Decisions and guidelines

According to a decision taken by the Vice Chancellor 2020-08-25, Uppsala University will offer a Master's Programmes in Materials Science from 2021-07-01 (UFV 2020/1171).

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university.

Also required is 75 credits in physics or 75 credits in chemistry.

Language requirements

Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6. This requirement can be met either by achieving the required score on an internationally recognised test, or by previous upper secondary or university studies in some countries. Detailed instructions on how to provide evidence of your English proficiency are available at universityadmissions.se.

Aims

After completing the programme, the student can obtain a Master of Science with Materials Science as the main field of study.

The programme intends to provide an in-depth theoretical knowledge of material construction from the basis and how it correlates to properties and areas of use. Students will also gain the practical skills on how this knowledge can be used for the design and manufacture of various materials. The programme aims to provide the knowledge and skills required to participate in research in the field of materials science, both concerning industrial and academic sectors. Important parts are material theory, material synthesis and material characterization.

The programme prepares for further doctoral education or a professional career in industry. After the education, the student should be able to be independently responsible for research, development and / or investigative work within the subject area.

Learning outcomes

According to the Higher Education Act, the following applies for second-cycle studies:

Second-cycle studies shall be based fundamentally on the knowledge acquired by students during first-cycle courses and study programmes, or its equivalent.

Second-cycle studies shall involve the acquisition of specialist knowledge, aptitudes and accomplishments in relation to first-cycle courses and study programmes, and in addition to the requirements for first-cycle courses and study programmes shall:

• further develop the ability of students to integrate and make autonomous use of their knowledge,
• develop the students' ability to deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations, and
• develop the students' potential for professional activities that demand considerable autonomy, or for research and development work. Ordinance (2006:173).

Objectives for a Degree of Master (120 credits) according to the Higher Education Ordinance, System of Qualifications.

Knowledge and understanding

For a Degree of Master (120 credits) students must

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding in their main field of study, including both broad knowledge in the field and substantially deeper knowledge of certain parts of the field, together with deeper insight into current research and development work; and
• demonstrate deeper methodological knowledge in their main field of study.

For the Master's Programme in Materials Science, this means that the student should be able to

• demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding of the concepts of materials science both theoretically and experimentally as well as their limitations and on their own initiative be able to expand their field of knowledge, and
• follow the development of knowledge and evaluate new findings by critically using technical and physical literature and databases.

Skills and abilities

For a Degree of Master (120 credits) students must

• demonstrate an ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and to analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations, even when limited information is available;
• demonstrate an ability to critically, independently and creatively identify and formulate issues and to plan and, using appropriate methods, carry out advanced tasks within specified time limits, so as to contribute to the development of knowledge and to evaluate this work;
• demonstrate an ability to clearly present and discuss their conclusions and the knowledge and arguments behind them, in dialogue with different groups, orally and in writing, in national and international contexts; and
• demonstrate the skill required to participate in research and development work or to work independently in other advanced contexts.

For the Master's Programme in Materials Science, this means that the student should be able to

• independently initiate, be responsible for and lead investigations of complex contexts on a scientific basis,
• demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles behind theoretical and experimental aspects to analyze the results in materials science, and
• collaborate in groups and independently conduct development work.

Judgement and approach

For a Degree of Master (120 credits) students must

• demonstrate an ability to make assessments in their main field of study, taking into account relevant scientific, social and ethical aspects, and demonstrate an awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work;
• demonstrate insight into the potential and limitations of science, its role in society and people's responsibility for how it is used; and
• demonstrate an ability to identify their need of further knowledge and to take responsibility for developing their knowledge.

For the Master's Programme in Materials Science, this means that the student should be able to

• be able to use the terminology of materials science to independently present an overview of the state of knowledge and be able to explain and discuss scientific and research ethics issues, and
• be able to give a correct and well-balanced overview of methods, results, conclusions and possibilities of future applications.

Layout of the programme

The master's programme in materials science offers a structured range of courses with a common first semester for all students and then the opportunity for students to choose to specialize in one of three tracks mentioned below. The courses during the first semester are designed to introduce students to the subject area of ​​materials science and to acquire knowledge in physics and chemistry in preparation for courses to be taken during the specialization. In one of the courses in the first semester, the students with background in physics and chemistry will collaborate with each other in joint interdisciplinary projects. During the second and third semester, students will choose specialization in the form of a track of courses:

• Soft materials
• Energy-related materials
• Quantum materials

During the third semester, a second interdisciplinary project course is offered. During the last semester, students will do their degree project.

The collaboration Nanomat, with Sorbonne University (Paris) and University of Antwerpen, provides the possibility of multiple master of science degrees for a limited number of students. The mobility preferably takes place in the second, third and fourth semester. The master thesis can be conducted at either or several universities.

Instruction

The teaching in the master's programme is based on the experiences and knowledge that the students bring into the education. Students are expected to participate and contribute actively in the teaching and take great responsibility for both their own and their fellow students' learning. The programme's teachers have the main responsibility for creating good conditions for active individual and joint learning. The teaching is designed and developed continuously through a respectful dialogue between teachers and students, where everyone contributes to the renewal and mutual learning.

Teaching methods vary considerably from course to course. An appropriate mix of lectures and lessons is used together with group activities such as seminars and projects where training in communication is an integral part. In most courses, the independent laboratory training is also a very important part.

The master's programme in materials science is an international master's programme and in the language of instruction is English.

Degree

Upon request, the Vice Chancellor issues diplomas for the Master of Science (120 credits) with materials science as the main field of study.

A Degree of Master is a so called general degree, which means that the student achieve the degree in its main subject according to the criteria below, regardless of the courses being part of the programme or not, therefore there is a possibility also to include single subject courses in the degree.

Regulations according to Higher Education Ordinance

A Degree of Master (120 credits) is obtained after the student has completed course requirements of 120 higher education credits with a certain area of specialisation determined by each higher education institution itself, including at least 60 higher education credits with in-depth studies in the main field of study. In addition, the student must hold a Degree of Bachelor, a Degree of Bachelor of Arts in…, a professional degree worth at least 180 higher education credits or an equivalent foreign qualification.

For a Degree of Master (120 credits) students must have completed an independent project (degree project) worth at least 30 higher education credits in their main field of study.

Local regulations

A degree of Master (120 credits) may, except for courses on advanced level, contain one or several courses on basic level comprising not more than 30 higher education credits. The course or the courses are meant to provide such additional competence as is needed for in-depth studies in the main field of study and cannot be included in the student's basic degree.

For a Degree of Master (120 credits) students must have completed an independent project (degree project) worth at least 30 higher education credits.

Other directives

In order to be admitted to a later part of the programme the student must:

• fulfil the general and specific entry requirements for the programme.
• have 15 credits of courses relevant to the programme, at Master's (advanced) level, in addition to the Bachelor's degree.
• have sufficient prior knowledge to be able to follow the programme at the level at which the student is admitted, which means that the student is able to study at least 15 credits from the programme outline (for the semester to which the student is admitted). The other 15 credits are specified in the individual study plan.

All points above must be satisfied, and the courses completed (modules do not count), at the latest by the deadline for supporting documentation of qualifications (see below). Students can only be admitted to a later part of a programme or a specialisation within a programme if there are available places in the programme in the semester in question.

An individual study plan for the first semester should be established by the programme study counsellor.

For studies starting the autumn semester the application period is 15 March - 15 April. Supporting documentation of qualification for the application may be submitted no later than 1 June (for autumn semester). For studies starting the spring semester the application period is 15 September - 15 October. Supporting documentation of qualification for the application may be submitted not later than 1 December (for spring semester). If the specified dates for the application deadline or completion date fall on a public holiday, the deadline is postponed to the nearest following weekday. After the last application day, it is possible to submit a late application until the beginning of the semester. Late applications will be handled in the order they are received.

If the number of applicants is larger than the number of available places according to the dimensioning applicable, the selection criterion of average grade on prerequisite courses from a higher education institution (courses relevant to the programme) is used.