This course allows students completing a Materials Science major within a Science program to apply their disciplinary knowledge and transferable skills in a professional context, through a work placement experience at an organisation external to UNSW. Students will have the opportunity to develop key professional skills that align with their career goals and contextualise their field of study in a professional workplace setting.

The main component of the course is a minimum 105-hour work placement related to the student's field of study. The placement can be paid or unpaid. This supervised workplace experience is supported by professional development and discipline-specific modules that students can select from, in line with their individual career goals.

MATS3199 will count as a science or free elective and is graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Please note that this course is available to students completing a Materials Science major within a Science program. This course is not available to students completing a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Materials Science.

The course is available to domestic and international students. If a domestic or international student wishes to undertake an overseas work placement, extra conditions will apply before the placement and enrolment into the course is approved.

Eligibility and Enrolment

Enrolment is subject to approval and completion of required pre-requisites. Permission to enrol will only be granted if the student:

Is completing a Materials Science major in a Science program;
Has secured a supervised work placement compatible to their major of study, which has been reviewed and approved by the School; and
Has completed the required pre-requisites (48 units of credit, minimum 65 WAM, passed pre-requisite Preparation for WIL modules)

Please note:

the course is only available to students who are commencing a new work placement compatible to their major of study. Students seeking to enrol with paid or unpaid work they are already undertaking outside their studies will not be considered.
Students are required to experience a job hunting/recruitment process and secure a relevant work placement prior to seeking approval for enrolment. Work placements are not provided for students.
Further details on how to find and secure a work placement, the application and approval process, course content and assessments, can be found at: https://www.science.unsw.edu.au/student-life/student-opportunities
It is the student’s responsibility to check if they have space in their program for this elective.
This course cannot be taken during an Honours year.

Extended work placement experiences

Students who wish to extend their experience by completing a longer placement (over two terms) or a more intensive placement (more hours in one term), can combine MATS3199 with MATS3299 Materials Science Work Placement 2. The three options available to students are provided below. All three options are subject the same eligibility and approval processes outlined above.

Option A: 105-hour placement completed in 1 term; enrolment pattern = MATS3199; total of 6 UOC
Option B: 210-hour placement completed in 1 term; enrolment pattern = MATS3199 and MATS3299 in the same term; total of 12 UOC
Option C: 210-hour placement completed over 2 terms; enrolment pattern = MATS3199 in one term and MATS3299 in the following term; total of 12 UOC