[2] The Department of Materials was formed following the unification of UMIST and The Victoria University of Manchester in 2004, with the fusing of the Corrosion and Protection Centre, the Manchester Materials Science Centre and the Department of Textiles and Paper.

[3] In the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise both the Material Science and Corrosion and Protection centre gained the highest rating, 5*.

The first Head of Department after the Faculty restructure between 2019 and 2023 was Professor Sarah Cartmell FIMMM.

The Manchester Materials Science centre was one of the main buildings of the department until its demolition in 2016.

As of 2021 the Department of Materials will is housed in the new Engineering Building on South Campus.