Advanced Materials and Processes (MAP)

Advanced Materials and Processes (MAP) is a unique and interdisciplinary international elite Master's programme. MAP has been supported by the Elite Network of Bavaria (ENB) since 2005. Aiming to pool regional strength in advanced materials and processes, the programme is hosted in Erlangen and involves contributions from partner universities in Bayreuth and Würzburg.
At the heart of the MAP programme is a unique combination of chemical and biological engineering with materials science and engineering. By providing students with a cutting edge education in both of these fields, MAP is training the next generation of engineers with the skills necessary to produce innovative materials in the most efficient and sustainable way.
MAP is built around the following four focal subjects with students specialising in two of them from the second semester onwards:

• Advanced Processes
• Biomaterials and Bioprocessing
• Computational Materials Science and Process Simulation
• Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology

These focal subjects aim to synergise advanced materials and processes in key technology areas. The intensive study of these topics together with the associated project work provides students with broad career opportunities in industry as well as in academia.

The development of advanced materials and processes is widely regarded as a key response to the challenges of the 21st century including climate change, disease control and securing the supply of clean water, food, and energy. Nanotechnology, micro- and nanoelectronics, photonics, and biotechnology are the main driving forces in the development of tomorrow's products and services. Innovative materials and production concepts are an integral part in all these technologies, and materials science and engineering, together with chemical and biological engineering, play a fundamental role in enabling new developments in these fields. Advanced Materials and Processes (MAP) is training the next generation of engineers with exactly this philosophy in mind.
With a curriculum contributed by the Departments of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering, MAP offers an individually tailored study plan that quickly familiarises graduates from one discipline with the fundamentals of the other. Alongside lectures and lab courses, students gain hands-on experience through short research projects (mini-projects) and then during a six-month full-time Master's project. The small class size allows for an intensive learning environment and one-to-one academic counselling by the programme faculty as well as goal-orientated coursework, including literature reviews, lecturing training, and poster presentations. Alongside academic courses, the programme offers soft skills seminars and excursions.
A whole range of institutions are involved in MAP. Besides FAU, lectures and research opportunities are also provided by the partner universities in Bayreuth and Würzburg. A particular strength of the programme is the strong link with the Cluster of Excellence "Engineering of Advanced Materials" and its graduate school, of which MAP students can become junior members, a first step towards a possible PhD (for those who wish to go on to a PhD upon graduation).
For ambitious and highly motivated students, "additional studies" are offered. A 12-week industrial or research-orientated internship forms an integral part of these additional studies and promotes the establishment of direct contacts to industry and research in Germany or abroad. Moreover, additional soft skills, an elective lecture, and another mini-project are part of these voluntary additional studies.
The MAP programme prides itself on the academic and professional development of its students through a unique combination of lectures and tutorials, research projects, and transferable soft skills courses. MAP graduates are successful both in industry and research.

Educational organisation

The four-semester, interdisciplinary programme is at the interface of materials science and chemical engineering/bioengineering. During the first semester, depending on their previous studies, students acquire individual basic knowledge for the focal subjects. The focal subjects are taken starting from semester two. Students choose two out of the following four:

• Biomaterials and Bioprocessing
• Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology
• Computational Materials Science and Process Simulation
• Advanced Processes

Semester 1: interdisciplinary foundation. Depending on their background, students study the fundamentals in materials science and engineering and/or chemical and biological engineering in an individually tailored curriculum which includes practical elements (students carry out different lab experiments and write up a report). In addition, "basics" classes (about eight hours per week) for all MAP students introduce them to the four focal subjects. Soft skills courses that include the craft of research and technical writing, rhetoric, and intercultural skills complete the curriculum.

Semester 2: continuation of "basics" classes. In addition, students focus on two of the four focal subjects. Further soft skills courses in economics, management, and personal development are offered.

Semester 3: further lectures in the students' chosen focal subjects. The remaining time of the semester is reserved for mini-projects, when students enter the research labs for the first time, and for soft skills courses. Third semester mini-projects constitute about 250 hours of work. The grades obtained for mini-projects contribute to about 10% of the final grade.

Semester 4: the final stage of the MAP programme is a six-month project, leading to a Master's thesis. The Master's thesis should be original research work of the student, and the grade carries a weight of about 40% of the final MAP grade.

Ambitious and especially motivated students might add more coursework to this already unique programme. By opting for "additional studies", students will be entitled to carry out another mini-project, take an additional soft skills course, and enhance their studies by one or two lectures on topics that interest them outside of the MAP curriculum. Moreover, in the frame of the additional studies, students complete a minimum 12-week industrial or research orientated internship.
There are two tracks of the "additional studies"; one track is research-orientated, and one focusses on professional applications. Students may choose one of these two.

Study abroad unit(s)

Students are free to go abroad for their internship or for one of their mini-projects. Moreover, part of the Master's thesis may be done abroad. The participating MAP departments cooperate with many important and renowned universities and companies in Germany and abroad.

Internships

MAP students are required to complete 12 weeks of industrial training (internship). The MAP office and MAP faculty assist students in finding placements. Internships undertaken prior to the MAP programme may be approved on a case-by-case basis.

Forms of assessment

Lectures or seminars end with an (oral or written) exam.
A literary review in each of the two focal subjects adds to the portfolio of exams in the second semester.
Additionally, research-oriented project work assignments (mini-projects) end with a written report and a presentation and will be graded. Soft skills seminars often require written homework or a successful presentation.
The Master's degree is not awarded on the basis of coursework alone. Instead, in the fourth semester, students undertake a Master's project and write their Master's thesis in a chosen focal subject.
Students must obtain 90 ECTS points in the first three semesters. Only then are they entitled to register for their Master's thesis. The thesis is accredited with another 30 ECTS points.

Course objectives

The MAP programme prides itself on the academic and professional development of its students through a unique combination of lectures and tutorials, research projects, and transferable soft skills courses. MAP graduates are successful both in industry and research. A high percentage of MAP graduates pursue a PhD, many of them in Erlangen or at one of the MAP partner universities. Recent graduates have also secured PhD positions at other world-class universities and research institutes including University of Cambridge (UK), University of California at San Diego (USA), Washington State University (USA), McGill University (CDN), McMaster University (CDN), ETH Zurich (CH) and AMOLF Amsterdam (NL).
MAP not only trains excellent academic researchers. Due to their broad background in materials science and engineering as well as in process engineering and their specific expertise in their focal subjects, MAP graduates are also highly sought after by industry. Soft skills courses such as industrial project management further contribute to graduates' success. Typical industry destinations include the energy sector, aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, water treatment, food and drink, health and safety, and building technology (e.g. Bosch, Daimler, Saint-Gobain, BASF).

Language requirements

Applicants must be fluent in English. MAP accepts both TOEFL (iBT 79, computer-based 213, paper-based 550) or IELTS (band 6.5).
All courses are taught in English and do not require prior knowledge of the German language. Students can opt for intensive language courses in German to open the door to a career in Germany.

Academic requirements

Application and admission

• An excellent Bachelor's degree in a MAP-related subject is required.
• Applicants should belong to the top 10-15% of their cohort, as documented by their respective national grades.
• English proficiency demonstrated through a high TOEFL (or equivalent) score
• Start of studies: winter semester
• Application deadline:
  • citizens of non-EU countries: 31 March
  • citizens of EU countries: 15 July
• Detailed information about the application procedure can be found on the website. See: http://www.elite-map.tf.fau.de

Prerequisites and programme structure:

• expected Bachelor's majors: materials science and engineering, chemical and biological

engineering, life science engineering, nanotechnology, polymer engineering, chemistry, physics, or related subjects

• degree of graduation: Bachelor of Science (BSc) / Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) / Bachelor of Technology (BTech) or equivalent

Enrolment fees

The contribution to student services currently amounts to 42 EUR per semester. An additional charge of 65 EUR per semester covers the mandatory basic "semester ticket", a transit pass that provides students with unlimited access to public transport in the metropolitan region of Nuremberg from 7pm to 6am on weekdays and at all times at weekends. (For an additional optional charge, the validity of the pass can be extended to 24 hours a day, seven days a week.)

Costs of living

The cost of living can only be approximated very generally, as the needs and living conditions of every student are different.
Rent: 250-600 EUR per month
Health insurance, doctor, medicine: approximately 70 EUR per month
Food: approximately 165 EUR per month
Study materials: approximately 30 EUR per month (depending on the subject)
Transport: minimum 65 EUR per semester
Student services: 42 EUR per semester
For more information, see: http://www.fau.eu/study/prospective-students/financing-your-studies/costs-of-studying
General information on the average cost of living in Germany is available online: http://www.internationale-studierende.de/en/prepare_your_studies/financing/costs_of_living

Job opportunities

Many of our students are offered a student assistantship in one of the various MAP departments.
Moreover, plenty of student jobs are available on and off campus. For those, however, German language skills are required.

Funding opportunities within the university

The Elite Master's Programme Advanced Materials and Processes offers its own scholarship.

Arrival support

• Pick-up service provided
• support in finding accommodation
• help with enrolment
• help and support in finding the right insurance, opening a bank account, and registration with the city
• information provided about the medical system in Germany and medical doctors in Erlangen
• introduction to FAU with information about the programme and the university system
• introduction to studying MAP
• offer of sightseeing programmes and cultural trips

MAP is a highly selective course with a limited class size. With a very low student-to-faculty ratio, MAP students are well cared for, both academically and personally.

• The MAP programme is academically directed by two programme chairs and representatives of the four focal subjects. MAP is administratively organised by a dedicated programme office.
• The programme office provides information, e.g. on visa procedures, living, and studying in Erlangen for international students before coming to Erlangen. For all current MAP students, the office timetables lectures, practical courses, and soft skills courses. It also provides personal support.

Services and support for international students

The Student Advice and Career Service (IBZ) will provide you with detailed information on all important topics relating to your studies (study courses, subject combinations, application requirements, support with organising your study programme and complying with all assessment/examination requirements) and on settling in at the beginning of the semester (coping with particular difficulties, changing subjects or suspending studies). For more information, see http://www.fau.eu/study/prospective-students/student-advice.
The Career Service of FAU will provide you with information on career opportunities and the specifics of an application procedure in Germany. For information, see: http://www.fau.eu/study/current-students/career-service.
The Student Service Centres (SSC) and student advisers in the faculties will provide you with further advice on your particular course of study. Programme coordinators organise subject-related orientation events and guide you through the entire study period.
The Central Office for International Affairs (RIA) will provide you with detailed information on accommodation, visa issues, and scholarship possibilities. In cooperation with the IBZ, it also organises information events and general orientation courses for first-semester-students.
See: http://www.fau.eu/international/international-applicants.
The Alumni network provides students with many topics and events for professional advancement. See: http://www.fau.eu/alumni.

Accommodation

Erlangen and Nuremberg are attractive cities with a historic flair and modern infrastructure. Therefore, the housing market is quite tight. FAU will do its best to assist new students in finding accommodation.
Student halls in Erlangen and Nuremberg can only provide accommodation for a small number of students. Another option is the private housing market. If you extend your search to neighbouring towns, such as Fürth and Forchheim, your choice of accommodation is much larger and rents are lower, while the well-developed local public transport system ensures that you're never far away from the university. In addition, there is the option to sublet a room, or you can share a flat with other students. This option not only saves you money but also helps you settle in quickly and make friends in your new home. You can find information to help with your housing search on specialised websites and the university's notice boards.
Detailed information on finding accommodation is available at http://www.fau.eu/international/international-applicants/important-information.
If you need further assistance, you can also turn to the Accommodation Service of the Central Office for International Affairs (RIA). E-mail: accommodation@fau.de.