Chemistry in Groningen is the home of the recipient of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Ben Feringa, for his research in light-driven rotary molecular motors.
How can I make a flexible solar cell out of organic molecules? Can I build an engine at the molecular level? Can I synthesize life-like artificial systems? Can I cure tuberculosis? You will encounter such questions and many more in the Master's degree program in Chemistry at the University of Groningen.
This selective 2-year program is taught wholly in English and embedded in an internationally leading research environment. The program offers a great deal of freedom in topics and has a strong focus on research; students spend 50% of their time in research labs. It is organized along with three main specializations:
Advanced Materials
The focus of this specialization lies in the chemistry of functional materials, including aspects like material synthesis and self-assembly, supramolecular chemistry, polymer chemistry, structural characterization techniques, and functional properties.
Catalysis and Green Chemistry
This specialization focuses on different aspects of catalysis by enzymes as well as synthetic homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts and key industrially relevant transformations.
Chemical Biology (also offers an honors program)
This specialization brings chemistry to biology and the processes of life using the tools of chemistry and deals with topics ranging from understanding how biochemical processes, to protein engineering and the engineering of biological systems.
Science, Business and Policy
This profile emphasizes the societal aspects of Science. You will gain valuable research experience and learn to implement your chemical knowledge in companies and policy organizations.
The Chemistry research project takes place in a research group within or across one of these specializations. These groups are associated with three main research institutes that focus on chemistry: the Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, the Zernike Institute of Advanced Materials, and the Groningen Biomolecular Science & Biotechnology Institute. The program also offers the opportunity to do a second research project in a lab abroad or in industry.
Apart from core subjects including reaction mechanism and spectroscopic methods, we teach and offer research projects across the entire spectrum of Chemistry, including (in)organic synthesis, stereochemistry, polymer chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, advanced spectroscopy, biocatalysis & protein engineering, organometallic chemistry, molecular dynamic, quantum mechanics, green chemistry, synthetic biology, and systems chemistry.
