Study contents
Students in the Sustainable Metals Processing major are part of a larger student community in the Master’s Programme in Chemical, Biochemical and Materials Engineering. All students take common compulsory courses totaling to 45 ECTS. The core courses introduce students to the atom-level basics of chemical phenomena, metal and minerals engineering and recycling, pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy as well as process modeling. In addition, the Academic Learning Community course (3-5 ECTS) helps students set their personal goals for effective learning, collaborate in a multicultural and multidisciplinary learning environment and become familiar with laboratory work. The core courses are intended to be taken mainly in the first year of the programme.
Additionally, students choose a total of 20 ECTS from a wide range of specialisation courses that are divided into the following subareas:
- Thermodynamics of Materials
- Sustainability of Metals
- Ore Dressing and Recycling
- Pyrometallurgy
- Hydrometallurgy
- Chemical Engineering
Find more information about the studies and the degree on the Into pages.
Topics
The study field includes diverse multidisciplinary areas spanning from theoretical metallurgy, experimental studies and process engineering to knowledge-intensive design and optimisation of processes, equipment, plant operations and product applications. Circular economy principles are thoroughly integrated into the studies – students will gain an in-built sustainability approach to their profession.
To give a concrete example of some of the topics covered, below is a list of some courses from the programme’s extensive curriculum which students can choose:
- Circular Economy for Materials Processing (5 ECTS)
- Unit Operations in Mineral Processing and Recycling (5 ECTS)
- Applied Electrochemistry and Corrosion (5 ECTS)
- Reaction Engineering (5 ECTS)
- Fundamentals of Chemical Thermodynamics (5 ECTS)
Methods
The Sustainable Metals Processing major embraces experimental learning. Besides gaining a deep understanding of scientific principles, it is essential that students learn to apply them in a practical context. A concrete example of active peer learning and applying theory to create an actual service or product is the Technical Innovation Project course. In the course, students develop their entrepreneurial mindset and address a real research or design-related question.
Aalto University’s Master's Programme in Chemical, Biochemical and Materials Engineering with Sustainable Metals Processing as a major has excellent links to industry and students gain an international network of peers and company representatives. Most of the Master’s theses are carried out as industrial projects for companies.
Personal Study Plan (PSP)
The Personal Study Plan (PSP) is a practical tool to define a student’s own study path, compiling an optimal selection of courses that are aligned with the student's interests and the programme requirements. The PSP is also a useful tool for students to keep track of their studies. At best, it shows where students are with their studies and sets concrete milestones for them to follow.