What is Materials Engineering?

Materials Engineering is a core engineering discipline that is vital to virtually all industries: automotive, aerospace, chemical, electronic, telecommunications, etc. Industrial progress is usually limited by materials availability, and periods of great change in the history of civilisation result from the discovery of new materials. Ancient examples include the Bronze and the Iron Ages. More recently, the many advancements brought by the electronic and computer industries, which have changed many aspects of modern life, were dependent on the development of silicon semiconductor materials. Today the revolution is continuing with new plastic polymers, ceramics, and new composites like metal/ceramic mixtures.

This revolution is of key importance for us in Western Australia. Our great mineral deposits offer the raw inputs for many new materials: one key to our future will be our ability to make these materials here and raise the value of our exports. The minerals industry is a major employer of materials engineers.

Materials Engineering is a challenging and exciting profession which often forms a bridge between scientific disciplines of physics and chemistry and the various branches of engineering. It is concerned with investigating relationships between the structure and the properties of metals, polymers, ceramics as well as of composites thereof and with design, manufacturing and processing of materials with desired properties. Materials Engineering thus provides a broad range of opportunities for students seeking very practical, technologically relevant tasks as well as for those inclined to scientific research work.

At UWA, we have an excellent environment for students to develop the skills and creativity to be in the forefront of engineering anywhere in the world. While studying Materials Engineering at UWA, you will be in contact with internationally recognised research teams. From your third year onwards you will have opportunities to be involved in advanced research projects as well, in helping industry solve real problems which are provided by project work in various units, the optional `CEED Programme' of industrial projects, and final year Honours or Pass degree projects.

The School has excellent contacts with industry, and external lecturers add variety to a number of courses. You will have opportunities to visit industrial sites of particular interest to enable you to see Materials Engineering in action.

What do you study?

The School of Mechanical Engineering offers degrees in Materials Engineering in several arrangements.

• A four-year degree course:
  • Bachelor of Engineering
• Two five-year double-degree courses:
  • Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Science
  • Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Commerce

When you start your Materials Engineering course at UWA, you will do a first year which is common with Mechanical, Mechatronics, Civil and Environmental Engineering students. In it you will be introduced to engineering dynamics, statics, electrical fundamentals and computing, as well as improving your skills in mathematics and physics. At the end of first year, you will be able to choose to do materials engineering or follow one of the other branches of engineering.

In your second year of Materials Engineering, you will commence specialist subjects in materials engineering. You will also continue building your knowledge in mathematics, chemistry, and a number of important engineering subjects.

In your third year, more specialisation will occur, with significant courses in materials processing and fabrication. If you elect to do a CEED project, you will also start your major project half way through third year, completing it as your fourth year project.

In your final year, a set of core subjects is combined with a wide selection of optional subjects. This will enable you to specialise in a particular area of Materials Engineering, e.g. polymers, or materials design. You will also carry out a project. If doing Honours, you will also write a thesis on your project topic.

Course Outline - BE (Materials Engineering)

• First Year
  • Engineering
  • Computing
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  
  
• Second Year
  • Materials Engineering
  • Solid Mechanics
  • Chemistry
  • Mathematics
  • Thermodynamics (engines, refrigerators, combustion etc.)
  
  
• Third Year
  • Materials Processing
  • Fundamentals of Engineering Materials
  • Materials Characterisation
  • Mechanical Behaviour
  • Electrical Materials
  • Design and Manufacture
  • Fluid Mechanics
  
  
• Fourth Year
  • Engineering and Society (ethics, environmental and social impact of engineering)
  • Materials Engineering Project
  • Physical Metallurgy
  • Ceramic Materials
  • Polymer Materials
  • Fracture of Materials
  • Degradation of Materials
  • Minerals Processing
  • Extractive Metallurgy
  
  

  What do you get out of it?

  Materials Engineering is an exciting profession for men and women that offers a tremendous potential for applying one's knowledge, creativity and energy to solve materials-related problems encountered in various industrial fields. Materials engineers are in demand all around the world, as well as here in Western Australia. They find employment in a wide range of industries including manufacturing and process industries dealing with metals, plastics, rubbers and ceramics as well as electronic industries concerned with development of new solid state device technology.

  Both the Federal and the WA governments have recognised the Materials field as a priority area, and employment opportunities in this field should continue to grow.

  Over the years, our engineering graduates from UWA have developed an excellent reputation, and are in great demand by employers across the world, not just in Australia. Many companies interview engineering students on campus and offer jobs up to seven months before the end of final year because students from UWA are so highly sought after.