BSc Materials Science and Engineering

The modern world requires a vast array of raw materials, all of which are sourced from specific, but very varied locations on Earth. The location and concentration of the elements in these deposits, combined with the processes required to purify the raw material, determines the availability and price of industrial materials. These and other factors such as effectiveness, sustainability, toxicity and life span, influence the choice of materials ultimately used for specific tasks.  

The unit aims to:

Introduce students to the complete resource cycle – from the creation of deposits in the Earth, identification and discovery, economic assessments, extraction, processing/refinement, application of these materials and end of life and circular economy.

The complex interdependent implications of the use of resources will be considered, for example, geological, environmental and ethical impacts, security implications and risk management. The unit will also address the drivers behind material choices i.e. ‘optimal’ vs. practical considerations. 

A greater depth of the learning outcomes will be covered in the following sections:

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

The teaching and assessment of this unit is planned to be concentrated in the 1st half of semester 2 which will be delivered jointly by academic staff from the Departments of Materials and Earth and Environmental Science in the form of an in-person seminar series (lecture + discussion) that introduces the students to the scientific concepts and the complexity of resource exploitation.

The sessions are to be viewed as an introduction to the material and a pointer to further material, ideas and resources. The sessions are designed with no prerequisite reading or preparation; taking notes in the sessions will be very beneficial.

In the first 6 weeks of the semester there will be 10-12 sessions in which a different aspect of the resource cycle will be introduced and discussed. One or more of the sessions will include a significant section on life-cycle analysis. Each of the sessions will involve a section on effective essay structuring and writing, with a focus on how to be clear and concise rather than verbose.

The unit also has practical sessions. 

Written and verbal