Master in Chemistry, MSc in Engineering

Master in Chemistry, MSc in Engineering is one of 8 English-taught Chemistry programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 5 institutions. 7 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from EUR 7,300 to EUR 17,300; this programme lists EUR 7,455 a year. 7 are recorded as free for EU, EEA and Swiss students.

The Master's in Chemistry at Aalborg University is a two-year, English-taught programme that combines theoretical chemistry with practical laboratory work. You learn to analyse and develop solutions at a molecular level, make new materials and design reactions for sustainable processes.

What you study

The programme is problem-based: you combine theory, experiments and application. You complete two biannual research and development projects and a thesis, so you can tailor large parts of the degree to your interests. You work with advanced chemistry and learn to plan, conduct and analyse experiments using modern laboratory techniques.

Topics you can explore include inorganic materials (with emphasis on glassy or amorphous materials), controlled release (cyclodextrins and their inclusion complexes for drug delivery and pesticide formulations), functional polymers (molecular design, synthesis, purification and characterisation) and separation processes (physical chemistry of water and wastewater treatment, especially membrane technology).

On the first semester you work with the production and process of materials. Courses are Materials Chemistry (5 ECTS), Processing of Materials (5 ECTS) and Physical Chemistry of Materials (5 ECTS), with a 15 ECTS project in Materials Technology. Example project topics include characterisation and optimisation of Rockwool fibres and alkali-resistant glass fibres for fibre-cement production.

The second semester focuses on the design and production of natural and synthetic polymers. Courses are Polymer Chemistry (5 ECTS), Supramolecular Chemistry (5 ECTS) and Carbohydrate Chemistry (5 ECTS), with a 15 ECTS project in Industrial Applications of Macromolecules. Example topics include short peptide-cyclodextrin hybrid oligomers and donor polymers for photovoltaic cells.

How the programme is organised

Teaching takes place in a close-knit professional environment with easy access to supervision. Both independence and collaboration are part of everyday work. In semester projects, you and your project group study complex chemical issues, and you are encouraged to collaborate with external organisations and businesses.

On the third semester you earn 30 ECTS in one of several ways: an internship in Denmark or abroad where you write a project about your tasks, a semester at another institution in Denmark or abroad, a regular semester at AAU with courses and project work, or starting your Master's thesis so the work is spread over the third and fourth semesters. AAU has collaboration agreements with universities around the world, and the research environment has many internship contacts.

On the fourth semester you write your Master's thesis (30 ECTS) on a topic of your own choice. You can be integrated into one of the university's research groups with your own office space, or write the thesis abroad with an external partner at a university or organisation.

Who it suits

Choose Chemistry if you want to combine theoretical chemistry and chemical engineering to develop new materials and functional molecules for a cleaner environment, better healthcare or new possibilities. You should enjoy laboratory work, problem solving and cross-disciplinary collaboration, and want to work with complex challenges in practice.

Admission, language and next steps

The programme is taught in English and starts in September. The degree title is Master of Science (MSc) in Engineering (Chemistry). The page lists admission requirements and how to apply under its admission section; check those pages for the specific entry requirements. Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland study free of charge. Other students pay a fee set by the institution. Applications for master's programmes go directly to the institution.

Master’s applications go straight to Aalborg University, not through optagelse.dk, and the institution sets its own deadline. Entry requirements and language tests are set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, residence permits and housing.