Chemistry - Bachelor of Science (BSc)

Chemistry is without a doubt a fascinating science – a progressive future would be unthinkable without it. It is used in research laboratories to develop new materials and substances which accompany us in daily life as seemingly invisible helpers. Chemical reactions are found both in the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) world. The art of transferring knowledge derived from nature into research and development never ceases to inspire researchers the world over. Chemistry provides a richness of perspectives, professional variety and is an important component of the sustainable development of our social prosperity. Especially the production, conversion and storage of energy are fundamentally important chemical issues for current and future generations.

Key data

Type of programme

Bachelor of Science (BSc)

Type of study

full-time

Study curriculum

Information on the study curriculum

Start of programme

next winter semester: 01.10.2023

Orientation offer

Language of instruction

German

Admission

no restriction

Enrolment

Information for enrolment

ECTS credit points

180

Standard period of study (semester)

More about the course

Much of what seems self-evident to us today has only become possible because of long-standing chemical research and development over the past decades. The modern achievements in the areas of raw materials, computer engineering and microelectronics, but definitively also everything related to new materials, e.g. improved heat insulation, hydrogen and fuel cell technology, energy-saving LED lighting systems and the progress in medicine are certainly among the highlights. So, is this as good as it gets? On the contrary! The coming generations of chemists still have many tasks to face and the professional perspectives are as varied as attractive and also very well paid. Challenges of our current times are, for example, the protection and preservation of the environment, the fight against diseases, the concerns about sufficient nutrition for the growing world population, securing energy supplies, the development of new materials and alternative raw material sources. Chemistry will shape the future actively in all these areas and in many other ways.

Study

Accreditation

The degree programs of the Department of Chemistry have been accredited since 2012. Program accreditation by the ASIIN agency was valid in the period from 2012 to 2018, and since 2019 the courses have been accredited as part of university-internal system accreditation. This accreditation is valid until 2027.

Interdisciplinarity

The Faculty of Natural Sciences unites competences in the MINT areas under one roof and maintains excellent contacts to affiliated institutes as well as external research facilities. Particularly involved in study and teaching are the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research and the Helmholtz Institute with its outstanding research in the areas of electrochemistry and energy technology. We also collaborate closely with other faculties and departments, the Engineering Sciences and Economics in particular.

Excellent in teaching

We pride ourselves in providing the best possible education and care for our students and complement certain lectures in the Bachelor's programme with additional support offers like classes and tutorials. Regular evaluations by the students provide valuable feedback on how well we are doing.

Quality, not quantity

Manageable student numbers and a favourable student to teacher ratio ensure that you don’t have to complete your degree in a setting of educational mass production. We guarantee a laboratory place for every student in every laboratory course to avoid unnecessary elongation of your overall study time. A personal atmosphere and direct contact with your teachers complete our ideal learning conditions.

Networks and business contacts

We offer you a practice-relevant education with numerous well established contacts to local businesses as well as many application-oriented research projects, some of which are conducted directly on the University’s doorstep in the renowned companies and research facilities of the Science City Ulm.

Training camp for new students

Before the beginning of every winter semester we offer the tutorial ’Fit for Chemistry’ to our new students in courses of Life Sciences as part of the University Training Camp.

Attractive career prospects

Our graduates have excellent chances on the job market. This is partly owed to the fact that Chemistry is most important to our daily lives in many aspects and is therefore a driving force in the big challenges of our time. Another factor is the accredited high-quality education with all its possibilities to establish a specialised profile in areas of expertise with great importance to the future.

Study objective

The Bachelor’s programme teaches the scientific and methodological fundamentals of Chemistry. It combines theory with hands-on experimental experiences in the core disciplines of Chemistry (Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry) as well as other disciplines, from which you can choose freely. Interdisciplinary basics in areas like Experimental Physics and Mathematics as well as Law and Toxicology complement the fundamental education in Chemistry. The Bachelor’s examination assesses the students’ acquired technical knowledge required for an early transition into a professional career and also their understanding of the fundamental correlations in their subject.

Study contents / specialisations

The core of the Bachelor’s programme is an in-depth theoretical education in various sub-disciplines of Chemistry with a strong focus on the areas of Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry. In application-oriented and practical seminars and classes you will further explore the theoretical knowledge that you obtained in lectures. A multitude of chemical laboratory courses in the University's modern laboratories complements the theoretical education with essential experimental context – an indispensable part of a young scientist’s training. Theory and practice are equally intertwined throughout all elective courses. You can choose from the following subjects: Analytics, Power Engineering, Macromolecular Chemistry, Theoretical Chemistry. Chemical research methods, academic work as well as occupation-qualifying competences and soft skills complete the study contents.

In the age of economic globalisation most German enterprises maintain international business contacts. International competence is therefore one of the most important key qualifications. Developing this competence during your studies certainly increases your chances on the job market. One option to do so is to spend a semester abroad, either studying at a partner university or as an internship. This not only improves your language proficiency, but also benefits your personal development. You will collect important experiences in interacting with people from other cultures and foreign work and communication styles. The Chemistry department supports you with the planning of your semester abroad.

Current relevant information on exams, timetables and other subjects can be found on the websites of the Department of Chemistry.

Career perspectives

Career opportunities are vast with this degree. Industry, research institutes, universities, schools and civil service offer interesting perspectives. Chemical expertise is sought after in many other areas as well – the following list comprises only a small fraction thereof: all economic activities around the topics of energy, food, environment and water, automotive and aircraft engineering, the insurance and consulting sector and many more.

Chemists / business chemists interested in working in the industry will find employment possibilities in:

application-oriented industrial research
roles responsible for manufacturing operations
product development and application engineering, as interface between research and production
process engineering, transferring new findings from lab scale to industrial scale
chemical analytics: there is an almost limitless variety of matter waiting to be analysed
environment protection, to secure a liveable future of our planet
marketing and sales, to serve customer demands and market opportunities
patent law, for the legal protection of research findings
documentation, with the purpose of developing and optimising functional and efficient structures in electronic data management
corporate communication and public relations, in order to convey complex matters of science and research to the public in an easy-to-digest format

Chemists/business chemists interested in working in teaching and research can find employment:

at schools, to spark pupils’ interest in Chemistry and scientific questions
at universities and other higher education institutions, as part of an exciting environment of teaching and research
in ‘pure’ fundamental research at research institutes, with the purpose of generating new chemistry knowledge and providing scientific proof

Chemists/business chemists interested in working in civil service can find employment:

with federal and state authorities as well as municipal offices, in the areas of environment protection, supervision, licensing and analytics
with the trade supervisory authority (Gewerbeaufsichtsamt), in the area of technical protection of the public
in medical centres and various service sectors

Chemists/business chemists interested in alternative areas can find employment opportunities:

in business consultancy
as journalists and editors
in freelance activity

According to the data gained from graduate surveys our graduates transition into employment very fast. A large number of them find well-paid permanent employment within one year after graduation. Business chemists in particular are highly sought after specialists in all management-related areas of chemical research and development. There are entire career days especially for Chemistry and Management graduates.