The studies include lecture courses, examinations and contact teaching, laboratory courses, presentation series and seminars. Compared to the Bachelor's degree, these studies require more independent work. The Master’s degree culminates in an extensive Master's thesis that includes practical research.
The programme is multilingual, which means you can complete your degree entirely in English, but can also use Finnish or Swedish if you wish. All courses given by the Master's Programme will be lectured in English.
After completing the Master’s Programme in Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, you will:
As a chemical expert, you can embark on a career in industry, research or education or in the business sector. Your work might also involve
Potential employers include private companies, research and educational institutes, public agencies and supervisory authorities both abroad and in Finland. The chemicals industry is a major employer and one of the largest export industries in Finland. You can also apply for postgraduate study in a doctoral programme.
In the Master’s Programme in Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, you may select courses from different special fields of chemistry according to your interests and career goals. You can complete a broad-ranging degree by selecting studies from several course packages or specialise in a specific branch of chemistry.
The scope of the degree is 120 credits and is intended to be completed in two academic years. The 120 credits are divided into two parts:
Advanced studies in Chemistry (100-120 cr)
In the Master’s programme, you must select
You can either complete a broad-ranging degree by selecting studies from several packages or specialise in a specific branch of chemistry. Additionally, advanced studies include
The remaining other elective studies (0-20 cr) may include:
You will receive assistance in preparing your personal study plan from the programme.
More information about the structure, content and courses of the programme.
You can also check out courses in the online course catalogue for students at the University of Helsinki.
The University of Helsinki also offers Finnish courses for international students.
The language of instruction is English. You can also complete courses in Finnish or Swedish, and you can write your Master’s thesis in either English, Finnish or Swedish.
Your final project is the Master's thesis, the scope of which is 30 credits. It includes a literature review and an experimental or theoretical/computational research component. The scope of the research component is extended by completing an additional research project (KEM412) which is 15 credits.
You can complete the research as
You must demonstrably complete part of the research yourself and write the entire thesis independently (but under supervision and guidance).
As a student at the University of Helsinki, you have extensive opportunities to study in different faculties. You can also complete studies at other Finnish universities under the Flexible Study Rights Agreement (JOO).
The Faculty of Science has a bilateral agreements with the Aalto University and the University of Jyväskylä. The agreement allows students in the Master's Programme to take certain complementary chemistry courses taught in in those universities.
Research in the natural sciences is broad and multidisciplinary in nature. Researchers at the Department of Chemistry have joint projects with
These connections allow you to network with various parties in the field of chemistry and related disciplines.
In addition, the Department of Chemistry has close connections with several organisations in the field of chemistry. Through these connections you can acquaint yourself with professional chemists and the job market. Key partners include, for example:
An international learning environment: The Master’s Programme in Chemistry and Molecular Sciences accepts students through an international admissions procedure. Students of the international Master’s Programme in Advanced Spectroscopy in Chemistry, as well as several exchange students, further increase the international scope. In addition, the Department has several international teachers and researchers. Chemical research is an international effort, and research groups at the University of Helsinki have several international partners.
Student exchange: The University of Helsinki has student exchange agreements with several foreign universities, so you can complete part of your degree abroad. Once you have completed your Master’s degree, you can pursue doctoral studies at a foreign university.
Language studies: The University of Helsinki offers a wide range of opportunities for improving your language skills.
A successfully completed Master’s degree qualifies you to pursue postgraduate studies, i.e., a doctoral degree. You can complete a doctoral degree in one of the doctoral programmes at the University of Helsinki. Alternatively you can apply to pursue postgraduate studies at other universities in Finland or abroad. Approximately one quarter of Master of Science graduates in chemistry continues to complete a doctorate.
Potential doctoral programmes at the University of Helsinki include:
More information about doctoral education at the University of Helsinki.
Student life and especially the student organisation culture is exceptionally rich and diverse in Finland. Also at the University of Helsinki, more than 250 student organisations operate within the Student Union of the University of Helsinki (HYY). The organisations range from faculty and subject organisations to political and societal organisations, and from choirs and orchestras to sports and game clubs. Their activities include anniversary celebrations, academic dinner parties, cultural events, get-togethers and excursions.
As a student and member of the Student Union (HYY), you are entitled to many benefits and services. For example, affordable student housing, low-cost sports services and student-priced meals. You also get numerous discounts, for example on public transport fees across the country. Read more about student life, services and benefits when studying at the University of Helsinki.
Information about studying in the Faculty of Science and student life at the Kumpula Campus!
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