Entry requirements

1. Bachelor’s Degree or Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry or equivalent. The degree must comprise at least 180 ECTS credits.
2. At least 22.5 ECTS credits in Mathematics.
3. English 6 or English Level 2.

Main field

CTMAV Materials Science

Progression level in relation to degree requirements

The course is part of the main field of Materials Science and may be included in a Master of Science degree in Materials Science (120 credits).

Course contents

• Global systems including planetary boundaries, climate change, resource flows and international frameworks relevant to sustainable development.
• Current technologies and applications for sustainable development, with particular focus on structure–property–function relationships of materials.
• Global challenges and opportunities related to material-based technologies, analysing technical, environmental, societal and ethical aspects, including access to critical materials.
• Methods and tools such as life cycle assessment, with emphasis on the entire life cycle of materials.
• Responsible material selection from a global perspective, including assessment of environmental impact, resource efficiency, recyclability and social consequences.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

In order to pass the course, the student must be able to:

1. Account for central global systems perspectives, including planetary boundaries, climate impact, resource flows and international frameworks relevant to sustainable development.

2. Describe basic principles and methods within life cycle assessment (LCA), with particular focus on how the analysis supports responsible and sustainable material selection.

Skills and abilities

3. Apply LCA methodology and other relevant tools to analyse environmental and social consequences of use of different materials and technical solutions.

4. Carry out systematic and sustainable material selection by analysing and assessing complex technical, environmental and ethical factors, as well as resource availability, even when information is limited.

5. Identify and formulate relevant problem statements within sustainable materials development and plan and carry out qualified tasks using appropriate scientific methods.

6. Present analyses, conclusions and recommendations orally and in writing, and discuss these with different target groups in a clear and well-founded manner.

7. Apply knowledge in an independent assignment where responsible material selection is central, justifying choices based on technical, environmental, societal and ethical perspectives.

Judgement and approach

8. Make well-founded assessments of technical solutions with regard to scientific, societal, environmental and ethical aspects.

9. Identify and reflect on ethical aspects in research and development work, particularly related to global resource use, equity and sustainability.

10. Reflect on the possibilities and limitations of science and its role in society, including the professional responsibility associated with material selection and technological decisions.

Learning activities

Lectures, seminars, project work and independent study.

Assessment

Requirements for a Pass (UA)

• Written examination (UA), 1 credit (Learning outcomes 1–2 and 9–10).
• Advanced material selection report with oral presentation (UA), 3 credits (Learning outcomes 2–10).
• Seminar presentations and active participation in seminars (Pass/Fail), 1 credit (Learning outcomes 2, 6 and 8–10).

The final grade is based on an overall assessment of the student’s performance in the written examination, project presentation and project report.

Course literature and other study materials

• Current scientific articles, research-based reports, and international frameworks as assigned by the lecturer.
• Literature on current LCA methods distributed digitally via the course platform.

Course evaluation

Malmö University provides students who participate in, or who have completed a course, with the opportunity to express their opinions and describe their experiences of the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarise the results of course evaluations. The University will also inform participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures taken in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).

Interim rules

If a course is no longer offered, or has undergone significant changes, the students must be offered two opportunities for re-examination based on the syllabus that applied at the time of registration, for a period of one year after the changes have been implemented. The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.

Additional information

If a student has a Learning support decision, the examiner has the right to provide the student with an adapted test, or to allow the student to take the exam in a different format. The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.