Program overview
Materials and Chemical Engineering is, simply put, about studying how to make better materials and how to produce them on a large scale. For example, the more durable glass on phone screens, the longer-lasting batteries in electric cars, and biodegradable plastics—all of these rely on knowledge from materials and chemical engineering. Core courses include Fundamentals of Materials Science, Chemical Engineering Principles, Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Materials Characterization Techniques, and Reaction Engineering. You'll learn how to design material properties at the atomic level, and also how to turn a "small sample" from the lab into a "big product" that produces tons per day in a factory. Chinese universities have unique strengths in this field. For instance, Tsinghua, Zhejiang University, and South China University of Technology excel in new energy materials, while USTC and Beijing University of Chemical Technology have deep expertise in chemical processes. Many schools have close ties with companies, giving you opportunities to intern at firms like CATL or Wanhua Chemical. This major suits students who enjoy hands-on experiments, don't dislike chemistry and physics, and are willing to solve real-world problems. If you're curious about "how is this thing made?", you'll enjoy studying it.