Advanced Composite Engineering and Science (M-ENG ACES)

Programme Objectives

This Master develops skills for providing innovative and optimized solutions in the design and manufacturing of composite materials for research and in industry.

The performance of fibre-reinforced organic-matrix composites and structures are influenced by the constituting materials and the processing stage. Composite mechanical design can be efficiently and optimally performed when one has a good understanding of  manufacturing influences and constraints. Therefore, the courses offered in this program will provide a theoretical and experimental emphasis on the relationships between constituents, processing and structural design.

The programme of study lasts two academic years - denoted by M1 and M2. Advanced Composite Engineering and Science is one of four specialisms available within the Mechanical Engineering stream.

The language of instruction is English across the two years.
This Master’s programme is accredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education.

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Course Content

30 ECTS Credits per semester.
Language of instruction: English
 

M1 Year - 2022/23
 
Autumn Semester Courses ECTS Spring Semester Courses ECTS
Continuum Mechanics 5 Engineering Materials 5
Fluid Mechanics 5 Constitutive Laws 5
Algorithmics for Engineering Modelling 4 Structural Mechanics 5
Numerical Methods 5 Computer-aided Design 5
Vibrations 5 Mechanical Design 5
Business Environment 4 Conferences and Initiation to Research 3
Modern Languages * 2 Modern Languages * 2
Conferences 0

* 'French as Foreign Language' except for French native speakers who will study 'Cultural and Communicational English'

NB Course content may be subject to minor changes
M2 Year - 2022/23
Autumn Semester Courses ECTS
Composite Constituents and Processes 4
Composite Characterization 4
Composite Processing Modelling 1 4
Composite Structures 4
Composite Processing Modelling 2 4
Multi-Physics Modelling for Processes 4
Project 4
Modern Languages * 2
Conferences 0

* 'French as Foreign Language' except for French native speakers who will study 'Cultural and Communicational English'

NB Course content may be subject to minor changes
 
Spring Semester ECTS
Master thesis / internship                                    30
 

Examples of previous internships in industry:

  • Product design of a composite motorcyclist protection
  • Sol-gel functionalization by nano-particle entrapping: a formulation for transparency
  • Edge sealing and release agent optimization for aeronautic composite processes
 

Examples of previous internships in research labs:

  • Composite design with multi-objective optimisation
  • In-situ compression of carbon-fibre reinforcements in X-Ray tomography
  • Modelling and characterization of thin film piezoelectric materials
Skills developed
  • Simulate and optimize composite mechanical design and manufacturing using numerical tools
  • Model materials’ behavior and physics involved in composite processes
  • Characterize and manufacture composite materials
 

In addition to the above specialism-specific skills, students will also develop more general skills:

  • Identify models, perform simulation and analyse results
  • Communicate comprehensive results in a meaningful way
  • Undertake bibliographic surveys of international research and professional literature
  • Manage or be part of a project

Download syllabus | M-ENG ACES 2022/2023

Facilities and Partnerships

Faculty and Research Facilities

This Master relies on the Centrale Nantes’ faculty, staff and research facilities of the Research Institute in Civil and Mechanical Engineering (GeM).

Focus on unique resources

Composites Platform

This experimental equipment makes it possible to produce organic composites and to characterize materials in physical terms. The platform provides the right conditions for the world-class research activity conducted in the field of mechanics of materials and processes.
 

CRED - Dynamic and static test centre

Through this facility, our industrial partners can benefit from the tools and skills of our researchers in terms of thermomechanical behavior of materials applied to real situations.
Whether for academic or industrial research, CRED provides valuable input into optimal product design.
 
Admissions
 
  • Apply online on the eCandidat platform
  • Applications for the 2023 M1 intake are open and are processed in three rounds
  • Applications for the 2023 M2 intake open: 15 February 2023
 
Application process

Application rounds

  • Applications are reviewed in rounds. M1 applicants may apply in any of the three M1 rounds, and M2 applicants in either of the two M2 rounds. Applications should be submitted on the eCandidat platform as early as possible, but before the deadlines below;
  • Applications are not considered 'complete' until all required elements are submitted. Only complete applications received by the round's deadline will be considered in that round;
  • The admissions board reviews applications at the conclusion of each round and notifies each applicant of the outcome of their application;

Accepting your place

  • Successful applicants must accept their place on the eCandidat platform by the deadlines below;
  • The first installment of tuition fees must be paid by the deadlines below to definitively secure the applicant's place on the programme.



Important dates for the 2023 intake

M1 | Round 1 M1 | Round 2 M1 | Round 3 M2 | Round 1 M2 | Round 2
Submit your complete application by 14 December 28 February 30 April 30 March 30 April
You will be notified of the outcome of your application by 27 January 24 March 26 May 28 April 26 May
Accept your place by 14 February 10 April 11 June 11 May 10 June
Pay your first tuition installment by 31 March 25 May 15 June 30 May 15 June
Admission requirements

Admission requirements for the first year (M1)

  • International students with a bachelor's degree (Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Technology) or equivalent, in a field related to Science and Technology
  • French and European students with a 'license' qualification or equivalent.
  • Students must have graduated from the above before the end of August in order to enrol in a Master's Programme at Centrale Nantes in September.
  • Applicants must have a good level in Mathematics and be fluent in English - written and spoken. An applicant whose native language is not English is required to pass a recognised international test of English*:
    • TOEFL - IBT 80, or ITP 550, paper-delivered test 60,
    • Cambridge B2 First Test - 173 or higher,
    • Cambridge C1 Advanced Test - 160 or higher,
    • IELTS - 6.5 or higher,
    • TOEIC - 800 or higher.
  • Applicants who carried out their studies in English (you must provide an official confirmation letter from your university) are eligible without passing such a test, but providing the results of a recognized international test can add value to the application.
  • Students who completed their studies in the countries listed below are exempted from submitting a language certificate: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, English-speaking Canada, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Republic of Ireland, Jamaica, Kiribati, Liberia, Mauritius, Micronesia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia or Zimbabwe.

*no other test is recognised.

Language of instruction

Fully taught in English.


Admission requirements for the second year (M2)

Students who have successfully completed a first year Master's programme can apply for the second year Master's programme.

Language of instruction

Fully taught in English.
Required documents

When applying for a Centrale Nantes Master's Programme you will be asked to provide the following documents:
 

  • Your official transcripts
  • A CV/Resume and cover letter
  • Your diploma
  • Proof of English proficiency
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Your passport or other form of official identification

Your documents must be uploaded in English or French. If the original version of your documents is not in one of these two languages, a certified translation by a sworn translator is required.

Apply online
Apply online on the eCandidat platform
 

How to use the eCandidat platform:

 

Your application in 5 easy steps:

Contact and admissions support

Master's Admission Office

master.admissione6d901ca-c449-40f6-b8ad-50b961822ba0@ec-nantes.fr
Tel: +33.2.40.37.68.36 / 33.2.40.37.68.51

Chinese students: lichunlai8f0aaae0-641f-4bfe-a28d-f920d605d3b0@ec-nantes.cn
Indian students: application12802490-8661-4dfb-835e-cc7595f15d0a@galaxy-edu.com

Tuition fees and financing

Fees for non-European students:

  • Master 1 year: €9,000
  • Master 2 year: €6,000

A reduction of €1,500 for the first year of study is granted to non European international students who make their first tuition payment within one month of being offered a place on the programme.


Fees for European students:

€243 per year


Scholarships

Different scholarships are available for students enrolling in a Master's Programme at Centrale Nantes:
 
  • Centrale Nantes Elite Scholarship
  • Government scholarships
  • Inter-government scholarships
  • Industry scholarships
  • Scholarships from organisations
  • European Programmes
Why choose this Master's?

Why choose Master M-ENG ACES 1
Why choose Master M-ENG ACES 2




 

After the Master's

Career Prospects

  • Sectors: Aeronautics, Automotive, Transportation, Wind and Marine Energy, Materials Producers, Consulting
  • Fields: Mechanical Engineering, Design, Materials, Advanced Processes, Manufacturing, Research and Innovation
  • Positions: Mechanical Engineer, Process Engineer, Design Engineer, Research and Innovation Engineer (post PhD), Consultant
  • Companies: Airbus, Daher, Renault, Faurecia, Solvay, CETIM, Owens Corning, GE Renewable Energy, Multiplast

Where are they now?

► Find out what our recent Master's graduates are doing now
What our students / graduates say

Read what our students and graduates have to say about the programme:




 
 
Campus facilities
Centrale Nantes houses 17 buildings on a 40-acre green campus. In addition to the standard facilities of a university campus (classrooms, media library, computer rooms, etc.), it is home to 13 research platforms, some of which are unique in France, and modern and varied sports facilities, the Centrale-Audencia-Ensa incubator and vibrant student life. Facilities on the Centrale Nantes campus:

  • 45 classrooms
  • 6 lecture theatres 
  • 13 computer rooms (with nearly 180 fully equipped PCs and extended opening hours)
  • 1 media library
  • 5 research institutes
  • Sports and cultural facilities: 1 gymnasium, 1 multisport/dojo hall, squash courts, 1 piano room
  • 1 student house
  • Student halls of residence and accommodation support
  • 1 online platform for students, Onboard, with timetables, grades, attendance management, distance learning and teaching resources,
  • 1 Moodle platform (Hippocampus) with collaborative functionality available to faculty and students (additional resources, working groups, forum, online assessments, etc.).
  • Students also have access to meeting rooms / learning innovation / videoboxes equipped with video projectors, cameras, interactive whiteboards, etc., for their classes, presentation preparation, project work, etc.
  • 1 lifelong email address and an individual digital workspace and storage space, with remote 24H access.


Virtual Tour

Explore the campus with its classrooms, research platforms, student life and sports activities: Take the virtual tour

Published on March 27, 2017 Updated on March 9, 2023