Chemistry - Chemistry and Research Specialisation Leiden University

Overview

In this specialisation you focus on either Chemical Biology or Energy & Sustainability. You will obtain skills and knowledge to become an independent and creative scientist.
The Research in Chemistry master's specialisation has a fundamental approach to finding tailor-made solutions for human health and environmental problems. The research is focused on two major research areas:

* Chemical Biology: within this research area you will study fundamental biological and biomedical problems, to understand physiological processes at the molecular level and to gather more knowledge on human health and illnesses.
* Energy & Sustainability: within this research area you will focus on the development of new sources of sustainable energy and the use of storage of energy. For example, you will be working on the development of a new generation of catalysts for the production of solar fuels.

The master's specialisation Research in Chemistry is an excellent choice if you want to pursue a career in chemistry research. The Master of Science programme guarantees thorough research training founded on a profound theoretical basis. More in general, Research in Chemistry is the best choice if you have the aspiration to pursue a PhD degree.

What you will learn

After completion of the MSc Chemistry programme students will have developed:

• Knowledge and understanding of theoretical concepts of Chemistry from textbooks and primary literature pertaining to the research area “Chemical Biology” or “Energy & Sustainability”

• The ability to plan chemical research, perform experiments within an appropriate time frame, collect and store data in a logical way, such that colleagues can easily find and access the data (data management)

• The ability to make an independent analysis of scientific problems, analysis of relevant specialist literature, and formulate verifiable hypotheses

• An appropriate critical scientific attitude, i.e. the ability to analyse results and critically evaluate their validity and accuracy

• The skill to communicate chemical research progress and results to colleagues, supervisors and experts

• The ability to write independently a structured and accurate report on performed chemical research

• The ability to perform with an academic attitude and the skills for autonomous self-development, taking into account the ethical and social aspects of the natural sciences.

Career prospects

After completing the MSc Chemistry programme, you have a broad array of career prospects. The master's degree is a stepping-stone for those graduates with the aspiration to pursue a PhD degree. Students with a desire to apply their knowledge of chemistry outside the university, have good job possibilities in R&D departments in industry, business, public utility companies, teaching, consultancy and government bodies. Many students attain higher management positions.

Accreditation

Accredited by NVAO, the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders.