Science and Technology of Materials (STM)

The programme is interdisciplinary and focuses on the production, characterisation and knowledge-based further development of structural and functional materials in the laboratory and in nature. The importance of material cycles and resource efficiencies will also be taught, as well as approaches to solving the resulting scientific and engineering challenges.
The degree programme provides an insight into the current methods of material production and material characterisation and introduces a broad spectrum of technical application possibilities.
At TUM, the materials are further treated with regard to their use in a technical application. In particular, the materials are to be analysed with regard to their stability under operating conditions as a function of various operating modes (e.g. pressure, temperature, fields, humidity). This is supplemented by the life cycle analysis of the material under different operating conditions. The students also expand their knowledge of the fields of application and associated trends of various materials.
From a technical point of view, knowledge in the disciplines of chemistry, physics and materials science is initially expanded to master's level. Furthermore, knowledge in materials engineering as well as mineral or biogenic materials is expanded. Building on this, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering offers a series of basic (e.g. process engineering/thermodynamics) and production-oriented (e.g. manufacturing technologies) modules as the technical, application-oriented engineering component of the degree.
Students are familiar with state-of-the-art methods of manufacturing, processing and characterising structural and functional materials, know current areas of application and trends and can conduct both basic and applied research in these areas.

Which further expertise and skills will I acquire?

Graduates of the degree programme possess the followingProfessional competences: They are able to produce a desired material (a desired product) with defined properties. In doing so, they apply state-of-the-art analytical methods, which enable them to understand and optimise the structure-property relationships of the materials in connection with the process parameters during their production. The latter enables them to record and evaluate the performance of a material with regard to its application profile in order to be able to use it consequently, economically and sustainably.
In addition, the students are put in a position to develop a new type of material and material design that is in line with the requirements of the students. Material design that follows the principle of "reduce, reuse and recycle".

Which professional opportunities can I take up with this qualification?

After completing the joint degree programme Science and Technology of Materials, graduates have a particularly broad spectrum of professional opportunities open to them. Typical occupational fields include work in the chemical industry and in the construction industry, in biotechnology and medical technology, in energy and environmental technology, in sectors of the electrical and electronics industry, in the vehicle and aircraft industry, in research at universities and at non-university scientific institutes.