Admission to the Master's Degree Course in Materials Engineering requires possession of one of the following qualifications obtained at an Italian university, or other qualifications obtained abroad that are deemed equivalent to them: Bachelor's Degree or University Diploma of three-year duration, Specialist Degree or Master's Degree, pursuant to DM 509/1999 or DM 270/2004, Five-year Degree (prior to DM 509/1999).
The knowledge required for admission is, in addition to knowledge of the basic subjects (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science) typical of Engineering, that which characterises or is related to Materials Engineering, with particular reference to basic knowledge of Materials Science and Technology, Metallurgy, Thermodynamics and Design. Finally, knowledge of the English language at an adequate level is required in order to use texts in the sector and to follow seminars in this language; in particular, possession of these language skills, which are equivalent to level B1, will be checked at the entrance; in addition, for students admitted with skills below level B2, the obligation to acquire these skills equivalent to level B2 will be required before the Master's degree is awarded (through training activities to which an adequate allocation of university credits corresponds, as envisaged in the table under ‘Additional language skills’).
With regard to the knowledge and skills required for enrolment, these are fulfilled if the student possesses at least 85 CFUs, acquired in any university course, in the scientific disciplines listed below INF/01, ING-INF/05, MAT/02, MAT/03, MAT/05, MAT/06, MAT/07, MAT/08, MAT/09, SECS-S/02, CHIM/03, CHIM/07, CHIM/12, FIS/01, FIS/03, ING-IND/08, ICAR/03, ICAR/08, ING-IND/09, ING-IND/10, ING-IND/12, ING-IND/13, ING-IND/14, ING-IND/15, ING-IND/16, ING-IND/17, ING-IND/21, ING-IND/22, ING-IND/25, ING-IND/27, ING-IND/31, ING-INF/04 and L-LIN/12.

Means of verifying possession of such knowledge
A committee made up of a number of teachers from the course of study assesses the career of the individual student and the need for any curricular integrations, providing, in the case of previous courses that are not perfectly coherent for the acquisition of the required knowledge, an integrative course that must in any case be completed before the verification of personal preparation.
The commission also verifies the student's personal preparation, which is compulsory for enrolment on the course, by checking the grade of the admission qualification.

The rules for verifying possession of the curricular requirements and adequate personal preparation are defined in detail in the Didactic Regulations of the Master of Science Degree Course in Materials Engineering.

Students willing to enrol in the Master’s Degree Programme in Materials Engineering must have a three-year university degree or diploma, or another qualification obtained abroad and recognised as valid pursuant to the applicable legislation, along with the curriculum requirements and a proper initial background.

As regards to curricular requirements, students must previously possess at least 85 CFUs (university credits) obtained overall with a minimum number of CFUs for each SDS obtained in the following groups:

·ING-INF/04, ING-INF/05, INF/01, MAT/08, SECS-S/02= 4 CFUs

·MAT/02, MAT/03, MAT/05, MAT/06, MAT/07, MAT/09 = 20 CFUs

·CHIM/03, CHIM/07, CHIM/12, FIS/01, FIS/03, ING-IND/08, ICAR/03, ICAR/08, ING-IND/09, ING-IND/10, ING-IND/12, ING-IND/13, ING-IND/14, ING-IND/15, ING-IND/16, ING-IND/17, ING-IND/21, ING-IND/22, ING-IND/25, ING-IND/27, ING-IND/31 = 58 CFUs

·L-LIN/12 = 3 CFUs

The curricular requirements are assessed by a specific Board in charge of evaluating the career of each single student and any need for curricular integrations. In the event of previous study programmes that are not perfectly consistent for the acquisition of the knowledge required, an supplementary study programme will be provided, to be completed by the assessment of the student’s personal background. The means of assessment are published in detail, well in advance, on the relevant call for applications or notification.

The academic background requirements are met if the student has obtained a final degree score not lower than 85/110. In addition to the basic subjects (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Information Technology) that are typical of Engineering, students are required to possess knowledge of the subjects that are distinctive of Materials Engineering with specific reference to basic knowledge of Science and Technology of Materials, Metallurgy, Thermodynamics, Drawing. Knowledge of the English language at an adequate level is required in order to use specialist texts and to attend seminars in this language; in particular, the possession of these language skills, which are equivalent to level B1, will be checked at the entrance; for students admitted with skills below level B2, the obligation to acquire these skills equivalent to level B2 will also be required before the Master's degree is awarded (through training activities to which an appropriate allocation of university credits corresponds, as set out in the table under “Additional language skills”).
A specifically appointed Board evaluates the suitability of the personal background knowledge of each student within the last enrolment deadline.

For students with a foreign university degree, the admission to the master’s degree programme is subject to an assessment of the study curriculum and university career. The first level degree or at least a bachelor’s degree or other qualification deemed suitable and obtained abroad must have a score higher than 2/3 of the maximum score available. A specific Board decides whether curricular integrations are needed, by providing a supplementary study programme to be completed before the assessment of the student’s personal background. The means of assessment are published in detail, well in advance, on the relevant call for applications or notification.

Materials Engineer
The main skills acquired by Materials Engineers concern the control of the properties of materials, both during the production of semi-finished and manufactured products and during their use, the knowledge of the specific features of the main classes of materials and the reinforcement/modification mechanisms that can be used to increase/modify their properties, the interpretation and execution of laboratory analyses related to the properties of materials, the use of software for the simulation of the behaviour of materials and structures, the design of the properties of materials starting from their atomic and molecular structures, the management of processes, with particular focus on quality.

Materials Engineer
The Materials Engineer has a strong connotation as a designer who knows and knows how to use materials, and is able to develop new ones. Typical functions in a work context include the selection of materials and suppliers, quality control, laboratory responsibility, responsibility for production processes, development of new materials, development and control of material treatments, material diagnostics and recognition of causes of non-conformity or failure, teaching in technical institutes and freelancing in the field of industrial engineering. The professional figure of Materials engineers is able to cover roles of primary importance in the field of planning, in its broadest sense, with specific skills on provisional aspects of properties and behaviour of materials and structures, as well as technologies linked to manufacturing processes.

Materials Engineer
Materials Engineers will be able to carry out their activities at: i) companies for the manufacturing, processing and development of metallic, polymeric, ceramic, vitreous and composite materials, for applications in the chemical fields, mechanical, electrical, electronic, energy, construction, biomedical, environmental and cultural heritage; ii) industrial research laboratories within companies; iii) public and private entities.
Master Graduates in Engineering of the Materials are also skilled and meet the requirements provided by current regulations to exercise the profession of Engineer in the various specialisations regulated by the laws of the State within the Professional Order of Engineers, section A, "section of engineers - industrial sector".

The planned training is primarily aimed at developing knowledge in the fields of engineering and materials science. In designing the training offer, the indications of the representatives of the world of work within the Steering Committee were also taken into account. The training reflects on the one hand the vocation of the territory, particularly attentive to the issues related to materials for automotive, biomedical, and construction application, with a wider horizon, ranging from coatings to numerical simulation of material behaviour.

The Master’s Degree Programme in Materials Engineering offers training activities for the students’ acquisition of skills for the design, realisation, selection, characterisation and application of materials (ceramics, metals, polymers and composites) both massive and with specific functionalities. The programme also provide knowledge to envisage and quantify:
a) the operating behaviour of materials and their response to external stresses according to the applications; this knowledge is both of theoretical-modeling type and mediated by laboratory activities
b) the degradation and life cycle of materials, as well as the interaction of materials with living organisms.

Among the training purposes of the Master’s Degree Programme in Materials Engineering there is the study of:
a) the theoretical fundamentals of materials properties, with focus on the effect of production technologies on microstructural aspects,
b) the specificities of production and processing technologies and how they can be used conveniently for the design of resistant, lightweight, durable, economical or eco-compatible structures,
c) the macroscopic properties of the materials, their measurement and the fundamentals of measuring techniques of the properties of the materials
d) specifications defining their use, with specific teachings aimed at selecting materials and process.

The training purposes of the Master’s Degree Programme in Materials Engineering are as follows:
- acquisition of an in-depth expertise in the selection and production of materials in accordance with the particular conditions of use, the development of new materials or combinations of materials and the redefinition and extension of the areas of use of traditional materials;
- acquisition of sound preparation in the field of materials production and processing technologies and the ability to design, plan, design and manage complex and/or innovative processes;
- acquisition of the ability to design, including using simulation models, processes and new materials for specific structural applications, functional to enable the development of technically viable processes and products, the environmental sustainability and the adequacy of the proposed solutions with respect to the rapid evolution of the requests;
- acquisition of mastery of the scientific method of investigation and ability to use scientific instruments.

In order to attain such training objectives, the Master’s Degree Programme in Materials Engineering provides its graduates with an in-depth theoretical and experimental background in the following learning areas.

1) Theoretical foundations of properties. Learning area aimed at the knowledge of the correlations between structure, microstructure and macroscopic properties of materials for the definition of their functionality, applications and production technologies.
2) Materials and manufacturing processes. Learning area aimed at the knowledge of the characteristics and specificities of the individual classes of materials, and specifically of ceramic, metallic, polymeric and composite materials and related production and processing technologies. Presentation of case studies and visits to production plants in the areas identified are the natural completion of the knowledge acquired through the attendance of lectures
3) Macroscopic properties and design. Learning area aimed at the knowledge of chemical, structural, microstructural, macroscopic physical-mechanical, functional and regulatory characterisation techniques of materials for their validation and for the design of their use, also with the help of dedicated software and methodologies for the optimisation of experimental and metrological activities.

Master graduates in Materials Engineering are able to catch the key points of an issue and its possible solutions, then:
- communicate in writing and orally issues and ideas on the topic of materials, both of their own or taken from the literature, to different audiences, work colleagues, management meetings, conventions, etc.;
- dialogue with experts of other similar fields, in particular engineers, physicists and chemists, recognising possible complementary interpretations and visions.

This ability is tested both during the profit examinations, which always include an oral session to verify the content, and also through the writing and subsequent discussion of the Master's thesis during the Final Examination, which is the culmination of this communication skills development activity.

Master graduates in Materials Engineering are able to:
- identify the scientific and application context to design changes, applications or innovation of existing materials and technologies, aimed at controlling their quality and planning interventions to improve their properties;
- critically use scientific and patent literature data to assess which characteristics and qualities are best suited to innovate and improve various classes of materials;
- as a general rule, have a critical attitude addressed to the choice of the most suitable approach for solving specific problems, choosing and making up proposals and reference frameworks to correctly interpret complex issues and search for operational solutions;
- carry out in full autonomy functions of responsibility in research and development environments, or in the field of highly qualified teaching and scientific communication.

The full development of the independence of judgment is verified during the final examination, where the student must show to know how to choose between different sources of information, make selections of materials and/ or processes, measure the effectiveness or the lack of effectiveness of alternative solutions to those existing in the context of the production or application of certain classes of materials

Master graduates in Materials Engineering:
- have a proactive attitude and a mentality keen on the rapid learning of new concepts and methods, both theoretical and experimental;
- have acquired a flexible mentality and a robust working methodology, which allows them to integrate immediately into work and cultural environments of different nature;
- are able to continue their studies, in a Master’s degree programme or a Ph.D, both in the field of materials science and engineering and in related disciplines, with a high degree of independence.

The ability to learn independently is verified through the provision of topics of study, at individual or group level, on specific issues relating to the production or application of individual classes of materials.

Theoretical foundations of properties
The training activities of this learning area help students gain advanced and broad knowledge and understanding within of the distinctive subjects of the class of Master’s Degree in Materials Engineering, and in particular on some specific cutting-edge topics on chemistry and physics, and physics of surfaces and structural dynamics models.

Therefore, the training activities of this learning area foster the acquisition of:
a) an enrichment of theoretical and experimental skills and knowledge of instrumentation also included in complex systems, typical of applications in the structural study of materials in various scientific and professional fields,
b) independence in dealing with basic research topics also new in the field of materials engineering.


Materials and manufacturing processes
The training activities of this learning area help students gain advanced and broad knowledge and understanding within of the distinctive subjects of the class of Master’s Degree in Materials Engineering, and in particular on some specific cutting-edge topics on the various classes of materials, on technologies and manufacturing processes, and on business organisation, on production and on the aspects for the validation of a product/process.

Therefore, the training activities of this learning area foster the acquisition of:
a) an enrichment of theoretical and experimental skills and knowledge of productive technologies applicable to the different classes of materials, how they alter the properties of the processed materials and how to design a sequence of processes to achieve the minimum cost or maximum quality of the product
b) typical notions of business organisation and logistics, with optimisation of plant layout and material flows, as well as the concept of economic production batch and how this affects the selection of the process
b) independence in dealing with basic research topics also new in the field of materials engineering, applied to the development or application of new manufacturing processes (direct manufacturing, net-shape manufacturing).


Macroscopic properties and design.
The training activities of this learning area help students gain advanced and broad knowledge and understanding within of the distinctive subjects of the class of Master’s Degree in Materials Engineering, and in particular on some specific cutting-edge topics macroscopic properties and their importance in the design of advanced systems, from micro to macro scale. The importance of the combination of material and form, but also the availability of materials in some specific forms are further explored, as well as the use of software tools to assist the design, designed to simulate the carrying out of quasi-static tests on new materials for structural or superficially functionalised applications. The study of the innovative use of traditional systems is also important.

Therefore, the training activities of this learning area foster the acquisition of:
a) an enrichment of theoretical and experimental skills and knowledge of characterisation and diagnosis instruments for the selection and joint design of material and form,
b) the presentation and use of software tools to help design materials and design with materials, also focusing on the criteria of eco-design
b) independence in addressing applied research and hybrid material design issues, from composites to laminated materials, up to understanding and designing the best substrate-coating pairs for specific tribological applications, or design of structures resistant to degradation and corrosion

Theoretical foundations of properties
The training activities of this learning area foster the acquisition of the following skills:
a) identify, formulate and resolve issues even in an innovative way by using up-to-date methods, techniques, approaches, and tools.
b) apply advanced contents to the formulation and solution of complex issues;
c) address new and unfamiliar issues in various application contexts, understanding their nature and formulating proposals for their solution.

The knowledge and skills are verified through the tests envisaged for the single teachings offered, and detailed in the specific description of each of them. Within this area, the verification procedures concern written and oral tests in which the student demonstrates to master the basics of material science, applied to the specific features of the individual classes of materials, and to know how to control the properties of a material, acting on both its chemical composition and processing technologies. The verification also includes the solution of real cases, with the provision of test reports and request to identify the cause of an effect found (failure, non durability, anti-cost effectiveness)


Materials and manufacturing processes
The training activities of this learning area foster the acquisition of the following skills:
a) identify, formulate and resolve, even in an innovative way, complex issues related to the production of specific classes of materials, using methods, techniques, updated approaches related to the selection of the process or a chain of processes;
b) apply advanced content to the formulation and solution of complex issues, from the translation of project requirements to the formulation of objective functions (minimum cost, minimum time, minimum variance..) to be used for the joint selection of material and process;
c) address new and unfamiliar issues in various application contexts, understanding their nature, deploying simplified but representing models and formulating proposals for their solution.

The knowledge and skills are verified through the tests envisaged for the single teachings offered, and detailed in the specific description of each of them. The verification methods include group and problem solving activities, with the assignment of specific tasks for the identification of processes and suppliers to create prototypes or small series.


Macroscopic properties and design.
The training activities of this learning area foster the acquisition of the following skills:
a) identify, formulate and resolve complex issues even in an innovative way by using up-to-date methods, techniques, approaches, and tools, also working in shared mode on a specific issue.
b) apply advanced content to the formulation and solution of complex issues relating to the design of materials and the design with materials;
c) address new and unfamiliar issues in various application contexts, designing and developing new materials for emerging applications or to increase the properties of materials in existing applications and reduce weight, cost, energy,...

The knowledge and skills are verified through the tests envisaged for the single teachings offered, and detailed in the specific description of each of them. With regard to planning activities, the verification of the learning provides for sessions in which software applications are used, also independently by the student, as well as the performance of group activities monitored also through tests carried out in collaboration with representatives of the manufacturing world, on design issues proposed by them.