Introduction to Materials Science (Coursera)

Introduction to Materials Science (Coursera)

Periods of our civilization have names associated with materials – stone age, bronze age, iron age and the silicon age. Materials impact all aspects of your daily life and will continue to do so in the future. The more we understand materials, the more we imagine the future with fantastic devices and advancements enabled by materials. This initial specialization introduces a limited number of material science and engineering concepts.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

The topic presentations are at the concept level without being mired in heavy mathematics. Participation in each course is best done by initially having a firm sense of what MSE does and its impact on society. Topics in this specialization span from atom bonding and crystal structure to diffusion and phase diagrams. Some of the position titles that may benefit from this course include Materials Engineer, Chemical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Aerospace Engineer and Materials Quality Control. Others who want to explore the world of materials will find it helpful.

Course 1 of 4 in the Materials Science for Technological Application Specialization.

What You Will Learn
The role of materials engineers in contemporary engineering practice.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Course Introduction
This course introduces students to the basic ideas of materials science and engineering. This course includes an introduction to the relationship between processing, properties, and structure. This course is different from many other courses in that it uses a rudimentary introduction of fundamental concepts materials selection. It also identifies the characteristics and properties of the different families of materials based on their interatomic bonding. Finally, we explore how materials properties vary across the periodic table.

WEEK 2
Module 1: Introduction to Specialization and Course
In this module, we will see a high-level overview of materials science and engineering and learn about materials selection, materials families, types of bonding and processing of materials.

WEEK 3
Module 2: Atomic Structure and Interatomic Bonding I Property Relationships
In this module, we will learn about atomic structure, interatomic bonding and how the location of an element on the periodic table affects its chemical properties. Various examples are discussed.

WEEK 4
Module 3: Atomic Structure
In this module, we learn about different kinds of atomic structures and the relationships between structure and properties of materials.

WEEK 5
Module 4: Crystal Structures
In this module, we learn about different kinds of atomic structures, and the relationships between structure and properties of materials.

WEEK 6
Module 5: Unit Cells
In this module, we discuss how to identify and locate positions in unit cells, and how to specify and identify directions in unit cells

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Digital Systems: From Logic Gates to Processors (Coursera) Coursera
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Digital Systems: From Logic Gates to Processors (Coursera)

This course gives you a complete insight into the modern design of digital systems fundamentals from an eminently practical point of view. Unlike other more "classic" digital circuits courses, our interest focuses more on the system than on the electronics that support it. This approach will allow us to lay the foundation for the design of complex digital systems.

Nov 23rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Photovoltaic solar energy (Coursera) Coursera
École Polytechnique

Photovoltaic solar energy (Coursera)

The course is an introduction to the photovoltaic (PV) applications in the general mix energetic context dominated by climate warming mitigation. The various uses of solar energy are firstly presented before a short description of the principle of the direct solar photon conversion into electricity (PV). The various PV technologies are reviewed in the current context dominated by crystalline silicon cells. The perspectives of the various technologies are then analysed in terms of R&D investments.

Nov 23rd 2026
3 Weeks
Materials Science and Engineering (edX) EdX
NUST MISIS,MISISx

Materials Science and Engineering (edX)

Gain a fundamental understanding of materials, its structures on different levels (from crystal cell to macrostructure), phase transformations and how it influences its mechanical, electrical, optical and magnetic properties from common science perspective. This course will introduce you to the various properties and structures of materials and lay a strong foundation for your further study of engineering and its related disciplines.

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
Fundamentals of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology (edX) EdX
Purdue University,PurdueX

Fundamentals of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology (edX)

Learn about the application of nanomaterials in civil and environmental engineering. This course will introduce students to the field of nanotechnology with a special emphasis on nanomaterials synthesis, characterizations and their applications in civil and environmental engineering. The specific applications will include, but not limited to, tailoring mechanical property, durability, self-cleaning, self-sealing, self-sensing, energy harvesting and other multi-functionality.

Aug 22nd 2022
5-12 Weeks
Fundamentals of waves and vibrations (Coursera) Coursera
École Polytechnique

Fundamentals of waves and vibrations (Coursera)

Waves are everywhere. On water of course, but also in the air as you hear a plane, and under your feet during an earthquake certainly. Vibrations, too, are everywhere In your bike as you go over a bump, in you guitar as you play, and of course in your smartphone. You can guess that there is something in common behind all this. This is exactly the purpose of this course !

Nov 23rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Shape and Property Control of Metals I & II (Coursera) Coursera
Arizona State University

Shape and Property Control of Metals I & II (Coursera)

This course introduces students to the basic concepts of shaping materials and their impacts on properties and structure. An introduction to the fundamentals of diffusion in a solid follows. We present different types of diffusion mechanisms and their dependence on temperature. The role of dislocation on mechanical properties and how it can be used to strengthen materials will be shown.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Material Behavior (Coursera) Coursera
Georgia Institute of Technology

Material Behavior (Coursera)

Have you ever wondered why ceramics are hard and brittle while metals tend to be ductile? Why some materials conduct heat or electricity while others are insulators? Why adding just a small amount of carbon to iron results in an alloy that is so much stronger than the base metal? In this course, you will learn how a material’s properties are determined by the microstructure of the material, which is in turn determined by composition and the processing that the material has undergone.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Control automático: La tecnología invisible (Coursera) Coursera
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Control automático: La tecnología invisible (Coursera)

A lo largo de la historia, el ser humano se ha empeñado en construir dispositivos que le hagan más cómodo su día a día. Además, siempre ha estado interesado en que éstos lleven a cabo la tarea por sí mismos, sin necesidad de una supervisión continua. En nuestros días, muchos dispositivos llevan a cabo tareas como por arte de magia; pareciera que piensan o que adivinan nuestros deseos, que nunca se pueden equivocar o que su precisión y velocidad no puede ser superada. Los sistemas de control son una parte crucial de este funcionamiento.

Nov 23rd 2026
3 Weeks
Electrodynamics: An Introduction (Coursera) Coursera
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology - KAIST

Electrodynamics: An Introduction (Coursera)

The depth and breadth of electromagnetism, the foundation for many fields including materials science, electrical engineering, and physical chemistry, requires a long, steep, and steady learning curve. This course aims to bridge the gap between the fundamental principles taught in electromagnetism and its practical application to specific fields such as materials, physics, and chemistry related to energy storage and harvesting.

Nov 23rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Ferrous Technology I (Coursera) Coursera
Pohang University of Science and Technology - POSTECH

Ferrous Technology I (Coursera)

Steel, ever-evolving material, has been the most preeminent of all materials since it can provide wide range of properties that can meet ever-changing requirements. In this course, we explore both fundamental and technical issues related to steels, including iron and steelmaking, microstructure and phase transformation, and their properties and applications.

Nov 23rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Introdução ao Controle de Sistemas (Coursera) Coursera
Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica

Introdução ao Controle de Sistemas (Coursera)

Este curso apresenta os principais conceitos do controle de sistemas e mostra suas vantagens e importância para a sociedade moderna. Você vai entender o que é o controle de sistemas e como o controle com realimentação funciona, e passará a perceber a sua presença em diversas situações em seu dia-a-dia, na natureza, no corpo humano e em diversos dispositivos, desde os mais simples até os mais complexos.

Nov 23rd 2026
4 Weeks