M.Sc Polymers for Advanced Technologies

Course description

This specialist course in polymer science and engineering is our most applied masters – and it’s designed with industry in mind. You’ll learn how polymers are made, how they behave, how important products like polystyrene are constructed and how to use cutting-edge techniques to create new advanced materials.

Laboratory training covers a range of polymer synthesis methods and analytical techniques including size-exclusion chromatography, viscosity analysis, and IR and NMR spectroscopy. Other modules highlight how polymer chemistry overlaps with other areas of science, by focusing on concepts from physics that explain polymers’ unique physical properties, and engineering principles to look at the effects that polymer microstructures have on polymer performance.

You will also take part in a research training programme and complete your own research project, which will take up around a third of your course. Some students work on projects with an industry partner.

Your career
Graduates from this course apply their polymer chemistry expertise in many different industries – from oils, paints and coatings, to food, cleaning agents and cosmetics, to medical, agricultural and aerospace technologies. This course is also great preparation for a PhD and a career in polymer chemistry research.