Materials Science and Technology

What is Materials Science and Technology

What is Materials Science and Technology?

Materials Science and Technology is the study of solid materials and their properties. The composition and structure of these materials are studied thoroughly. It is through this understanding of these materials, and the practical application of this knowledge that people in the Materials Science and Technology field create new materials, and also discover new materials, mainly solids. Materials Science and Technology is also commonly known as Materials Science and Engineering. The Materials Science and Technology field of science originated in the 1950s.

At UG levels, the main courses in Materials Science and Technology are Bachelor of Technology in Metallurgical and Materials Science (B.Tech), and Bachelor of Engineering in Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science (B.E).

At the PG levels, the main courses offered in Materials Science and Technology are Master of Technology in Material Science (M.Tech), M.Sc. (Tech) in Applied Chemistry and Materials Science and Master of Technology in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (M.Tech).

Eligibility Criteria (UG & PG) of Materials Science and Technology

For B. Tech and B. E., the eligibility criteria for Materials Science and Technology are as follows: 

• Applicants should have completed 10+2 years of education, from science stream for 12th grade. 
• They must have at least 40-50% in all science subjects and in English, to be able to apply.

Eligibility Criteria For M.Tech in Materials Science and Technology

• The applicant needs a background of B.E./B.Tech in Metallurgy/Materials science/Materials engineering/Chemical engineering/nanotechnology with at least 50% marks.  

Eligibility Criteria For M.E. in Metallurgical and Materials Science

• The applicant needs to have a B.E. or a B.Tech, or equivalent relevant degree, with at least 55-60% marks.

Entrance Exams for Materials Science and Technology Course

For Bachelor’s courses in Materials Science and Technology, such as B.Tech and B.E., the entrance exams are as follows:

JEE Main: This is one of the main exams that every student needs to give as a screening process for all B.Tech, B.E., and B.Sc.

JEE Advanced: This exam is mainly required for admissions to any IIT. 

Entrance exams at Postgraduate levels for Materials Science and Technology Course: 

• GATE: This is the graduate aptitude test in engineering, and is conducted as a screening process to realise the understanding of concepts in students' minds. It is usually taken for admissions to Masters programs. 
• There are also other state-level entrance exams such as the AP PGECET and OJEE. 
• Apart from this, certain university level entrance exams are conducted, such as Indraprastha University Common Entrance Test (IPU CET). 
• There is also IITH PGE, a national level entrance exam for this course, conducted by IIT Hyderabad.  

Required Skillset for Materials Science and Technology

Skillsets Required to Work in Materials Science and Technology Sector

Every field requires a set of basic, general soft skills and a set of technical, field-specific skills. In this field of Materials Science and Technology, the following are the soft skills required:  

Communication skills - These are required in almost every field to communicate well with superiors and the people working with you. Similarly, in Materials Science and Technology, one requires good communication skills to communicate with the team, give presentations, talk to people to figure out solutions to certain situations. On a more specific line, one needs to be able to read and write technical reports.  

Problem-solving skills - The field of Materials Science and Technology is a diverse field that knows no bounds. In such a field with endless possibilities, there are bound to be certain problems and difficulties that one will encounter. To be able to keep a calm mind, and think rationally to work one's way around such problems, problem-solving skills are imperative.  

Analytical skills - Every problem that stands in the way of people working in Materials Science and Technology needs to be tackled with relevant and appropriate approaches. This means that all problems need to be analysed, and solutions need to be found after a thorough process of the same. While working on certain projects too, all the steps need to be taken after approaching the situation with an analytical mind, paying attention to every detail, scrutinising every aspect.  

In terms of technical and specific skills, the following are required: 

Knowledge of material properties - If one is working in this field of Materials Science and Technology, with the ultimate aim to discover new materials, having a thorough knowledge of existing materials is of utmost importance. It will be impossible for people to discover and create new materials unless they know the already existing ones because that knowledge helps them understand the properties, reactions and potential outcomes of creating new materials from existing ones.  

Mathematics - Materials Science and Technology requires a thorough knowledge of math, too. This is mainly because all these equations and coming to certain solutions typically involve complex math equations.