Materials Science

I'm looking to apply next year, hopefully to oxford for materials science, does anyone do it/know someone who does? Also the also seems to be the option to do it with economics, would anyone reccomend it?

thanks

Reply 1

Force10

4

Well I've got an offer to study it at Trinity College next year :smile:

Any specific questions? I can try help, but don't get your hopes up!

C

Reply 2

Force10

4

And finally something about Materials Science on TSR! :P

C

Reply 3

The Mr Z

13

Original post by timkench

I'm looking to apply next year, hopefully to oxford for materials science, does anyone do it/know someone who does? Also the also seems to be the option to do it with economics, would anyone reccomend it?

thanks

Just putting this out there; have you considered Cambridge? They don't offer Materials Science separately, but it is actually offered as part of the Natural Sciences Tripos.

I wouldn't bother doing it with economics, what you learn in an economics course isn't really going to be of much interest to a potential employer, you just need to be able to minimise component cost.

Reply 4

timkench

OP

2

Original post by Force10

And finally something about Materials Science on TSR! :P

C

Ahaha tell me about it! Can't find anything :smile:

what subjects do you do/what was your offer? I'm slightly worried as On their website they've changed it to from 2013 entry you will need physics, so when I apply It would be fine, but I was thinkig if they're changing it the year after it's a bit risky! So maybe pure Chem i stead

Original post by The Mr Z

Just putting this out there; have you considered Cambridge? They don't offer Materials Science separately, but it is actually offered as part of the Natural Sciences Tripos.

I wouldn't bother doing it with economics, what you learn in an economics course isn't really going to be of much interest to a potential employer, you just need to be able to minimise component cost.

The main problem is I only do one science, plus two maths, but only one science restricts my module choices

Reply 5

The Mr Z

13

Original post by timkench

Ahaha tell me about it! Can't find anything :smile:

what subjects do you do/what was your offer? I'm slightly worried as On their website they've changed it to from 2013 entry you will need physics, so when I apply It would be fine, but I was thinkig if they're changing it the year after it's a bit risky! So maybe pure Chem i stead

The main problem is I only do one science, plus two maths, but only one science restricts my module choices

a non-ideal choice of AS levels for a science course, I agree, but it's not too restrictive. You will be able to do quite a few bio modules with only chemistry, chemistry of course and materials.

First year for example, you could take Materials, Chem and Biology of Cells.
In second year I'd recommend taking Materials, Chem 1, Chem 2.

Of course your DoS will be better able to advise. Once you reach Cambridge all sorts of switcharoos are possible.

It's still a perfectly valid choice, the only restriction will be on taking Physics and the very bio-orientated courses.

Reply 6

Postitnotes44

Yay, a Materials Science post! I'm in the same boat as you timkench, it's such an obscure subject. I'm studying Chem and Maths and I'm going to take Physics as an AS next year. They said on the open day that if you haven't been studying physics in your first year of A levels then it shows commitment to the course to pick it up alongside your A2s. If you haven't already, get "The Science of Strong Materials" off Amazon, it's a really interesting book!

Reply 7

Force10

4

Timkench

I've done AS levels in Maths, Chemistry, Physics, French and Further Maths and A2s in Maths Physics and Chemistry. I was originally not going to do Physics because GCSE was all electricity which was rubbish but I'm so glad I did A level Physics because you get to do the good stuff! And I'd definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to do MatSci, so it doesn't restrict your options. My offer is for AAA in my A2 levels, and doing Maths, Chem, Physics means you can do any course in the country - there's so much flexibility!

C

Reply 8

Waytogo0602

Hi, I've just found your thread and wondered if you could help me, please?
I'm set to get straight A*s/As in my GCSEs and have pretty much decided that I'd like to do A levels in Maths, Further Maths, Chem and Physics, with a view to then going on to do a degree in Materials in the future. Which uni's are regarded genuinely as the best for Materials? Is Oxford really the best or is it just it's reputation that makes people think that?

Reply 9

The Mr Z

13

Original post by Waytogo0602

Hi, I've just found your thread and wondered if you could help me, please?
I'm set to get straight A*s/As in my GCSEs and have pretty much decided that I'd like to do A levels in Maths, Further Maths, Chem and Physics, with a view to then going on to do a degree in Materials in the future. Which uni's are regarded genuinely as the best for Materials? Is Oxford really the best or is it just it's reputation that makes people think that?

Cambridge is ahead of Oxford but don't offer a standalone Materials Sciences course, instead you enter Materials Science through the Natural Sciences Tripos.
I'd also place Imperial College London above Oxford tbh. Nottingham, Sheffield and Surrey also all rank highly.

The advantage of Oxford is you get an MEng degree rather than a MSci, and they have a seperate Materials, Economics and Management course if you're looking to a career as a businessman.

The disadvantage is the course appears to be focused much more from an engineer's viewpoint rather than a scientists, with much more practice and much less theory and experiment. Cambridge would be the better choice if you're looking to study materials for genuine interest in the subject.

Other universities' courses are all different, some will be closer to Oxford's engineering materials style and others closer to Cambridge's physics materials style. They all have their merits and disadvantages.

Reply 10

Waytogo0602

Thanks for the info. - that's really interesting :wink:

I'll have to have a look at other degree courses and see what their focus is as I think I'd prefer the science basis rather than engineering. Do you think it makes a difference in terms of job prospects which one you've done?

Reply 11

The Mr Z

13

not much difference in prospects, you've got pretty much identically high prospects from all courses at all top unis, but it may make a difference in exactly where those prospects are.

The more engineering approach will lean more towards jobs in manufacture and quality control, while the science approach will lean more towards jobs in product design and research.

It's not a big difference though.

Reply 12

danigr

1

How much math is there in materials science? As much as e.g. electrical engineering?

I have done Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Computing for AS. Is not having chemistry a problem to apply for materials science?

Reply 13

Plagioclase

21

Original post by danigr

How much math is there in materials science? As much as e.g. electrical engineering?

I have done Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Computing for AS. Is not having chemistry a problem to apply for materials science?

I don't take Materials Science but their course shared their first year maths course with mine until fairly recently and they're still quite similar. At least in the first year there's a fair amount of Maths, I don't think as much as in Physics but still more then enough to to challenge you even if you've taken A Level Further Maths.

On their website, they say "it is highly desirable to have Chemistry to A Level or equivalent, and if it is not studied to this level it is strongly recommended that it is studied to AS Level or equivalent". So whilst it's not a strict requirement, this suggests to me that you will be at a disadvantage when applying if you don't do Chemistry. But, it isn't a requirement so it is possible to get in without it.