Advanced Functional Materials MSc

The Masters in Advanced Functional Materials is an inherently multidisciplinary subject that spans Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science and Nanotechnology. It underpins many of aspects of modern life and its themes are at the heart of global technological challenges, including energy generation and storage, microelectronics and healthcare. University of Glasgow research in the area has spanned the development of photovoltaics for enhanced solar energy systems, next-generation data storage technologies and characterisation of alloys for nuclear reactor design.

Academic contact: Dr Donald Maclaren: donald.maclaren@gla.ac.uk
Teaching start: September

Glasgow: Gilmorehill campus
MSc: 12 months full-time

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Why this programme

Get direct experience of materials characterisation techniques and microscopies relevant to industry, with access to some of the UK's best characterisation facilities.
The School of Physics & Astronomy hosts the Kelvin Nanocharacterisation Centre, which houses state-of-the-art instrumentation for studying materials at the nanoscale or below.
Physics & Astronomy at the University of Glasgow is a UK top 10 School (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023).
The School of Physics & Astronomy plays a world-leading role in the design and operation of the worldwide network of laser interferometers that have detected gravitational waves.
You will also benefit from our membership of the Scottish Universities Physics Alliance. The alliance brings together internationally leading Physics research across Scotland to form the largest physics grouping in the UK.
You will gain the theoretical, observational and computational skills necessary to analyse and solve advanced Materials Science problems, providing you with an excellent foundation for a career of scientific leadership in academia or industry.
You will develop transferable skills that will improve your career prospects, such as project management, team-working, advanced data analysis, problem-solving, critical evaluation of scientific literature, advanced laboratory and computing skills, and how to effectively communicate with different audiences.
Physics research has been evaluated as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ in the latest Research Excellence Framework [2021].
This programme is accredited by the Institute of Physics.

Programme structure

Modes of delivery of the MSc Advanced Functional Materials include lectures, seminars and tutorials and allow students the opportunity to take part in practical lab, and independent project work. In the final part of the programme, you will undertake a research project which will be supervised by a member of staff who works within the area of Materials Science. This extended project will give an opportunity to be embedded into a research group, working at the cutting edge of their particular field.

Each course is assessed separately; assessment methods include written examinations, verbal and written reports of practical/project work, multiple choice questions, oral and poster presentations of project work.

Core courses

Optional courses

Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a programme. More information: Student contract.

Career prospects

Along with careers spanning a range of areas within academia and research and development. Roles include

Material Science Scientist
Senior Analytical Scientist
Senior Scientist in Materials Characterisation
Nanotechnologist
Microelectronics Research Engineer.

Recent graduates have been employed by LISI Aerospace and University of Sheffield.

Explore our LinkedIn profile for a flavour of where our most recent graduates work.

Fees & funding

Tuition fees for 2027-28

MSc

Home & RUK

Full-time fee: £13,092

International & EU

Full-time fee: £33,708

Fee status

Fee status guidance

Deposits

International and EU applicants are required to pay a deposit of £2000 to secure a place on this programme.

Deposits: terms & conditions

The following guidelines will apply in determining whether a deposit will be refunded. Where the deposit is refunded, a 25% administration fee will be deducted unless otherwise stated.

a: Deposits WILL be refunded to applicants under the following circumstances:

Where the University is unable to offer you a place on the programme as specified on the offer. A full refund will be issued in this case.
Death of a close family member (parent/guardian, grandparent, sibling, spouse, child/dependent). Official evidence (signed and stamped) must be provided.
SERIOUS ill health of the applicant or a close family member (parent/guardian, grandparent, sibling, spouse, child/dependent). Official evidence (signed and stamped) must be provided.
Applicant does not meet conditions of offer. This may be academic or language test requirements. Satisfactory evidence must be uploaded to the student’s applicant self-service to prove that they have not met the conditions of their offer (note that applicants who do not meet the language condition of their offer must show reasonable attempt to meet this, i.e. they must provide at least two language tests which were taken after the date the deposit was paid).
Visa / ATAS refusal: we will only consider a refund if the visa / ATAS refusal was based on matters outside of the applicant’s control.
If a refund request is received within 14 days of the deposit being received a full refund will be issued under the Consumer Protection Regulations.

b: Deposits WILL NOT be refunded to applicants under the following circumstances:

An applicant decides not to attend the University for any reason not outlined above.
Personal financial constraints / unsuccessful scholarship application.
Applicant has decided to defer – in this situation the University will retain the deposit and hold it against the applicant’s account to secure their place for the following year of entry. You may defer twice. After the second deferral standard conditions will apply.
There is still time to meet the English language test requirement before the final upload date. Please see section a) 4.
Visa / ATAS was applied for too late. Please see section a) 5.
Any documents used for admission are proven to be fraudulent. We work in partnership with Qualification Check to check academic qualifications. English language qualifications are verified with the provider.
The refund request is received more than 30 days after the official course start date as outlined in your offer email.

Timeframe for requesting a refund

Refund requests must be received no later than 30 days after the official course start date as outlined in your offer email. As per section b)7 above the request will be denied.

Receiving a refund

To comply with Money Laundering Regulations, the University will pay all refunds to the original payer using the source payment details. This is known as a “return to source” payment.
All appropriate documentation and evidence relating to the original payment must be provided, when requested.
All payments and refunds are in GBP currency - the University is not responsible for any exchange rate fluctuations or beneficiary bank charges associated with the refund.
Where University approved payment methods have not been used, this may cause significant delays or prevent payment altogether.
We will aim to issue the deposit refund within 8 weeks of receipt of information per point 2 above. At peak times this may be longer.

How to request a deposit refund

Please go to our enquiry form and select 'Fees and Deposit' as the enquiry reason and then 'Can I have a deposit refund?'.

Please upload all supporting documentation to your applicant self-service portal before submitting the above request.

Find out more about Deposits

Additional fees

Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
Registration/exam only fee: £170

Funding opportunities

The scholarships shown are relevant to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database

Entry requirements

2.1 Hons (or non-UK equivalent) in Physical Sciences, Materials Science, Nanoscience and Engineering, or Chemistry degrees which contain a significant component of Physical Chemistry, Material Physics or Materials Chemistry with at least 1 credit bearing module in Quantum Mechanics and/or Electromagnetism at an average grade of pass.

We may also accept degrees in a related subject with significant physics content at a 2.1 Hons (or non-UK equivalent).

A 2.2 Hons (or non-UK equivalent) in Physics followed by substantial relevant work experience may be considered on an individual basis.

Accepted modules

We normally accept the following modules to meet the credit bearing module requirement:

Electromagnetism

Electromagnetism

Quantum Mechanics

Classical Mechanics
Quantum Chemistry
Quantum Field Theory
Quantum Information
Quantum Phenomena
Quantum Technology
Study of Atoms and Particles

A question based personal statement is required as part of your application

Physics & Astronomy - Personal Statement Form

Prerequisite experience needed

Assumed knowledge for the core courses in this degree include:

Basic mathematics for physics: single and multi-variable calculus (differentiation and integration), trigonometry, complex numbers, vectors, vector calculus, Taylor and Fourier series, Fourier transforms.
Introductory scientific computing: data handling, simple statistics (computing means and variances), plotting functions and histograms, writing simple programs in a general-purpose programming language e.g. Python or C++.

You must also have the following:

A basic understanding of diffraction, including application of Fourier transforms, and its use in the study of crystal structure
A basic understanding of simple geometric optics including drawing ray diagrams and the use of the thin lens formula
Familiarity with undergraduate thermodynamics, including its application to material properties including specific heat capacity, a derivation of the Second Law, and the use of partition functions
An awareness of the Schrodinger equation and its solutions for simple systems (e.g. a potential well or radial potential)

English language requirements

For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form

For applicants from non-majority English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Government, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

Accepted English Language Tests

We accept a wide range of English language tests for entry to this programme. Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date, and requirements must be met using a single test.

IELTS Academic/IELTS Academic for UKVI/ IELTS Academic online

6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
We do not accept General Training

TOEFL iBT (including MyBest and Home Edition)

Test taken up to 20 January 2026

90 overall with no subtest less than Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21

Tests taken from 21 January 2026

92 overall with no subtest less than 4.5

PTE Academic (test centre only)

65 overall with no subtest less than Reading 60; Listening 60; Speaking 65; Writing 60
We do not accept the online PTE Academic

Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency

176 overall with no subtest less than 169

Oxford ELLT

7 overall with no subtest less than 6

LanguageCert Academic/Academic SELT/ Academic Online

70 overall with no subtest less than 65

Password Skills Plus

6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0

Trinity College Integrated Skills in English II

96 overall with no subtest less than 90

Kaplan Test of English

Any two subtests at 480 or higher, and any two subtests at 450 or higher

PSI Skills for English

B2 Pass with Merit

Duolingo English Test

120 overall with writing at 120 and no subtest less than 110

Oxford Test of English Advanced

140 Overall with any two subtests at 126 or higher, and any two subtests at 136 or higher

Alternatives to English Language test

Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)

students must have studied for a minimum of their final year at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within 6 years of programme start.

TNE degree from UK university taught at a campus outside of the UK

students must be awarded the degree by the UK university and must have completed the degree within 6 years of programme start.

Pre-sessional courses

The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study and remain valid for 2 years following date of successful completion.

Our courses give you:

direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS);
essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University;
flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.

For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/mlc/eas/pre-sessionalcourses/

We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:

Heriot Watt
Kingston Upon Thames
Middlesex University
Manchester University
Reading University
Edinburgh University
St Andrews University
UCL
Durham

International students

We are proud of our diverse University community that includes students and staff from more than 140 different countries.

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.

Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.

Documents

As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:

A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
One reference letter on headed paper
Evidence of your English language ability (if your first language is not English)
Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
A copy of the photo page of your passport

You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.

You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.

For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, see how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree

Guidance notes for using the online application

These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form.

If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application, see Application System Help.

Name and Date of birth: must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
Contact Details: Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
Choice of course: Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
Proposed date of entry: Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
Education and Qualifications: Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
English Language Proficiency: Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
Employment and Experience: Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.

Reference: Please provide one reference. This should typically be an academic reference but in cases where this is not possible then a reference from a current employer may be accepted instead. Certain programmes, such as the MBA programme, may also accept an employer reference. If you already have a copy of a reference on letter headed paper then please upload this to your application. If you do not already have a reference to upload then please enter your referee’s name and contact details on the online application and we will contact your referee directly.

ATAS: Academic Technology Approval Scheme

Please note that this programmes in this subject at Masters level require ATAS. If yours is not one of the exempt nationalities, then you will need to apply for an ATAS certificate before commencing your programme of study and applying for your visa or extension of stay.

Please apply as early as possible as the process can take a number of months to complete.

The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) was introduced on 1 November 2007. It is used to help stop the spread of knowledge and skills that could be used in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery. This is in common with other governments around the world.

The ATAS is designed to ensure that people who are applying to study certain sensitive subjects in the UK do not have links to WMD programmes.

more information about the scheme and ATAS certificate (UK Government website).

Application deadlines

For entry in September 2027

International & EU applicants

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International application rounds

Applications are considered on a rolling basis within each round, and the decision date shown for each round is the latest date by which you will receive an outcome on your application.

Round 1: 1 October 2026 to 5 November 2026

You will receive our decision on your application by 18 December 2026.

Round 2: 6 November 2026 to 17 December 2026

You will receive our decision on your application by 3 March 2027.

Round 3: 18 December 2026 to 4 February 2027

You will receive our decision on your application by 8 April 2027.

Round 4: 5 February 2027 to 25 March 2027

You will receive our decision on your application by 6 May 2027.

Round 5: 26 March 2027 to 13 May 2027

You will receive our decision on your application by 10 June 2027.

Round 6: 14 May 2027 to 8 July 2027

You will receive our decision on your application by 29 July 2027.

As we receive a high volume of applications, prospective students are only allowed to apply to each programme once per year.

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If you receive an offer of admission, this programme requires you to apply for an ATAS certificate immediately, unless exempt [GOV.UK Academic Technology Approval Scheme]

UK applicants

24 August 2027