michaelsaid: "It was a real honour to receivesuch a prestigious award, particularlyhaving been competing againststudents from other top universities inthe country. My final year projectproduced some really original research

and will form the beginning of muchfurther work into the area. I think the achievement shows thestrength of the Materials Science and Engineering Department at The University of Sheffield, both interms of teaching and research."

Excellent resources

Our high level of research fundingprovides excellent resources that areused by undergraduate students as wellas postgraduate students and staff; forexample, our second year undergraduatestudents use scanning electronmicroscopes, and state-of-the-arttesting and other characterisationmachines for practical classes, and ourfinal year students have access to thelatest technology for their researchprojects. Our latest accreditationreport noted the ‘excellent practicaland library resources and theUniversity’s support for the MaterialsDepartment is demonstrated by thefact that considerable capitalexpenditure has been committed tothat area over the next five years.’

Friendly atmosphere

Our latest Accreditation Report alsocommented that ‘the Department is acaring and stimulating place in whichto study materials science andengineering’. The Turner Museum, anationally recognised glass museum, islocated in the Department, providing aDepartmental café and a pleasantenvironment for a break. It encouragesour students to socialise and creates arelaxed but engaging atmosphere.

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“The Department of MaterialsScience and Engineering has a reputation for excellentteaching”

Why choose to study Materials at The University of Sheffield?

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What coursesare available?

Our courses lead to either BEng or MEng

degrees, involving three or four years of

study respectively. All of the Materials

courses we offer are described below,

together with the relevant UCAS codes:

Materials Science and Engineering(MEng J500, BEng JH51)

This is our core degree. Students learn

subjects right across the Materials

discipline, reflecting the broad

expertise in our Department and

providing an excellent springboard for

a future career in Materials.

Materials Science with NuclearEngineering (MEng F2HB)

This new degree builds upon the

considerable expertise we have in the

nuclear sector. Government plans

means there will be a strong demand

for scientists and engineers entering

the UK nuclear industry for decades

to come. This course includes a strong

grounding in Materials Science that

develops into an increasing number of

nuclear-based modules. Graduates of

this course will be ideally placed for a

career in the energy sector.

Metallurgy (MEng J200)

This course shares a common first and

second year with the Materials Science

and Engineering courses but thereafter

provides specialisation in the study,

processing, analysis and applications

of metals.

Materials Science and Engineering(Modern Language) (MEng J5R9)

Each year of this course offers anopportunity to develop your languageskills. The languages studied areFrench, German, Italian or Spanish.The course structure is basically thesame as our standard MEngprogramme in Materials. Thedifference is that you study extralanguage modules. Your workplacement in Year 3, an integral part ofthe MEng course, is in a countryappropriate to your choice oflanguage. This degree is offered as afour-year MEng course only, to ensuresufficient time for language teaching.

Materials Science and Engineering(Industrial Management) (MEng FH21, BEng FHF1)

This degree incorporates businessmodules in each year of study. Theyaim to meet the increasing demandfor graduates who are highly trainedand experienced in both managementand materials issues.

Aerospace Materials (MEng H403,BEng H401)

This course will provide you with thetechnical knowledge and skills neededto work at the interface between purescience and engineering, develop newmaterials, and new technologies, andcontribute to the internationalaerospace industry of the future.

Materials Science and Engineering(Biomaterials) (MEng JH5P, BEngJH56)

This course develops anunderstanding of both materialsengineering and human anatomy,physiology and cell biology. Thisunderstanding is developed in thecontext of applications in bothresearch and in industry. There is aclear demand for graduates skilled inthe field of biomaterials science andengineering. This course provides abroad-based training for industry,which is nonetheless a suitablydetailed background for studentswishing to pursue research.

Alternatively, if your entryqualifications are not in the requiredsubjects, Materials Science andEngineering with a Foundation Year(J501) will get you up to speed in allthe underpinning sciences.

The Foundation Year is part of yourdegree course and gives you access tothe same University facilities as otherfirst year students. On successfullycompleting the Foundation Year youcan enter any of our mainstreamundergraduate courses.

All of these courses lead to classifieddegrees with Honours and areaccredited by the Institute of Mining,Minerals and Materials.

“We provide you with a solidbasis in the underlyingscience, taught in astimulating intellectualenvironment.”

BEng or MEng?

Our courses leading to BEng or MEngqualifications involve three or fouryears of study respectively. The firsttwo years of study are common toboth routes. This means that,regardless of which route you registerfor initially, you can defer making yourchoice about which qualification tostudy for until the end of the secondyear. The entry requirements for theMEng route are higher than for theBEng route. However, if you registerinitially for the BEng degree courseand do well in your first two years, youcan transfer to an MEng course. Theadvantages of the different routes are:

BEng (three years)

The BEng course provides thequickest route to graduation, enablingyou to gain employment or progressto higher degree studies one yearearlier. You can then acquire theindustrial/research experience andundertake the further study needed togain CEng (Chartered Engineer) statusonce you begin employment.

MEng (four years)

The MEng course includes extra, higherlevel courses and provides problem-solving and group project exerciseswith some management emphasis.

This course includes a five-monthwork placement starting in April of thethird year.

The MEng course provides fasterprogression to CEng (CharteredEngineer) status after graduating. This is because you will meet some of the industrial training requirementsof the Engineering Council on yourwork placement and all academicstudy requirements are covered onthe course.

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Materials Science andEngineering courses

Course title Qualification UCAS codeMaterials Science and Engineering MEng J500

Materials Science and Engineering BEng JH51

Materials Science with Nuclear Engineering MEng F2H8

Materials Science and Engineering (Biomaterials) MEng JH5P

Materials Science and Engineering (Biomaterials) BEng JH56

Metallurgy MEng J200

Materials Science and Engineering MEng FH21(Industrial Management)

Materials Science and Engineering BEng FHF1(Industrial Management)

Aerospace Materials MEng H403

Aerospace Materials BEng H401

Materials Science and Engineering MEng J5R9(Modern Language)

Materials Science and Engineering with MEng J501a Foundation Year

All of these courses lead to classified degrees with Honours.

Here are comments from some of ourcurrent students:

Jim Williams (UK), Second yearMEng Materials Science and Engineering

My time at the University of Sheffieldhas been the most exciting,demanding and enjoyable period ofmy life. What initially attracted me tothe University was its standing inleague tables for teaching andresearch quality, and studentsatisfaction. As I read reviews of thecity and spoke to friends who studiedthere, it became clear that people whocome to Sheffield tend to have apretty amazing time.

Studying Materials Science andEngineering at Sheffield puts you in anexcellent position both academicallyand socially. The course is very highlyregarded, as can be seen by ourstandings in national league tables(where we compete with the eliteuniversities for the top spot) and by thefrequent employment of our graduatesat top companies. The Department hasa friendly, welcoming atmosphere andthe lecturers are all very approachableand helpful. The social side of thecourse is also strong thanks to theMATSOC (Materials DepartmentSociety) committee who regularlyorganise all kinds of trips and events tobring the students together.

After my first year I was offered asummer placement in the Departmentand gained exposure to anextraordinary amount of cutting-edgetechnology. I was able to participate inresearch on aerospace technologiesand advanced manufacturingtechniques for motorsport applications.These industrial links also enablestudents to go to interesting and world-leading firms during their third yearplacements. The opportunities availableto students at Sheffield are endless. Ioriginally planned to seek employmentin industry immediately aftergraduating, but now find myself drawnto the idea of doing a PhD as I’menjoying the Materials course so much.

Lizzie Roberts (UK), Third yearMEng Materials Science andEngineering (Biomaterials)

How and why things work has alwayssparked my curiosity, particularly thehuman body. I am interested infurthering medicine to improvehealthcare and the quality of life ofindividuals. I found this coursecombined my passion for biology andpeople with the practical engineeringrequired to provide solutions tomedical problems.

I chose to come to Sheffield because Iliked the course and I knew Sheffield isone of the top Materials departmentsin the country. However, it was thewarm and friendly atmosphere of theDepartment that finally won me over.Even though I come from London, Ienjoy the fact that Sheffield is smallerand at a slower pace. Sheffield haseverything a student needs, from theacademic facilities, to the societies, tothe shops, to the night life and to thePeak District.

The Sheffield Materials Science andEngineering Department is excellent. Itis a privilege to be taught by the manysuccessful and reputable academics inthe Department. The staff aregenuinely interested in their studentsas individuals, supporting theirprogress in their studies and on to afuture career. This area is verycutting-edge which makes the coursevery interesting and exciting, pushingyou to further yourself.

I have not decided on what to do aftergraduation. I am considering studyingfor a PhD or pursuing a career inclinical engineering, working alongsidedoctors and patients in hospitals. Ihave really enjoyed the course andwant to remain in the medical field inthe hope to contribute to improvinghealthcare and the quality of life ofindividuals.

Kitso Selohilwe (Botswana), Third yearMEng Metallurgy

I was interested in Materialsengineering because it combines theMaths, Physics and Chemistry I hadstudied at school. After visiting theDepartment of Materials Science andEngineering’s website to look at thecourse structure and facilities theyhave, I decided to come to Sheffield.Also Sheffield has a great history as asteel-making city. I wanted to gainexposure to industrial production ofmetals, and large companies likeForgeMasters and Firth Rixon operatein the Sheffield area.

Sheffield is a peaceful city, and itspeople are very welcoming andfriendly. There is always something foreveryone to do. I love walking, so oftenstroll to one of the many parks. TheUniversity is an international centre ofexcellence. The environment herepromotes cultural and intellectualexchange of ideas and experiencesbetween students. I love meeting andmaking friends with different peoplefrom across the globe.

The Department is great to be part of.Its size means that you meet andinteract with most people at apersonal level. You are also assigned atutor who helps you with academicand welfare issues. The TurnerMuseum of Glass is a good place torelax between and after lectures,having a café, computers and Wi-Fiaccess. As an international student it isgreat to celebrate Christmas at theannual party the traditional Englishway with carols and English food.

When I graduate I want to work in thesteel industry – something that I havealways wanted to do. I have becomemore aware of my responsibilities as aperson and as an engineer on society. Ibelieve I have gained the tools that willhelp me contribute towardsdevelopment of the world.

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Meet our students

What do ourcourses involve?Our courses are all about giving youthe ability to tackle situations thatmaterials scientists and engineersencounter on an everyday basis.

We provide you with a solid basis in the underlying science, taught in astimulating intellectual environment, and we use a hands-on approach andexposure to real situations to give you a good understanding of practicalapplications. Case studies, designprojects, group industrial projects,laboratory work, manufacturing plantvisits and tutorials are central to yourdevelopment as a scientist and engineer.

We aim to develop your skills inknowledge acquisition, research, ITand written and oral communication,and to equip you for lifelong personaldevelopment in a stimulating andsatisfying career.

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Where are ourgraduates now?In recent years our new graduates havebegun their careers with companiessuch as Pilkington, Airbus, Rolls-Royce,Sheffield Forgemasters, Corus, MorganCeramics, and TWI. Others have goneinto teaching, the army and the police.Many others choose to continue theireducation by taking taught Mastersdegrees, Knowledge TransferPartnerships or PhDs.

The range of possible career paths opento Materials Scientists and Engineers isas wide ranging as the subject itself.

The following case studies give someexamples of the achievements of someof our recent graduates and we arealso particularly proud of the quality ofour graduates, many of whom havereceived national honours, for example:

Dr Sinan Al-Bermani graduated with afirst class MEng degree in MaterialsScience and Engineering in 2005.During the summer of 2004, he carriedout his five month industrial placementat Outokumpu Stainless in Sheffield,working on projects concerned withthe gauge control of steel rolled stripproducts. For his final year researchproject he carried out tomographicalreconstruction of crystals in glass. After graduating he spent 18 months on the Firth Rixson graduate trainingscheme to gain industrial experience offorgings and rolling processes at varioussites in the South Yorkshire area. From2006-2010, Sinan pursued a PhD in theDepartment of Materials Science andEngineering, studying “Additive LayerManufacturing of Titanium Alloys”. ThePhD was sponsored by Renault F1 andSinan presented his findings at

international conferences in bothEurope and the US. Since 2010, Sinanhas been working as a DevelopmentEngineer for Sheffield ForgemastersEngineering Limited, leading projects ofmanufacturing large scale forgings forthe nuclear industry.

Martyn Jones entered the Departmentafter successfully completing a PureSciences Foundation Year. Martyn wenton to graduate with a first class MEngdegree in Aerospace Materials in 2011and was awarded the Armourers andBrasiers Medal for academic distinction.During the first two summers of hisdegree, Martyn worked on internshipsin the Innovative Metals ProcessingCentre on diverse projects such astitanium foam manufacture forhydrogen storage and additive layermanufacturing of complex components.During his five month industrialplacement in the summer of 2010, heworked at Rolls-Royce, Derby onimproving the mechanical properties ofnickel superalloys, alloys for civil aircraft,turbine disks and developing newengineering alloys. During his final yearresearch project, he investigated theeffects of emerging machining practiceson zirconium alloys in conjunction withthe Advanced Manufacturing ResearchCentre with Boeing and wassubsequently awarded the NesthillMedal for excellence in physicalmetallurgy. Due to his successfulindustrial placement, Martyn wasoffered a position on the Rolls-Roycegraduate training scheme, which hetook up in September 2011.

First and Second Yearcourse structure:

Examples of some of the modulestaken in the first and second years ofour Materials Science and Engineeringcourses are given below:

Introduction to MaterialsChemistry (Year 1)

The aims of this module are todevelop a qualitative and quantitativeunderstanding of crystal chemistryand molecular structure for both smalland macromolecules and todemonstrate the application of crystaland molecular structures to materialsproblems.

Introduction to MaterialsEngineering (Year 1)

This module introduces students tothe mechanical behaviour of both hardand soft materials, including naturalmaterials. The module will emphasisethe links between the microscopicbehaviour and the macroscopicperformance of materials.

Introduction to MaterialsProperties (Year 1)

This module considers materialsproperties as the link between what isdone to a material and how thematerial responds and hencediscusses linking properties to devicesand structures. Topics covered includethe behaviour of magnetic, electricaland optical materials.

Biomaterials (Year 1)This module introduces the humanbody from an engineering perspective;looking at it as a structure, amechanism and a sensor. It thenintroduces both natural andreplacement biomaterials discussingproperties in relation to function usingAshby charts. Finally, the coursediscusses lessons that can be learntfrom biomaterials by materialsengineers in general (biomimetics).

Deformation and Failure ofMaterials (Year 2)

This module describes the plasticdeformation of metals, polymers andglasses indicating the fundamental

mechanisms that give rise to samplestrain in response to applied stress orarising from thermally induced effects.The deformation mechanisms arerelated to microstructure andprocessing and the implications fordesign considered.

Industrial Materials Processing(Year 2)

This module provides a broadoverview of the main industrialprocessing and manufacturing routesfor metallic, glass, ceramic andpolymeric materials and components.Important engineering principles suchas viscosity, heat transfer and fluidflow will be introduced where relevantand a number of case studies will beused in order to highlight theequipment, technology and philosophybehind the choice of process andmanufacturing route for thesematerials.

Advanced Mechanics and Selectionof Materials (Year 2)

This module aims to build acomprehensive understanding of theinterrelationship between materialsselection, materials processing,product design and productperformance in order to develop aholistic approach to optimumselection of materials for engineeringand industrial applications.

Practicals and Transferable Skills

Materials Science is a very hands-ondiscipline and you will have two orthree laboratory sessions per week inthe first and second years. Eachmodule will have a number oflaboratory practicals associated withit, and in these you will build on whatyou have already learned in themodule, as well as learning aboutexperimental design and techniques,and data analysis.

In the first semester of Year 1, you willtake part in Skills Week. This involvesan industrial visit, a number ofworkshops aimed at developingtransferable skills, seminars given by

the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining amongst others, and agroup activity involving problemsolving, presentation skills,communication and teamwork. Here’s what some of our students have to say about Skills Week.

“Skills Week made the course morerelevant and allowed me to see wheremy degree would fit into a career.”Caroline Gabbott

“I feel I have really benefited fromSkills Week in terms of informationreceived and skills developed. Idefinitely think it was a worthwhileexperience and I really enjoyed it.” Alys Davies

Optional modules

Each academic year is split into twosemesters and carries 120 creditsoverall. Depending on which courseyou are taking, you may have someoptions to choose from. You mayselect options from this Department(on Nanomaterials or Materials andthe Environment) or from otherdepartments (eg Philosophy,Management or Modern Languages). If you wish, you can also spend one ortwo semesters studying at a foreignuniversity. This does not increase thelength of your course because youcontinue to study Materials while youare abroad. This opportunity isavailable to students on all ourMaterials courses. See 'Travel Abroad'(page 12) for more details.

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The structure of your third yeardepends largely on two importantchoices made at the end of the secondyear: whether to take a three-yearBEng or four-year MEng degree (seepage 6), and whether to specialise(see page 5).

For either route you undertake a FinalYear Research Project, which is worth aquarter or a third of the final year marksand involves approximately one and ahalf days work per week for 20 weeks.The Final Year Project is your chance touse some of this Department’s world-class research facilities. It allows you tospend time studying a topic thatparticularly interests you and gives youhands-on experience in advancedresearch techniques, such as:

Materials Processing – for example,synthesising electrically conductingpolymers or manufacturing glass-polymer composites; MaterialsCharacterisation – using, for example,an electron microscope or X-ray

diffraction – or testing the optical,electrical, mechanical, or magneticproperties of a novel material.

Third and fourth year lecture coursesinclude advanced classes in materialsmodelling, as well as metals, glasses,ceramics and polymers. The MEngcourse (except JH5P) also includes a12 week group industrial project, andcase studies as well as a five-monthwork placement.

Five-month industrial placement(MEng only, except JH5P)

By April of the third year you are readyto carry out your paid industrial workplacement. We can help by providingyou with the contact details ofcompanies in the UK or abroad whoare happy to employ our students. Weexpect you to be able to carry out auseful project or assignment for thecompany. Placements are usuallyhighly successful and our studentsfrequently warrant glowing praisefrom their employers.

One of our recent graduates, Andrew,carried out a placement at TWI inSouth Yorkshire. He says, “I greatlyenjoyed my placement for the varietyof jobs and tasks that I was able toundertake, which has benefited megreatly. It also gave me a valuableinsight into working with materials in aprofessional environment as well asthe running of a global businessorganisation.”

We continually update our courses toreflect the latest developments in thesubject. For more detailed and up-to-date information on course content,including full module descriptions,please visit our web pages:www.sheffield.ac.uk/materials/

Third and Fourth Year course structure

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We encourage you to think about youreventual career aims and to take everyavailable opportunity to develop yourtransferable skills. With this goal,companies and industrialists areactively involved in teaching ourcourses. Their input includespresentations on current topics andhosting visits to manufacturing plantsand research centres. We encourageyou to go to technical lecturesorganised by local branches of thenational Materials organisations andwe subsidise attendance at theirannual dinners. We also supportstudent membership of the Institute ofMaterials, Minerals and Mining, theIoM3. The Institute provides valuablehelp with professional development aswell as technical information.

The University Careers Serviceprovides an integrated guidance,vacancy information and workexperience service for currentstudents and recent graduates of theUniversity.

Vacation work

Relevant summer vacation workprovides you with a breadth ofexperience and skills that are attractiveto employers. The University CareersService advertises summer workvacancies and we can provide you withthe contact details of companiesseeking to recruit Materials Scienceand Engineering students. The MEngcourse involves a five-month placementof paid industrial training, and a fewstudents take a year out in industry. Wecan help to arrange placements both inthe UK and abroad. In addition, somefinal year projects can be undertakenwith industrial partners, and many ofour students have been offeredemployment after graduation, partly asa result of a successful project.

Sponsorship

Several firms and trade organisationsare willing to sponsor able studentswhose long-term goal is a job inindustry. Sponsorships involve abursary and paid vacation work

experience. Some are available fromYear 1 but if you do not wish to commityourself initially you may also receiveoffers in later years. Continuationusually depends on satisfactoryprogress. Henry was sponsored byBNFL: "Sponsorship has given me anopportunity to get involved with acompany and learn much more aboutwhat they do and how they do it –hopefully making my first job easier tofind. It also pays well! A bonus to getme through the year!"

Awards

If you enter our courses with highacademic qualifications, you may beeligible for a First Year EntranceBursary. More information aboutEntrance Bursaries is included in ouraccompanying literature, or you canask any member of our admissionsteam. Our contact details are on theback of this brochure.

Our Department and the EngineeringFaculty are well endowed with prizesfor students at each level of the course.

Industrial liaison, sponsorshipand awards

Hui Zheng whograduated in 2010 is seen receiving an award fromProfessor AllanMatthews, the headof department.

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University life presents countless newopportunities. Here are some of thepossibilities for broadening yourhorizons during your time at University.

TRAVEL ABROADOur courses provide you withnumerous opportunities to travelabroad. For example, we haveexchange schemes with an Americanuniversity and with universities inFrance, Spain, Portugal, Finland andAustria. An exchange can be for onesemester or a whole year withoutincreasing the length of your coursebecause you continue to studyMaterials while you are abroad.Students from our partneruniversities join our courses inSheffield and you have theopportunity to enhance your culturalexperience by meeting them.

The exchange to Alfred University inNew York State, which specialises inCeramics and Glasses, is particularlypopular. Some travel bursaries areavailable to support this. Robert spenthis first semester of the second yearat Alfred University. He says, "I wasable to do some travelling during mystay, including a trip to the NiagaraFalls, both the American and Canadiansides. Over the Thanksgiving break, my

Spanish friend, Lluis, and I went on a road trip to Montreal, Canada andNew York City, where we saw theMacey's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Our Chinese friend, Jun, showed usaround China Town, which again wasan insight into a very different culture.Academically, I have experienced avery different style of teaching andassessment, and socially, I have grownin confidence, while experiencing adifferent culture and way of life."

Many MEng students choose to carryout their five-month work placementabroad, recent destinations includeNew Zealand, India, the USA andHolland. Various scholarships areavailable to support students who planindustrial visits or placements abroad.

SOCIAL ACTIVITIESThe Materials Society (MatSoc), is runby students and provides a socialfocus for students in the department.The elected MatSoc Officers have asmall budget raised by membershipfees plus a departmental grant. Socialactivities for staff and students includea Christmas Party and Annual Dinner.

NATIONAL PRIZESOur graduates have been notablysuccessful in winning many national

awards for their achievements. Forfive out of the last six years, at leastone of our students or new graduateshas been awarded a national orinternational prize. These haveincluded two of the coveted RoyalCharter prizes awarded to the topMaterials graduate in the country, aBEST award for Engineering students,and winners at the national SETawards.

Student life

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The Department of Materials Scienceand Engineering is located in the Sir Robert Hadfield Building. This issituated in the St George’s complex,alongside the other Engineeringdepartments. Many self-cateringresidential blocks are just a five-minute walk away and the Halls ofResidence at the Endcliffe andRanmoor Student Villages are within25-minutes walking distance. Thereare frequent public transport linksand some cycle routes. After Year 1most students move into privateaccommodation in neighbouring areas.

The city centre and Students’ Unionare a 10-minute walk from theDepartment, and the Goodwin SportsCentre, with its state-of-the-artfacilities, is just a mile away. ASupertram stop adjacent to theUniversity takes you to the railwaystation, and to the Meadowhallshopping and leisure complex.

There are lecture theatres andpractical laboratories in the Sir Robert Hadfield Building andusually you are taught here or inbuildings nearby. We have recentlyopened a new Materials TeachingLaboratory and invested £300,000

in 2011 in new teaching equipment,including industry-standard materialstesting instruments. Networkedcomputer rooms are availablethroughout the University. The St George’s Library, which covers all Engineering disciplines, is just athree-minute walk away.

Soft drinks and light snacks are sold in the Department; local outlets offerexcellent value for lunch or you canbring your own and eat in the TurnerMuseum (see page 4).

For more information aboutaccommodation at the University,please visit the University web pagewww.sheffield.ac.uk/accommodation

Location andfacilities

Sheffield is England’s fourth-largest cityand is located on the edge of the PeakDistrict National Park and about twohours by train from London. Sheffield isa thriving city with theatres, cinemas,shopping facilities, bowling, ice-skating,nightclubs, art galleries and museums.Shopping facilities include Meadowhall,the popular shopping and leisure complex,and Division Street, a fashionablestudent haunt that is a two-minute walkaway from the Faculty of Engineering.

Sheffield has world-class sportsfacilities, and the nearby Peak Districtprovides excellent facilities for climbing,walking, caving, canoeing, sailing,windsurfing, gliding, hang-gliding andmountain biking. We also have thelargest dry ski slope and snowboardingfacilities in Europe, two climbing walls,reservoirs that offer a variety of watersports and more trees per head ofpopulation than any other UK city! TheNatWest Student Living Index ratedSheffield as one of the cheapest cities inthe UK to live and study, and accordingto the Home Office, Sheffield is amongthe safest major cities in the UK.

For more information about living inSheffield, please visit the Universityweb page www.sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/studentlife

Living inSheffield

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To apply for a place on one of ourcourses you need to complete a UCASapplication form (see the Universityprospectus), or visit the UCAS websiteon www.ucas.com

Selection procedure

We receive a copy of your UCAS forma few weeks after its submission. Ifyou live in the UK and have a suitableacademic background, you will beinvited to an Open Day. We encourageyou to visit and learn more about ourcourses, the Department, theUniversity and its surroundings, aswell as to learn about the variousaccommodation options and meetcurrent students and staff. We run anumber of Open Days each year,usually on Thursdays in term, andoffer parallel tours and presentationsfor parents. We contribute towardsyour travel costs, and can usuallyarrange inexpensive, overnightaccommodation for those with longjourneys. During the Open Day you willhave the chance to talk on a one-to-

one basis to a member of academicstaff. This is an opportunity for you toask questions and find out more aboutthe course, as well as for us todiscover more about you.We are particularly pleased toencourage applications from studentswho wish to take a gap year beforeentering the course or from maturestudents.

If you are an overseas student, and areunable to attend an Open Day in person,we will arrange a telephone interviewwith a member of academic staff at atime that is convenient for you.

If you wish to visit outside the normalcycle of Open Days, particularly if youlive overseas, then please contact Mrs Louise Mason, our UndergraduateAdmissions Secretary (see back coverfor contact details).

Aspects of admission such asaccommodation, registration, fees andtheir payment are dealt with centrally

by the University and the prospectushas further information. They sendyou an accommodation pack andbooking form in March of your year ofentry although final allocations are notmade until August. You receive aregistration pack shortly before yourfirst week and this confirmsarrangements for your entry onto thecourse, including medical provision,how to pay fees, registration forcomputing facilities and library cards,as well as details of ‘Intro Week’, aninduction period which takes placeimmediately before the first semesterstarts. If you are an overseas student,you can arrive before Intro Week foran Orientation Programme to help youcope with the transition to life here,and you can also take English classesto improve your language ability.

Admissionprocess

To enter the University you needEnglish and Mathematics GCSE atgrade C minimum, or equivalentqualifications. Additionally, we set entrystandards to ensure that you are ableto cope with the demands of thecourse. If you are taking A levels, we askfor good results in at least two of therequired subjects (see table) and a Bor above at GCSE level in any otherrequired subject (Dual Science awardis acceptable); the Maths qualificationshould include pure and mechanicalelements. If you are taking A LevelDesign and Technology, we alsoencourage you to apply. The AerospaceMaterials courses require A levelMathematics and Physics.

Our Foundation Year course (J501)requires no more than one of Maths,Physics and Chemistry. MaterialsScience and Engineering (ModernLanguage) requires a minimum of amodern language GCSE at A grade. Ifyou are unsure about the acceptabilityof your particular qualification pleasesee our on-line prospectus or contactus for further details.

We read your personal statement andthe reference to assess yourmotivation and to learn more aboutyou; you should receive an offer unlessour entry grades seem beyond yourreach. If you choose Sheffield andmeet the offer your place is assured; ifnot we consider all aspects of yourperformance and your potential to

benefit from our course. Althoughexam qualifications are important,they are not the only estimate ofpotential and students with resultsjust below the offer are notnecessarily excluded. Students withother backgrounds are welcome toapply and are considered on merit.Again we look for competence in atleast two of Maths, Physics andChemistry.

We also consider direct second yearentry if you have good overseasqualifications and your previous

course overlaps sufficiently with ourfirst year. If you are well qualified buthave not studied appropriate scienceswe can offer a Foundation Year. Pleasecontact us if you are unsure about yourposition in either case.

A qualification in Key Skills is not arequirement for entry to our courses.However, we encourage you tohighlight such skills in your application.

Entry requirements

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Qualification Typical Entry Requirement (Course UCAS Code)

GCE A Levels AAB MEng coursesBBB or ABC BEng courses & Foundation Yearprogramme

Scottish Highers AAABB/BBBBB + AB/BB in Advanced Highers inrequired subjects

Irish Leaving Certificate AAAABB/BBBBBB

BTEC Level N DDD/DDM in a relevant subject area includingDistinction in Further Mathematics

International Baccalaureate 32-35 points with 6 points from two of Higher Levelrequired subjects

We look for two required subjects at A level (or equivalent), with other subjectsat a minimum of a B Grade at GCSE.

Course code Required subjects

J500, JH51, J200, FH21, Maths, Physics, ChemistryFHF1, J5R9

JH5P, JH56 Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology

H401, H403 Maths, Physics

The improved fatigue characteristics of composite materials have allowedmajor developments in helicopter blade shapes.

Entry requirements are:

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Contact:Mrs Louise MasonUndergraduate Admissions SecretaryTel: +44 (0) 114 222 5467Email: l.c.mason@sheffield.ac.ukwww.sheffield.ac.uk/materials

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy ofthe information given in this publication. However, theUniversity reserves the right to make changes.