With the arrival of the Bologna Process and reform and adaptation of higher education in Europe, in Spain the UPM is a pioneer institution in the introduction of a new post-baccalaureate, four-year degree course in Materials Engineering.

The degree programme is measured in accordance with the credits awarded by the new European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). Considering one ECTS credit to involve 25-30 hours of study, the new Degree in Materials Engineering will entail 240 such credits, structured over four academic years (eight semesters) of 60 credits each one (30 credits per semester). Under such a structure a final-year dissertation or end-of-degree project (equivalent to 12 credits) will be undertaken.

The objective of the new programme is to provide engineering graduates with an interdisciplinary technical preparation, seeing them equipped to work with any type of material (biological, ceramic, metallic and polymer), and primed with a high capacity to adapt, both in terms of research and in development and innovation. In a rapidly-evolving world, the materials engineer will have to know how to model (to extract the characteristic parameters of a given situation), design (both new material and structural elements) and possess multidisciplinary knowledge.

The course involves a forward-looking curriculum in which students acquire knowledge of the three main branches of the field of materials: traditional structural materials, but also functional materials (semi, dielectric, optical conducting and magnetic materials used to create integrated circuits, storage media, sensors and other devices) and biomaterials (materials that interact with biological systems; materials of biological origin; and biomimetics).

Academic Calendar:
Fall semester: Early September - Late January
Spring Semester: Early February - Mid June