- Course level: Master's Degree programme
- Italian classification: LM 53, Materials Engineering
- Programme language: English
- Admission for EU citizens and non EU citizens resident in Italy: based on verification of the admission requirements
- Admission for non EU citizens resident otuside Italy: public selection call
- Location: Department of Industrial Engineering, Via Sommarive 9 - 38123 TRENTO - Italy
Programme overview
The Master's degree in Materials Engineering aims to train professionals with in-depth knowledge and understanding of the processes, properties, development and applications of materials, the conception, design and development of innovative products, the management of the life cycle of products in line with the sustainability demands of the modern manufacturing industry. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the course promotes and implements the principles of sustainability and the circular economy.
The Master's graduates will master modern technologies, systems and infrastructures for the production, characterization and design of traditional and innovative materials, for their use in specific applications in the chemical, rubber and plastic industry, in the mechanical, metallurgical, textile, opto-electronics, biotechnology sectors and, more generally, for product development and the production and use of goods and services.
The different tracks offered by the programme train graduates for specific areas of Industrial Engineering: biomaterials and biomedical technologies, materials and production processes, energy storage and transport, materials and technologies for the manufacturing industry, materials and processes for the automotive and transport industry, nano-materials and nano-technologies, surface engineering.
Further training will be provided through laboratory work and interdisciplinary activities that will be integrated in ordinary or elective courses. Students will participate in study visits, seminars, lectures and job placement to learn corporate culture.
At the end of the programme, students will write a final dissertation in English to demonstrate the knowledge they have acquired, their ability to work independently and their communication skills.
The Master's degree in Materials Engineering is offered in three tracks:
- Manufacturing and Product Development
- Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development
- Engineered Materials and Biomedical Applications.
The objectives and the didactic activities foreseen by each curriculum are described at page Course content.
Double degree programmes and international opportunities
Two double degree programmes are available for students:
- the EIT Master's programme on Sustainable Materials, which is focused on sustainable materials and is jointly offered by UniTrento with KU Leuven (Belgium), Montanuniversität Leoben (Austria), Grenoble INP (France), the University of Milano-Bicocca
- the TIME (Top Industrial Managers for Europe) double degree, jointly offered with the Grand Ecoles Group (EC Lille, EC Lyon, EC Nantes, EC Marseille, Centrale Supélec (Paris)), Technische Universität München (TUM) and the Instituto Superior Tecnico de Lisboa (IST)
Further excellence courses are offered in partnership with European and non-European universities and higher education institutions. The collaboration agreements can be found on the website of the Department of Industrial Engineering in the International mobility page (in Italian only).
Career opportunities
Graduates in Materials Engineering can hold high-profile technical and management positions, are able to oversee the entire industrial production system from product design to marketing. Thanks to multidisciplinary training and transversal skills, they can be employed along all the phases of the life cycle of a product, from the general design to the production of the material to the management of the manufacturing process, its operating behaviour and the end of life, through proper recycling, reuse or disposal. The graduates work side by side with technicians (mechanical designers, process technologists, planning, production and logistics engineers), plan activities in different areas (research and development, design, production, technical assistance) and coordinate other activities.
The graduates in Materials Engineering can carry out both technical and research activities that require in-depth knowledge of sciences and engineering. They are particularly skilled in the area of the production and transformation of metallic, polymeric, ceramic, glass materials, of composite materials and biomaterials, for applications in chemistry, mechanics, metallurgy, electricity, electronics, telecommunications, energy, constructions, transports, biomedicine, environment and cultural heritage. With on the job experience, they can take on executive, coordination and management roles.
Employment opportunities for graduates in Materials Engineering cover the entire manufacturing sector, the processing and process manufacturing industry, public and private research centres focused on materials and technologies, design firms, consultancy and services companies, and the public administration.
Graduates can also choose to become highly skilled freelancers (in this case they must pass the exam to become members of the association of professional engineers) or consultants, once they have gained some experience.
Finally, the knowledge and skills acquired by the graduates of the Master's Degree in Materials Engineering give them the opportunity to continue their studies (third-level education) with a PhD, in Italy or in a foreign country, and to participate in selections procedures for positions at universities and research centres.
Professional opportunities range from quality control to design, from the organization and supervision of the production process to applied research and product development, from the development of materials and processes for the transformation and sustainable management of energy to materials applications for biomedical engineering. The Master's graduates will be able to find employment in: chemical, food, pharmaceutical and process industries; companies producing, processing, transporting and storing substances and materials; industrial laboratories; technical public facilities for environmental services and security.
Based on the description provided by the Italian Institute of Statistics - ISTAT, the Master's Degree in Materials Engineering prepares students to become: Materials Engineers
Postgraduate study
The Master's Degree in Materials Engineering gives access to PhD courses in the area of materials engineering and science, such as the PhD Programme in Materials, Mechatronics and Systems Engineering or the PhD Programme in Industrial Innovation.