MSc in Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering
Aarhus, Denmark
DURATION
4 Semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 15,300 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* 15 January for non-EU citizens and 1 March for EU citizens
** for non-EU/EEA students only | EU/EEA students study for free
Introduction
Developing and optimizing chemical and biotechnological processes plays a key role in modern society. It is predicted that the industry of the future will be characterized by production that is environmentally correct and energy-efficient.
During the first year of the degree program, learning is mainly based on lectures and theoretical exercises. The second year mainly involves project work, whereby students work closely with companies. A student hungry for more has the possibility of continuing as a PhD student. Here, the student adds three extra years to their studies, working more independently on solving concrete problems. This can also take the form of an industrial PhD.
Choosing your Specialisation
The theme of the degree program is the development and optimization of processes in the chemical and biotechnological industries and in the environmental sector. If you have an engineering background in chemistry and choose to pursue this specialization at the MSc level, you will be able to work with areas as diverse as food, polymer chemistry, membrane and separation technology.
If on the other hand, your background is in biotechnology, you can pursue this specialization to gain opportunities to work in areas such as developing enzymes and proteins for use in ‘green’ production, lipid technology, and medical biotechnology.
Putting Research into Practice
Teaching at Aarhus University is greatly influenced by the research conducted here, as the lecturers are active researchers. As an engineering student, you have excellent opportunities to work with researchers in the laboratory, or you can complete a project in collaboration with a private company.
Research at the Department
At the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering at Aarhus University, we create sustainable, technological solutions to some of the biggest challenges faced by businesses and society through research and development.
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Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Several scholarship options are available. Please visit the university website for more information.
Curriculum
The Master’s degree in chemistry and biotechnology counts as 120 ECTS credits and mainly consists of subjects within the chemical and technical fields of study. You specialise by participating in course activities and projects and by writing a thesis. You structure your own individual study programme with the help of a researcher by choosing courses from the course catalogue. Your programme is based on your academic qualifications and interests and the subjects you studied for your Bachelor’s degree. The plan must be approved by the Board of Studies before you can enrol for examinations. The teaching is divided into two semesters per year.
Compulsory Courses Chemical Engineering
Autumn
- Sensors and Process Control 10 ECTS
- Transport Phenomena 5 ECTS
Spring
- Applied Innovation in Engineering 5 ECTS
- Modern Chemical Process Technologies 10 ECTS
Compulsory Courses Biotechnology
Autumn
- Lipid Biotechnology 5 ECTS
- Protein and Carbohydrate Biotechnology 10 ECTS
Spring
- Applied Innovation in Engineering 5 ECTS
- Microbial Biotechnology 5 ECTS
- Industrial Bioseparation Technology 5 ECTS
Program Outcome
With a Master’s degree in Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering, you have the following competencies:
- You master the tasks of a graduate engineer and have a degree with a strong chemistry content.
- You can independently plan, manage and implement projects and apply the results in scientifically relevant decision processes.
- You can assess the applicability and appropriateness of theoretical, experimental and practical methodologies for the analysis and solution of scientific questions and issues.
- You can structure your own competence development independently and critically.
- You are able to systematically and critically familiarise yourself with new subject areas.
- You can communicate academic questions and issues to both a scientific and a general audience.
- You can collaborate constructively on a scientific basis to solve subject-related issues.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
As a graduate engineer in Chemistry and Biotechnology, you will be developing the processes of the future – processes that will ensure that chemical, biotechnological, and environmental knowledge finds sustainable applications to benefit society as a whole.
The Aarhus University educates graduate engineers for the regional, national, and international job markets. Graduates work in a wide range of fields and institutions.
The degree program is monitored by a group consisting of members from chemical companies such as Aarhus Karlshamn, Cheminova, Dupont, and Arla, all of which are interested in employing newly qualified graduate engineers in chemistry and biotechnology.