Master of Science in Chemistry ((Bio)Organic and Polymer Chemistry)
We owe a great part of our quality of life to the development of sciences, chemistry in particular. Its influence can be found in numerous different branches, such as medicine, biology, agriculture, etc. The chemical impact is also omnipresent in the industrial world. Almost every branch has to do with chemistry at some level: in the production process, in quality control, in product improvement, waste processing … The students can choose from three main subjects: (Bio)organic and Polymer Chemistry, Materials and Nano Chemistry, Analytical and Environmental Chemistry.
What
(Bio)Organic and Polymer Chemistry provides training in organic chemistry at large. The program includes compulsory classes on organic and polymer chemistry and on molecular structure analysis and provides students the opportunity to specialise in organic synthesis and analysis, polymer chemistry or bio-related chemistry. Students will carry out research projects and internships with world leading research groups and chemical, biochemical or pharmaceutical companies.
For whom
The admission requirements depend on previous degrees (type of degree, country of issue etc ...) or additonal experience.
Structure
The two-year master’s programme (120 credits) consists of 108 credits related to the main subject (30 credits general courses, 12 credits specialisation courses, 6 credits professional skills, 30 credits master thesis, 30 credits internship) and 12 credits elective courses.
In the second year, a research project (master’s dissertation) is scheduled. The topic of the master’s dissertation is in accordance with the chosen main subject. The master’s dissertation is an original piece of research work. It aims to develop and strengthen the research capacity skills of the students. The student selects a topic and is given guidance by a promotor or supervisor. The master’s dissertation consists of a literature review part, practical research and an original analysis of the topic. Students have the possibility to do a part of their master’s dissertation abroad.
The internship (academic or industrial) is the final part of the master curriculum and will give the student the opportunity to apply the learned knowledge to an international research or non-academic context. This will allow to develop further practical skills that cannot be taught in the classroom. The student will experience working in an international research environment or in a professional environment of an industrial company or a non-academic research institute.
If you want to combine your master’s degree with a teacher’s degree, then there is the option of following an ‘Educatieve master’ instead of the above described master. The ‘Educatieve master’ however is a Dutch taught programme. More information can be found on www.ugent.be/educatievemaster.Labour Market
It is a fact that chemistry is involved in several industrial branches, important for the economy and employment, such as chemical industry, pharmaceutical industry, agriculture … Thanks to the broadness of the scientific programme, master graduates in chemistry are fit to apply for jobs in different sectors of industry and their possibilities on the job market are very diverse. Masters in chemistry can for instance be involved in scientific research, product development, quality control … or they can take on managerial functions, and this in companies as well as in government institutions. Besides that, they are also well prepared for a career in the public sector (including education). The most important assets of university graduated chemists are that they are research minded, have good problem solving capacities and that they are polyvalent.
Kwaliteitszorg
People who dare to think about the challenges of tomorrow, that is what we aim for. That is why education at our university is firmly anchored in six major objectives.
- Think broadly. Thinking as broadly as possible and offering the opportunity to question oneself. Not only Dare to Think, but also dare to change the way of thinking.
- Keep researching. Research is the foundation of our education. Ghent University keeps linking its way of educating to the dynamics of science.
- Support Talent. Everyone starts with equal opportunities. Every students gets the opportunity to develop their talents, regardless of gender, cultural or social background.
- Build with us. Students, staff, the government and the corporate world all get the chance to contribute to the contents and form of our high quality education. Ghent University is known for its particularly active students in student participation, of which we are very proud.
- Push boundaries. We want to prepare our students internationally and interculturally. We give them the opportunity to gain experience across borders. We also open our doors for students from all over the world and welcome teachers and academic staff from abroad.
- Choose quality. Constant quality assurance and improvement is an integral part of our culture and we communicate about it openly. We are proud of the level of our university.
Ghent University sees the quality of education as an internal self-evaluation process, in which faculties and programs compare the goals they have set themselves to the achieved results and adjust the policy accordingly. The portfolios constitute an important link in this process. The achieved results are based on quantitative and qualitative information from relevant stakeholders (students, teachers, professional field, international experts, alumni, etc.).The ‘peer learning visits’, the yearly quality meeting and the Education Quality Office (‘OKB’) make sure the PDCA cycle is closed at various policy levels and help to keep the improvement policy sharp.
A detailed description of how Ghent University is constantly paying attention to quality assurance and quality culture can be found in the Ghent University Conduct of Educational Quality Assurance (ERGO).
Quality of this study programme
This quality assurance system provides information on the assets, the strengths and the points for improvement for every study programme. A summary for this study programme can be found below:
Outstanding aspects
- Broad Talent Development. We provide students with a solid scientific basis and a broad range of skills and attitudes, including experimentation, modelling and simulation, entrepreneurship, critical and creative thinking and collaboration.
- Excellent Research. Our study programme has a longstanding and internationally renowned research tradition, in which we involve our students from the start. Our study programme’s strong research-teaching nexus reveals itself e.g. in internship possibilities, and the bachelor’s and master’s dissertation.
- Collaboration. The innovative and project-based approach adopted by our internationally renowned lecturers is much appreciated by students. Students also value the approachability of our lecturers and the resulting open dialogue between students, lecturers, and PhD-candidates.
- Student-centred Approach. The versatility of our new and future-oriented bachelor curriculum is much approved by our students. They appreciate the freedom of choice it gives them to put together a curriculum based on personal interests, talents, and ambitions. The curricula of both bachelor and master allow students to combine professional broadening and academic deepening.
- Future-oriented. The English-taught master programme is considered to be an asset for future employability. Our alumni quickly find work in a variety of (international) sectors and profiles, such as research (PhD), industry or education.
Strengths
- Vision and Programme. Our study programme has a strong future-oriented focus on chemistry, that takes into account the broad range of professional opportunities our discipline has to offer. We translated that vision into a curriculum that highlights chemistry in all its facets, taking into account knowledge as well as academic skills.
- Participation. Solving problems is inscribed in our study programme’s DNA. Students actively participate in study programme policy.
- Assessment. Our study programme is equipped with a varied and progressive set of assessment methods. In other words, assessment methods evolve as our students’ independence and self-reliance grows.
- Openness. Our study programme sets great store by an open and dynamic culture of dialogue between lecturers, students and the professional field, and by those parties’ involvement in our educational policy.
- Propagating Chemistry. Our study programme reaches out towards secondary schools and sets up various initiatives to bring pupils into contact with chemistry. In addition, our study programme actively promotes (the importance of) chemistry in society.
To work on
- Building on the principles of the new bachelor curriculum, the study programme has revision plans for the master curriculum as well.
- The study programme wishes to strengthen its appeal and specificity vis-à-vis (international) students, alumni and the professional field through an advisory board, its lecturers, and further societal outreach.
- The study programme wishes to actively contribute to the reorganization and renovation of the existing practicum facilities.
An extended analysis of the education policy and programme quality assurance can be found in this report (Dutch only).