Battery Materials and Technology (Master of Science)

Overview The Master's programme trains specialists to design and develop the next generation of battery materials and systems, preparing you for careers in battery technology, sustainable energy storage and electromobility. Teaching is interdisciplinary and covers the entire battery value chain — from electrode and separator materials to complete battery packs for electric vehicles — so you gain both material-level insight and system-level understanding.

The programme is taught in English with a strong emphasis on the natural sciences. Students may also take modules from a closely related, German-language sister programme with a greater engineering orientation, allowing you to broaden your skill set. The curriculum combines scientific fundamentals with application-focused competencies and tailored qualification paths to make graduates attractive to both industry and research employers.

Careers & research Graduates leave well placed for roles in industry (e.g., battery development, materials supply chains, e-mobility) and for academic research. The programme is a good stepping stone to a PhD and benefits from close cooperation with the Bavarian Centre for Battery Technology (BayBatt), giving access to cutting-edge research infrastructure and networks in battery development.

Entry & application (quick facts)

• Language of instruction: English
• Academic focus: Natural sciences with interdisciplinary coverage of the full battery value chain
• Option to take modules from the German-taught sister programme ("Batterietechnik") with an engineering emphasis
• Well suited for students aiming for industry positions, research roles or a PhD
• Strong links to the Bavarian Centre for Battery Technology (BayBatt) and related research facilities
• For exact admission criteria (required prior degree, language certificates, application deadlines and documentation), consult the university’s official programme webpage.

This two-year (four-semester) Master's program builds on your Bachelor’s foundation and directs it toward battery-specific science and technology. Early alignment modules create a shared interdisciplinary baseline across natural and engineering sciences so all students can work from the same conceptual starting point. From the first year you take joint interdisciplinary courses—Battery Systems Technology and Battery Materials—to learn the battery topic from both the system and the materials perspectives, fostering a holistic view of battery design and operation.

A solid grounding in electrochemistry underpins the curriculum: there are two dedicated electrochemistry modules because understanding cell-internal processes is essential to everything that follows. Together, the battery systems, materials and electrochemistry modules form the core of the first-year teaching. Compulsory elective modules from the natural sciences and engineering streams (with at least one choice required from the natural sciences) let you tailor your studies to particular technological challenges across the entire battery value chain, enabling both in-depth specialization and broad competence.

The program emphasizes research competence and practical application. Research modules give you the chance to investigate contemporary battery topics, and one research module may be completed externally—abroad or as an industry internship—if you choose. A formal research plan prepares you for the Master’s thesis: you present and discuss current scientific literature, conduct a literature review, and formulate hypotheses for your project. The Master’s thesis is carried out in well-equipped research facilities using state-of-the-art analytical and preparative instruments and is completed on the basis of the approved research plan.

Key requirements and structure (concise)

• Duration: 4 semesters (2 years).
• Alignment modules to establish a common interdisciplinary foundation across natural and engineering sciences.
• Core interdisciplinary modules in Battery Systems Technology and Battery Materials (joint courses addressing system and materials perspectives).
• Two electrochemistry modules (fundamental to understanding internal battery processes).
• Compulsory elective modules from natural sciences and engineering (must choose at least one natural sciences module).
• Research modules to apply knowledge to current battery research (one research module may be done externally/abroad or as an industry internship).
• Research plan component: presentation/discussion of current literature, literature review, and hypothesis development.
• Master’s thesis based on the research plan, conducted in on-site research facilities with state-of-the-art instruments.

Graduates are prepared for R&D and specialist roles in battery materials, energy storage companies, automotive suppliers and research institutes. The programme’s combination of hands-on laboratory experience, interdisciplinary theory and industry-linked research opens pathways to product development, process engineering and technical project management.

For students interested in academia, the curriculum and research facilities provide a strong foundation for continuing to doctoral studies. The programme’s industry contacts and the option to carry out research modules externally also facilitate transitions into industrial research and collaborative projects.