Master Degree Course

The Master Degree Course normally takes 3 semesters (1.5 years) to complete and uses a credit system based on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The program can be started both in the Fall or Spring semester for Bachelor students from the Department of Materials, ETH Zurich. Applicants from other universities who meet the admittance criteria can start only in the Fall semester.

Materials Science: Master Degree Regulations 2005

Structure of the Master Degree Course. During the first two semesters of the Master Degree Course, the students choose about ten specialized courses among the six areas of specialization (Materials Creation, Materials Analysis and Properties, Materials Modeling and Simulation, Molecular Bioengineering, Nano-Science and -Technology, Materials and Economics). Such an area of specialization, each coordinated by a Program Director within the department, offers six to fourteen specialized courses. A maximum of 24 credit points out of the specialized courses of a single area of specialization is credited.
If 20 credit points or more are taken from the courses of a particular area of specialization, this area can be mentioned on the graduate's Master's Degree certificate.
Moreover, the Master degree students will work on two separate projects during the semester break.

Master’s Thesis. Six months are set aside for the Master’s Thesis. It can be started in the third semester at the earliest and constitutes at the same time the end of the Master's degree. The Master's Thesis will encourage the students to work independently and in a structured and scientific way. It is guided by a professor of the Department of Materials. In order to maintain standards of quality, reports from an examiner and a co-examiner will be sought on all Master’s Theses. Evaluation criteria include the research progress made, technical skills learned, as well as the Thesis and its oral presentation.
The Master's Thesis is credited with 30 credit points.

Further Requirements. In order to obtain the Master's degree certificate, four credit points from the area of Humanities, and Social and Political Sciences need to be earned.
To obtain the Master's Degree certificate, 90 credit points are necessary whereof at least 60 credit points have to be earned at the ETH Zurich.

Joint Degree of ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne. For students who are deeply interested in biomaterials the departments of material science at ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne together offer the specialization Biomaterials and Molecular Bioengineering. Students who choose this specialization could get a Joint Degree in Biomaterials of both universities if
- at least 32 credit points are earned from courses out of this specialization
- 30 credit points are earned at the EPFL in Lausanne.
- no other specialization is chosen.
A maximum of 40 credit points out of this specialization is credited for the total of 90 credit points.

NEW Master Course Structure (starting fall semester 2012)

Structure of the NEW Master Degree Course. Out of the Master Degree Courses that the students will take during their first three semesters (at least 60 credit points), they will choose at least 30 credit points from a set of mandatory courses that cover overarching themes in materials science. For the remaining credit points, students are free to specialize in a variety of materials-related areas, including Materials Creation, Materials Analysis and Properties, Materials Modeling and Simulation, Molecular Bioengineering, Nano-Science and -Technology, and others, by choosing Master level courses offered by the Department of Materials or by other ETH departments. The Professors of the Department of Materials will provide advice to the students as to which courses to take in their fields of specialization.

In addition the students have to do two master projects (8 weeks), the master thesis (6 months), and courses in the area of humanities, and social and political science.

Structure of the NEW MSc Degree Course Materials Science 2012