MSc Biomaterials

Fees for entry in 2027 have not yet been set. For reference, the fees for the academic year beginning September 2026 were as follows:

• MSc (full-time)
  UK students (per annum): £14,700
  International, including EU, students (per annum): £39,400

The fees quoted above are fully inclusive of tuition, administration and computational costs.

Fees for entry are subject to yearly review. The University reserves the right to increase your tuition fee by up to 7% each year for courses lasting more than one year, including to reflect rising costs associated with delivering our educational and wider student experience. Postgraduate fees information .

Always contact the admissions team if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

We offer a number of postgraduate taught scholarships and awards to outstanding UK and international students each year.

The University of Manchester is committed to widening participation in master's study, and allocates £300,000 in funding each year. Our Manchester Master's Bursaries are aimed at widening access to master's courses by removing barriers to postgraduate education for students from underrepresented groups.

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For more information on master's tuition fees and studying costs, visit the University of Manchester funding for master's courses website to help you plan your finances.

On successful completion of this Unit the student should:

• Understand the requirements of a biomaterial used for medical applications.
• Understand the general classifications of biomaterials for medical applications.
• Understand the importance of materials in medicine.
• Have an overview of the biomaterial-based medical devices currently used in clinical practice.
• Have an overview of body anatomy and the material-like properties of the native tissue constructs
• Be able to relate material properties to specific biomedical applications.
• Understand the advance therapeutics and the concept of tissue engineering.

UNIT CONTENT:

• General classification of a biomaterial for medical applications.
• Requirements of a biomaterial used for medical applications and biocompatibility.
• Examples of specific tissues/organs and clinically used biomaterials including musculoskeletal system, skin, oral cavity, lower urinary tract, cardiovascular system, eye and nervous system.

The programme unit aims to:

• Illustrate the links between medical problems, biological scenarios, chemical issues and mechanical performance.
• Provide the students with knowledge of the general classification of the biomaterials for medical applications.
• Provide the students with an understanding of the requirements of biomaterials for medical applications.
• Provide the students with general understanding of the specific body constructs such as skin, cardiovascular system, eye, musculoskeletal system and lower urinary tract, their anatomical structure and material-like properties of the native tissues
• Provide a number of examples of applications of biomaterials in the clinic environment.

• Knowledge and understanding
• Intellectual skills
• Practical skills
• Transferable skills and personal qualities

• Defend the importance of materials in medicine and their historical development.
• Recognise the industrial and clinical applications of biomaterials.
• Discuss the concept of tissue engineering (TE).
• Explain tissue, organ and system response to biomaterials.
• Classify diseases, ageing or trauma that requires surgical intervention and the methodology used.
• Describe the variety of materials and scaffolds that can be utilised for a variety of applications.

• Discuss how alternatives to common surgical solutions can be exploited using biomaterials and tissue engineering approaches.

• Team working.
• Present in groups.

• Presentation and communication skills.
• Team working, organisation, time management.  

Feedback give verbally and written.

• Principles of Tissue Engineering 3rd Edition, Lanza, Langer and Vacanti
• Biomaterials Science 3^rd or 4th Ed Ratner et al

Additional directed and suggested reading is provided as pdfs via Canvas.