Materials Science

Materials Science is a four-year undergraduate course, with a common syllabus taught at every College. Our students at Trinity achieve excellent results, and often win University and national prizes. Our tutors are all research scientists. Prof Hannah Stern studies the electronic and optical properties of defects in two-dimensional materials and molecular semiconductors. Prof Pierre-Alexis Mouthuy has an interest in the design and characterisation of biomedical devices and engineered tissue grafts. Dr Charlotte Lynch works on modelling nanopores in cell membranes.

Trinity is located within close walking distance of the Department of Materials.

Course Details

The Department organises lectures and laboratory teaching, while the College provides small-group teaching through tutorials. College tutors therefore play a key role in supporting your learning, particularly in the early years of the course.

The first two years provide a broad foundation in materials science, covering the structure, properties, processing and performance of materials, alongside the underlying physics and mathematical principles. This ensures students develop a strong understanding of how materials behave and how they are used in real-world applications. In the third year, students choosing from a range of options that allow them to explore different areas of materials science in greater depth. In the fourth year, students undertake a substantial individual research project (Part II).

A range of optional language courses is available for students wishing to develop their language skills.

More Information

Oxford Department of Materials

Trinity and the Department of Materials (Google Maps)

A group of female students stands in aprons doing a materials experiment.

Teaching Structure

Our Materials students typically attend around two tutorials per week during the first two years, usually in groups of three, working through Materials problem sheets in detail to develop a good understanding of the subject. Tutors also set practice examinations at the start of most terms to help students consolidate their learning and prepare for university examinations.

From the third year onwards, teaching is primarily Department-based, with tutorials largely replaced by classes (in larger groups than typical College tutorials). In the fourth year, Part II projects provide an opportunity to students to engage in independent research, often within leading research groups or in collaboration with industry or international partners. Projects may be carried out in Oxford or, in some cases, at external institutions, including overseas. Some students have recently undertaken research projects at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in industry, and at research laboratories in Oxford. Part II often plays an important role in shaping future career choices.

Admissions

Our tutors welcome applications from prospective undergraduate students with strong skills in mathematics, physics and chemistry, and who are prepared for a demanding but rewarding schedule of work. You will need to show that you achieve high academic standards both independently and as part of a group.

We regularly admit some of the strongest DPhil students in various branches of Materials, and we also offer associate college membership to postdoctoral researchers who are working in the groups led by our Tutorial Fellows. For details on the admissions criteria please see the University's main website.

Materials course details and admissions criteria

Oxford Undergraduate Admissions

Academic Study Support

All students have access to non-means-tested grants to support their studies; further funding is available to support research projects and placements, including travel grants. More detail is available on our Student Support pages.

Travel and Academic Funding for Students

Undergraduate Financial Support

A close-up of bicycles parked in Trinity college.

Career Prospects

Many of our graduates in Materials Science go on to pursue further study and research in this field. The skills developed during the degree - the ability to analyse and present complex technical information and to solve high-level problems – are also highly valued by employers in areas like banking, consultancy and environmental work.

A female student smiles into the camera while holding some lab equipment; she is wearing a lab coat and purple safety gloves.

I really enjoyed the things we got to do in the labs, like playing with jelly, casting molten metal, breaking stuff and using cool microscopes.

Sarah

Materials Science

Tutors

Pierre-Alexis Mouthuy

Tutor and Fellow in Materials

Organising Tutor

Hannah Stern

Tutor and Fellow in Materials

Organising Tutor

Charlotte Lynch

Lecturer in Materials Science