Excited to learn more? For a taster of what you can expect to study on our Automotive Materials course, take a sneak preview of some of the modules you may have the opportunity to study below.
Compulsory modules
Engineering Principles and Design
The aim of this module is to:
- Introduce the commercial, social and environmental context of engineering design, including sustainability and ethics, process economics, and EDI.
- Introduce a structured approach to engineering design, applying the principles of mechanical design, engineering drawings, and professional standards.
- Promote the development of key professional and transferable engineering skills from teamwork and time management to written and verbal communication and personal development.
- Provide perspective of engineering careers within different sectors and industries.
Mathematics for Materials
The aim of this module is to introduce a range of mathematical methods appropriate to the needs of first year materials engineering students.
Thermofluids
The aim of the module is to:
- Introduce the fundamental concepts of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics.
- Solve practical engineering problems using thermodynamics and fluid mechanics principles.
Experimentation and Practical Skills
The aims of this module are:
- To provide students with the knowledge and practical skills relating to materials testing, and their applications.
- Enable students to become aware of and develop their academic, professional and personal skills through Personal Best.
Introductory Materials Science
The aim of this module is:
- To give the students an introduction to engineering materials, their properties and processing and how these are interrelated.
- To provide students with an understanding of the major principles used in determining the properties and structure of materials.
- Introduction to processing a range of material types from raw material to finished part.
- How the processing method can influence the properties of the material.
Computer Aided Engineering
The aims of this module are to:
- Provide an introduction to standards and conventions in engineering drawing.
- Provide an introduction to Computer Aided Design tools.
- Provide an introduction to Computer Aided Engineering through MATLAB.
- Provide an introduction to Computer Aided Manufacturing.
- Develop transferable skills, particularly with respect to oral presentation and group working.
Compulsory modules
Data Analysis and Modelling
The aims of this module is to introduce the principles of data analysis and modelling relevant to materials and chemical engineering.
Group Design Project
The aims of this module are to:
- Continue the development of skills within engineering design to be applied to complex designs/systems with interacting parts.
- Further enhance the skills required to work within a diverse group to manage projects and communicate ideas with different stakeholders.
Structures and Characterisation
The aims of this module are:
- To develop a fundamental understanding of the structures of materials at different length scales, from the atomic scale upward.
- To develop understanding and skills in the applicability and use of different characterisation techniques used to determine the structure and properties of materials.
Materials in Action
The aims of this module are to provide students with knowledge of factors which determine how materials may evolve and fail in service, and the implications this has on the lifetime of components.
Materials Processing
The aim of this module is to develop understanding of the underlying principles determining the relationships between composition, processing, structure at different length scales, and properties for a range of materials.
Machine Elements and Automotive Materials
The aim of this module is to provide understanding of the engineering requirements in order to choose appropriate materials and machine elements for designing vehicular subsystems/components.
Vehicle Loading and Suspensions
The aim of this module is for students to understand the engineering requirements necessary to design road vehicles, with particular focus on vehicle loading and suspension design.
Compulsory modules
Sustainability, Recycling and Environment
This module introduces students to key concepts for the sustainable development and use of materials, including the full life cycle of materials from extraction to end of life.
Students will develop an understanding of issues around working towards net zero both in the UK and globally, water and energy usage, ethically sourcing and manufacturing critical materials, and what happens to materials at their end of life.
Students will critically analyse the impact on the environment resulting from materials throughout their life, and will study life cycle assessment as a tool to quantify impact.
Project
The aim of the module is to impart the skills required:
- To plan, develop and conduct a research programme in the fields of Materials Science, Materials Engineering or Biomaterials Engineering.
- To communicate the findings, using a range of techniques, to a technical audience.
Vehicle and Component Design
The aims of this module are for the student to work within a group to:
- Use design principles, including an appreciation of design requirements, constraints and approaches, to design an automotive component.
- Use the principles of materials selection to select and justify materials for specific applications.
- Integrate their knowledge of materials properties, manufacturing techniques and engineering principles to produce a solution of a practical automotive design problem.
- Contribute to the management of the team to present outputs of their work which demonstrate progress and meet specific objectives.
Automotive Crash Protection
This module provides a detailed understanding of the interactions between engineering and human tolerance to impact as they relate to the crash protection of vehicle occupants and other road users. An introduction to impact biomechanics and crash protection standards will also be provided.
Advanced Processing Methods
The aims of the module are to:
- Provide a broad knowledge of the principles of advanced preparation and processing of a range of materials.
- Provide in-depth knowledge and skills in specific advanced processing methods.
- Make students aware of the environmental and societal impacts of advanced preparation and processing methods.
Industrial Case Studies
The aim of this module is to provide students with a broad experience in the application of materials science and engineering in the context of particular industrial case studies and the associated issues of manufacturing, economic and legislative constraints. The module provides a mechanism for the integration of the knowledge gained in the various specialist modules by its practical application in the solution of 'real-life' engineering problems.
Optional modules
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
The aims of this module are:
- To present a range of issues on managing entrepreneurship and innovation.
- To present and discuss these issues for both large multinational corporations (MNCs) and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
- To present a range of frameworks and tools in support of managing entrepreneurship and innovation.
- To develop relevant transferable skills.
Advanced Principles of Materials
The aim of this module is to acquaint students with the fundamental theory of mechanical properties, transformations in materials and defects in crystals.
Nanomaterials
The aims of the module are to:
- Explain the changes in the properties of a material as its size is reduced to the nanoscale.
- Provide students with knowledge of the range of nanomaterials, their synthesis, processing and application.
Composite Materials
The aim of the module is to provide students with a knowledge of the properties, processing and applications of composite materials and the development of new composites.
Functional Materials
The aims of the module are to:
- Introduce the principles of functional behaviour. Examples may include magnetism, semiconductivity and photovoltaic materials.
- Provide students with knowledge of the materials science that underlies the functional behaviours covered.
University-wide Language Programme
This is a 10 credit module from the University-wide language programme.
The information above is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study. Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year. Please also see Terms and Conditions of Study for more information.