Chemistry in Groningen is the home of 2016 Nobel Prize winner Ben Feringa, who has won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research on a light-driven rotary molecular motor.
How can I make a flexible solar cell out of organic molecules?Can I build a car engine on a molecular level? Can I synthesizelife? Can I cure tuberculosis? You will encounter such questions in the Master's degree programme in Chemistry at the University ofGroningen.
The 2-year programme is fully taught in English and embedded inan internationally leading research environment. The programmeoffers a great deal of freedom in topics and has a strong focus onresearch; students spend 50% of their time in research labs. It isorganized along three main specializations:
› Advanced Materials
Much of the impact of chemistry on every-day live is throughmaterials. Focus here is on the chemistry of functional materials,including aspects like material synthesis and self-assembly,supramolecular chemistry, structural characterization techniquesand functional properties.
› Catalysis and Green Chemistry
Catalysis is the key technology in the development of green andsustainable chemical processes. This specialization focuses ondifferent aspects of catalysis by enzymes as well as synthetichomogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts and key industriallyrelevant transformations.
› Chemical Biology (also offers an honoursprogramme)
This specialization studies biology and the processes of life usingthe tools of chemistry and deals with topics ranging fromunderstanding how biochemistry works, to protein engineering and the engineering of biological systems.
› Science, Business and Policy
This specialisation focuses on the interface between Chemistry andBusiness and Policy emphasizing the societal aspects of Science. You will learn to implement your chemistry knowledge in companies and policy organisations.
The Chemistry research project takes place in a research groupwithin or across one of these specialisations. These groups areassociated with three main research institutes that focus onchemistry: the Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, the ZernikeInstitute of Advanced Materials and the Groningen BiomolecularScience & Biotechnology Institute. The programme also offersthe opportunity to do research in a lab abroad or in industry.
Apart from general subjects including reaction mechanism andspectroscopic methods, we teach and offer research projects acrossthe entire spectrum of Chemistry, including: (in)organic synthesis,stereochemistry, polymer chemistry, supramolecular chemistry,homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, biocatalysis & proteinengineering, organometallic chemistry, molecular dynamic, quantummechanics, green chemistry, synthetic biology and systemschemistry.
Chemistry in Groningen is the home of 2016 Nobel Prize winner Ben Feringa, who has won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research on a light-driven rotary molecular motor.
How can I make a flexible solar cell out of organic molecules?Can I build a car engine on a molecular level? Can I synthesizelife? Can I cure tuberculosis? You will encounter such questions in the Master's degree programme in Chemistry at the University ofGroningen.
The 2-year programme is fully taught in English and embedded inan internationally leading research environment. The programmeoffers a great deal of freedom in topics and has a strong focus onresearch; students spend 50% of their time in research labs. It isorganized along three main specializations:
› Advanced Materials
Focus of this specialization lies the chemistry of functionalmaterials, including aspects like material synthesis andself-assembly, supramolecular chemistry, structuralcharacterization techniques and functional properties.
› Catalysis and Green Chemistry
This specialization focuses on different aspects of catalysis byenzymes as well as synthetic homogeneous and heterogeneouscatalysts and key industrially relevant transformations.
› Chemical Biology (also offers an honoursprogramme)
This specialization studies biology and the processes of life usingthe tools of chemistry and deals with topics ranging fromunderstanding how biochemistry works, to protein engineering and the engineering of biological systems.
› Science, Business and Policy
This profile emphasizes the societal aspects of Science. You willlearn to implement your chemistry knowledge in companies and policyorganisations.
The Chemistry research project takes place in a research groupwithin or across one of these specialisations. These groups areassociated with three main research institutes that focus onchemistry: the Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, the ZernikeInstitute of Advanced Materials and the Groningen BiomolecularScience & Biotechnology Institute. The programme also offersthe opportunity to do research in a lab abroad or in industry.
Apart from general subjects including reaction mechanism andspectroscopic methods, we teach and offer research projects acrossthe entire spectrum of Chemistry, including: (in)organic synthesis,stereochemistry, polymer chemistry, supramolecular chemistry,homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, biocatalysis & proteinengineering, organometallic chemistry, molecular dynamic, quantummechanics, green chemistry, synthetic biology and systemschemistry.
After your studies
Job prospects
This degree programme in Chemistry is primarily meant forstudents who want to become researchers or research managers. Italso provides an excellent preparation for a PhD project, either inGroningen or elsewhere. Groningen students have found jobs all overEurope and beyond in major companies, including DSM, Akzo Nobel,Corus, ASML or Philips.
In addition, many chemists who are trained as researchersfind jobs that are less research-oriented. This is because theprogramme also pays attention to communication skills, teamwork,presentation techniques and IT skills. During their training asresearchers in chemistry, students develop general competences thatmake them highly versatile and widely employable, so Groningenchemistry graduates can be found in consulting agencies, commercialfunctions, product research and development, product management orteaching.
This degree programme in Chemistry is primarily meant forstudents who want to become researchers or research managers. Italso provides an excellent preparation for a PhD project, either inGroningen or elsewhere. Groningen students have found jobs all overEurope and beyond in major companies, including DSM, Akzo Nobel,Corus, ASML or Philips.
In addition, many chemists who are trained as researchers findjobs that are less research-oriented. This is because the programmealso pays attention to communication skills, teamwork, presentationtechniques and IT skills. During their training as researchers inchemistry, students develop general competences that make themhighly versatile and widely employable, so Groningen chemistrygraduates can be found in consulting agencies, commercialfunctions, product research and development, product management orteaching.
Job examples
- PhD research project
- Work for a major multinational such as Akzo Nobel or Philps
- Consulting agencies
- Product management or commercial positions
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