EIT KIC Dual Degree Tracks in Sustainable Materials Engineering
Leuven, Belgium
DURATION
2 Years
LANGUAGES
English, Dutch
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 7,771 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* there is no strict application deadline | for the most recent – and only official – information on application deadlines, please check the KU Leuven webpage
** for non-EEA; EUR 1157 for EEA | for the most recent – and only official – information on tuition fees, please check the KU Leuven webpage
Key Summary
Introduction
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The programme is geared towards educating young people who want to participate in the development of materials solutions as researchers or production engineers. It focuses on basic concepts as well as on emerging trends in materials engineering and covers the study of materials properties and structures, optimising processing routes, manufacturing as well as evaluation of final products. You will have ample opportunity to develop strong analytical skills and problem-solving abilities, for example through case studies and projects, and you will have frequent contact with industrial partners through plant visits, practical exercises and/or internships. In the master’s thesis, you will apply your knowledge to a research topic of choice, usually embedded in a cutting-edge research project in cooperation with other institutions or industrial companies.
The master aims at educating you so that you will be able to design new materials and make sustainable choices, both in an industrial and academic environment. These capabilities will be based on a thorough understanding and use of the relationships between the internal structure (crystal structure, microstructure, architecture) of materials, their properties (mechanical, electrical, chemical) and their processing (the materials triangle).
Programme Strengths
- The Department of Materials Engineering (MTM) is a world player in the design, characterisation, modelling and development of new materials. Close links with Imec and KU Leuven's Biomedical Sciences Group strengthen the programme in addressing upcoming application domains. MTM is strongly involved in the powder processing of metals and ceramics, including 3D printing.
- MTM is one of the few material departments where both structural composites and metals are strongly represented in both research and teaching.
- In a truly international environment, you mingle with fellow students and assistants (68% non-Belgian) and lecturers (26% non-Belgian) from around the globe. In terms of outgoing mobility, participation in the Erasmus+ programme is encouraged for Belgian students.
Curriculum
EIT-KIC Dual Degree Track in Sustainable Materials Engineering: Option Sustainable Materials (Leuven - Trento)
Phase 1
Common Trunc of Compulsory Core Courses
- Advanced Metal Processing & Case Studies
- Design and Analysis of Experimentation
- Metals: Production and Recycling
- Project Work and Problem Solving Linked to the Core Courses: Part I
- Materials Characterisation Techniques I
- Ceramics and Powder Metallurgy
- Project Work and Problem Solving Linked to the Core Courses: Part II
- Materials Modelling and Simulation Techniques
- Surface Science and Engineering
Compulsory Courses in Engineering
All courses are compulsory.
- Polymer Composites A&B
- Physics and Mechanical Behaviour of Polymers
Phase 2
Compulsory Courses on Sustainability, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
All courses are compulsory.
- Quality and Innovation Engineering
- Project Management
- Recycling and Sustainable Materials
- Operations Research
EIT-KIC Dual Degree Track in Sustainable Materials Engineering: Option Sustainable Materials (Leuven - Grenoble)
Phase 1
Common Trunc of Compulsory Core Courses
All courses are compulsory.
- Advanced Metal Processing & Case Studies
- Design and Analysis of Experimentation
- Metals: Production and Recycling
- Project Work and Problem Solving Linked to the Core Courses: Part I
- Materials Characterisation Techniques I
- Ceramics and Powder Metallurgy
- Project Work and Problem Solving Linked to the Core Courses: Part II
- Materials Modelling and Simulation Techniques
- Surface Science and Engineering
Compulsory Courses in Engineering
All courses are compulsory.
- Physics and Mechanical Behaviour of Polymers
- Metals: Shaping and Joining
Phase 2
Compulsory Courses in Engineering
All courses are compulsory.
- Additive Manufacturing
- Engineering Design: Methods and Tools
Compulsory Courses on Sustainability, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
All courses are compulsory.
- Sustainability in Industrial Engineering
- Basic Economics for Sustainable Industrial Engineering
- Sustainable Design and Management
- Intercultural Communication
- Materials and Sustainable Development (Part 1)
- Materials and Sustainable Development (Part 2)
Conditionally Elective and Elective Courses
- iDesigner: Tackling Complexity by Integration
- Modelling and Optimization in Product Development
- Knowledge Integration and Collaboration in Design
- Methods in Tactical and Operational Supply Chain Management
- Performance Evaluation of Production Systems
- Research Design in Industrial Engineering
- Sustainable Manufacturing
- Digital Chain for Industry 4.0 including Virtual and Augmented Reality
- Lean Six Sigma
Internship and Master's Thesis
The Master's Thesis is compulsory.
- Master's Thesis with Mandatory Industrial Participation and Industrial Internship
Ideal Students
Student Profile
The ideal candidate is strongly motivated to pursue a career in materials science and engineering or in industrial sectors dealing with materials. You have a strong background in physics, mathematics, chemistry, and mechanics and have already covered some materials fundamentals during your bachelor’s. Transition courses are offered to bridge possible gaps.
- You hold a basic three-or-four year Bachelor's degree in a field of engineering or one of physical or chemical sciences. The program builds on the basics of engineering science: physics, mathematics, chemistry, and mechanics.
- You are motivated to pursue a career in materials science and engineering or in industrial sectors dealing with materials.
- All students must be proficient in oral and written English.
Admissions
Program delivery
The courses are fully taught in English and also available in Dutch.
Program Outcome
- Credits: 120 ECTS
- Degree Type: Master
- Specifications: Master of Science.
Program Tuition Fee
Why study at KU Leuven
What sets us apart as a university?
A highly ranked university
KU Leuven is among the best 100 universities in the world according to both Times Higher Education World Rankings and QS World University Rankings. All of KU Leuven’s disciplines proudly belong to the top 100 of their field. Furthermore, KU Leuven was ranked by Reuters as the most innovative university in Europe in 2016.
Research-based education
Education at KU Leuven is research-based, which means students will learn from the same professors who are performing the ground-breaking research you read about in the press. New insights are instantly integrated into classes and students are encouraged to perform their own research. In our FabLab, students can use a number of high-tech machines to create whatever they want – all free of charge.
Affordable tuition fees
Higher education is highly valued in Belgium and therefore subsidised by the government. This allows KU Leuven to keep tuition fees relatively low, which gives you a price/quality ratio very few top-100 universities can match. We take pride in keeping our programmes as accessible as possible to allow the brightest students from around the globe to join our courses.
International student life with respect for diversity
According to Times Higher Education, KU Leuven is in the top 50 of most international universities worldwide with staff and students from over 150 different nationalities. For all our international students, the Pangaea student centre is their home away from home. Our university also strives for diversity and inclusion and wants to work together on a pact for more respect.
Faculty
Scholarships and Funding
Several scholarship options are available. Please visit the university website for more information.
Info Sessions
KU Leuven combines the best of both worlds by hosting both online and live info sessions. You choose how, where and when to get your information in your search for the right program
Rankings
KU Leuven is among the best 100 universities in the world according to both Times Higher Education World Rankings and QS World University Rankings. KU Leuven’s disciplines proudly belong to the top 100 of their field. Furthermore, KU Leuven was ranked by Reuters as the most innovative university in Europe in 2016.
Accreditations
Gallery
Career Opportunities
Materials engineers invent, design, make and use materials for products, processes and services. You are educated for leadership in sectors where materials play a decisive role. Examples are the materials making and processing industries, nanotechnology, chemical industry, automotive and aerospace, but also the biomedical sector.