The Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) is the only seat of comprehensive education and research in the field of materials science and metallurgical engineering in the country. The department was established in 1952 as the then Department of Metallurgical Engineering. At the beginning, the primary emphasis of the department was on metals and alloys. Over the years, non-metallic materials like ceramics, polymers and composites have been playing increasingly important roles in industrial and other applications worldwide. The department responded to this dynamic situation by expanding its scope, and reorienting and modifying its curricula so as to give due emphasis on ceramics, polymers, composites, electronic materials etc. In 1997, the department changed its name into the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering and now it adopts a unified approach towards all classes of materials in its curricula.
The department offers bachelor, masters and Ph. D. degrees in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering. It also offers M. Phil. degree in materials science. The main aim of the education programmes of the department has been to produce world-class graduates. Besides studying the theoretical courses, the undergraduate students perform carefully designed experiments and undertake undergraduate design projects. Study visits and training in relevant industries are also organized to acquaint the students with the practical aspects of selection, processing, quality control and application of various materials. Each student also gets involved in research and submits a thesis during the final year of study. The undergraduate course curriculum is so designed as to equip the students with the fundamentals of materials and to expose them to the forefront of technology so that they can compete in the national and global market. In postgraduate programmes (masters and Ph. D.), which involve advanced research as well as course work, each student specializes in a chosen area.