The College of Materials Science and Engineering is committed to providing its undergraduate and graduate students with a comprehensive academic background and engineering experience that goes beyond classroom education. Through systematical theoretical learning and practical training, the graduates are expected to be equipped with sound knowledge on materials theory, materials fabrication and processing, microstructure and properties, and engineering application.
The college has multiple excellent academic support laboratories, such as Key Laboratory of Spray Deposition Technology and Application (Hunan) and Center of High Resolution Electron Microscope; we are also in close collaboration with a number of research centers, such as National Super Computing Center (Changsha), State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing for Vehicle Body, and National High Efficiency Grinding Technology Research Center. Beyond these academic opportunities, students are also provided with internship opportunities in a variety of national and global industrial partners.
Our ultimate goal is to help our graduates gain and accumulate professional knowledge, creativity, and international vision, having them well prepared for their chosen career. Our graduates are in great demand in manufacturing industries, such as materials development, aerospace, automotive, new energy, transportation, chemical engineering, and electric engineering.
The undergraduate study takes 4 years. The students are encouraged to choose one of the four focuses: novel materials, polymers, inorganic nonmetallic materials, metallic materials，based on which they can take corresponding courses in additional to a few mandatory core courses.
Core Undergraduate courses:
Introduction to materials
Fundamental of materials chemistry(inorganic, organic)
Fundamental of materials physics(solid physics, crystallography)
Materials physical chemistry(thermodynamics, electrochemical basis)
Fundamental of materials structure (quantum theory, structural chemistry)
Materials engineering basis
Materials science and engineering (crystal defects, phase transformation)
Materials testing (X-ray diffraction, electron microscope, thermal analysis)
Materials properties (mechanical properties, physical properties)
Materials fabrication and equipment (fabrication method, fabrication equipment)
Advanced equipment materials (advanced inorganic nonmetallic materials, advanced metallic materials)
Functional materials
Courses for “Novel materials”:
New energy materials
Applied electrochemistry
Thin films and electronic materials
Nanomaterials and technology
Courses for “Polymers”:
Polymer chemistry
Polymer physics
Polymer molding and processing
Courses for “Inorganic nonmetallic materials”:
Carbon technology
Ceramic technology
Thermal equipment
Physical chemistry of inorganic materials
Courses for “Metallic materials”:
Principle of liquid forming
Principle of metal plastic forming
Principle and technology of heat treatment
Principle of metallography
It normally takes 3 years to finish Master and 5 years to finish both Master and Ph.D. The college has world-leading faculty members in various fields that the graduate students can be supervised by. The main fields include electron microscopy, advanced materials, lightweight materials, structural and functional ceramics, new energy materials, materials computing and design, polymers, nano-functional materials and thin film technology, advanced composite material and application, and traditional metallic materials.
The graduate students are encouraged, required and also provided with opportunities to attend both national and international academic conferences and present their research highlights. They are trained to be independent researchers in the field of material science. In additional to great industrial demanding, many graduates choose to pursue higher professional development and have become faculty members and research staff in top universities and academic laboratories.
Main courses for graduate students:
Advanced forming technology
Advanced fabrication technology
Structure and properties of materials
Solid state phase transformation
Strengthening and toughening mechanisms
Solidification theory
Modern powder metallurgy technology
Thermodynamics of materials
Solid state reaction and sintering theory
Introduction to material physics
Metal-matrix composite materials
Computational materials
Novel electronic materials
High resolution electron microscope
Porous materials and application
Advanced metallography
