Master's Programme in Chemistry – Organic Chemistry

120 credits

Are you asking yourself how you can be prepared for future research and development in either academia or industry? The answer is here. On our Master's program in Chemistry with a focus on organic chemistry, you are closely linked to world-leading research groups in the field. With teachers who are prominent experts, you will have a unique chance to do your degree project at the forefront of research.

Autumn 2024 Autumn 2024, Uppsala, 100%, On-campus, English

The specialisation Organic Chemistry, within the Master's Programme in Chemistry, is taught by lecturers who are experts in, e.g., organic synthesis, organometallic chemistry, natural product chemistry, development of new analytical methodology, NMR spectroscopy, supramolecular chemistry, drug development, and chemistry of carbon allotropes. This will allow you to do your degree project in a ​dynamic and world-class research environment.

During your studies, you will have a personal mentor who will invite you to seminars, group meetings and other events to prepare you for your future career. You will also meet PhD students and postdocs who have come to Uppsala from all over the world to be part of the excellent research environment and to carry out cutting-edge research.

During the programme, you can expect to:

  • be a part of a university with two Nobel prizes in chemistry,
  • have a personal mentor who helps you prepare for your future career,
  • gain in-depth knowledge in modern synthesis methodology, training in synthesis design, experimental verification and optimisation.

A degree from Uppsala University will give you a close connection to excellent and world-leading research and you will have the opportunity to develop a personal contact network. Our research groups have well-developed cooperation with other institutions and research agencies which is beneficial for you when choosing a project for the master thesis, and to make contacts for your future career. To give you even further experience in working in a research group, you can also choose the course Research Training which will further develop your theoretical knowledge and experimental skills.

Student profile

You are probably coming directly from your Bachelor's degree or have had a relevant job to strengthen your experimental skills. You have good practical training working in a lab, and can select relevant methods and stay safe while doing experiments.

You have an analytical mind and are able and willing to express your thoughts in both writing and speaking. A PhD education is a distinct possibility in your future so you would value coming into contact with current research and prominent researchers in the respective international field.

Degree

The programme leads to the degree of Master of Science (120 credits) with Chemistry as the main field of study. After one year of study, it is possible to obtain a degree of Master of Science (60 credits).

The first semester you will study chemistry courses which provide you with the theoretical and experimental skills needed for the subsequent semesters. Some of these courses are also common to other specialisations in the Master's Programme in Chemistry. In the very first course, you will meet many of the chair professors in the different fields of chemistry, who will give seminars about the current trends in their respective research fields. The semester ends with the first course in NMR spectroscopy.

During the second and third semesters, you will take courses in organic chemistry, including, e.g., physical-organic chemistry and also more advanced methods in organic synthesis. The lab training is individual, and an important goal is for you to become independent both in the planning of your work and in the lab. The programme ends with a degree project of 30 credits or 45 credits.

Courses within the programme

See the programme outline for courses within the programme.

Instruction takes place in the form of lectures, laboratory work, problem-solving, seminars and projects. Theory and practical work are always interwoven into the courses. In seminars, you present your ideas and discuss a course book or work you have conducted with your classmates, while the teacher usually only moderates the discussion. The aim is to develop critical thinking and collaborative skills which will be required in your future professional development. All students are expected to be active participants in all forms of discussions.

You will also receive systematic training in both oral and written presentations as an integrated part of the courses. The ability to communicate well will be very important in your future career.

The lecturers are active researchers who will coach you to adopt a scientific approach in your work, where you will develop the necessary skills to solve problems, think critically and analytically, plan and formulate research problems, and independently carry out the necessary experiments and analyse as well as interpret the results.

The language of instruction is English.

The labour market for chemists with a degree from Uppsala University is excellent, with 97% of those who obtained their degree during the last ten years being either employed or undertaking doctoral studies.

After graduation you may work with research and development, production processes, analysis of materials, management of safety and legal issues, patenting of inventions, marketing and sales, developing new and improved methods for quality control, or the environment and sustainability.

Our former students work at for example:

  • Cytiva (tidigare GE Healthcare),
  • AstraZeneca,
  • Cambrex,
  • Biotage.

Examples of potential professional titles after graduation:

  • Development Engineers,
  • Principal or Research and Development Scientists,
  • Chemical Analysis Specialists,
  • Doctoral student at world-leading universities.

Career support

During your time as a student, UU Careers offers support and guidance. You have the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities and events that will prepare you for your future career.

Contact

  • For questions about the programme, please contact the programme coordinator:
  • kemimaster@kemi.uu.se
  • For programme-specific information, please contact the study counsellor:
  • master@kemi.uu.se
  • For admissions-related or general information, please contact our applicant support team:
  • masterprogrammes@uu.se

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