Start of the Master's degree program Applied Surfaces and Material Sciences in winter semester 2010/2011.

Link to Aalen University of Applied Sciences:  Aalen University of Applied Sciences 

In the summer semester, theoretical lectures take place at Aalen University of Applied Sciences. For winter semester 2010/2011 the application deadline is 15.07.2010.  For more information and application procedures see the following links: Application procedures  und Application form .

All application documents must arrive on paper at the office of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Esslingen University of Applied Sciences by15.07.2010 at the latest. Please direct any questions to: chemieinfo(at)hs-esslingen.de or Tel: 0711-397-3501 (Mondays - Fridays from 9:00 - 12:00).

The contents of the degree program are oriented towards basic, current developments in the industry:

• Economic success in Europe is increasingly based on high-tech products. Especially surface characteristics (protection, resistance to dirt, self-cleaning properties, haptics and frictionless materials) as well as appearance are gaining in importance.
• With the help of innovative materials, e.g. based on nano-particles, it is now possible to create high quality surfaces with additional properties and functions, e.g. self-repairing, self-cleaning, or combination coatings as a substitute for several layers. Further, such specialist coatings require adaptations in both manufacturing and application processes.  
• The strict separation between organic coatings / coating procedures (varnishes) and procedures to apply metallic coatings (e.g. galvanisation, PVD or CVD) which existed in the past is increasingly disappearing. There is already, and will continue to be in the future, a great need for engineers with the relevant, all-round training.
• This discipline demands a high degree of holistic thinking: successful coatings require that the processes of material development, coating procedures and undersurface properties (preparation) are fine-tuned to complement each other. Thus, coating processes can be conceived of as an integral part of the entire manufacturing process and must be applied accordingly.

The Master's degree program opens windows of opportunity to work as a specialist in surface technology in a broad range of industrial fields:

• The chemicals industry, especially manufacturers of coatings, metallic and ceramic surfaces, printing inks, bonds and sealants.
• Companies which use colours and coatings to improve surface functionality, e.g. the automotive and aerospace industries, manufacturing using wood, metal and plastics, electrical, electronics, construction and packaging industries. 
• Public service authorities
• Engineering bureaus

Knowledge of product, innovation and business management prepare you to take on a management role. The interdisciplinary nature of the degree program also opens opportunities to work as project manager of interdisciplinary teams in which economists, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, physicists and technical designers etc. work together to develop new products.

The Master's degree is open to graduates with a Bachelor's degree or Diploma  in the areas of chemical engineering, chemistry, surface engineering or material sciences (or similar). Graduates can apply straight after their first degree, or after obtaining work experience, to gain a specialist qualification.