The Master’s degree in Chemistry of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto is a wide scope Master, encompassing a diversity of thematic areas of Chemistry of current interest. This Master seeks to respond to the interests of the students from the perspective of an advanced, modern and versatile training programme. Chemistry as a science occupies a pivotal role in addressing contemporary societal challenges, namely in the areas of energy, health, environment, preservation of natural resources and development of new functional materials. The 2nd cycle of studies in Chemistry aims at responding to these challenges in terms of a pedagogical-scientific training of the students and of their preparation for a successful professional career.

More specifically, the Master's Degree in Chemistry aims at three main goals:

• to provide an advanced and comprehensive training in the various fields of Chemistry, which solidifies, complements and deepens the training obtained in a 1st cycle of studies;
• to provide the theoretical, laboratory and computational tools for a career associated with Research, Development and Innovation, either in an academic environment at the level of a 3rd cycle of studies (PhD), in technological centers of interface or in a business/industrial context;
• to train qualified professionals with a competency profile that allows them to enter the labor market, with emphasis on the national and international industries most directly linked to Chemistry.

It should be noted that in the second year of studies, the students will carry out a research project in one of the Faculty laboratories or, alternatively, in a laboratory of an industrial company under existing collaboration protocols.

Programme structure

The 2 cycle of studies in Chemistry encompasses two alternative paths:

• Chemistry (without specialization) 
• Chemistry - Specialization in Functional Surfaces and Materials for Sustainability 

Path: Chemistry (without specialization)

This cycle of studies consists of:

• a master's course, consisting of an organized set of curricular units corresponding to 60 ECTS credits, which awards a master's course diploma in Chemistry (but not the master’s degree); 
• a curricular unit with a component of integration in the surrounding social reality designated as Chemistry and Society, corresponding to 3 ECTS; 
• a Dissertation, of scientific nature, or an Internship in Industrial Context, of professional nature, objects of a final report, original and specially made for this purpose, corresponding to 57 out of 120 ECTS, subject to public examinations and which will lead to a master's degree in Chemistry.

Path: Chemistry - Specialization in Functional Surfaces and Materials for Sustainability

This path was created to frame the participation of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry/FCUP in the international master's degree SERP+ (Erasmus Mundus), aiming at the integration of the respective students in the 2nd cycle of studies in Chemistry. The enrollment in curricular units of this specialization is subject to the approval by the Scientific Committee of the Master. The working language in all curricular units is English.

Schedule and teaching language

The Master courses take place in a weekly daytime schedule, with student-workers being safeguarded by the rights and duties that are included in the regulations of the University of Porto for the 2nd cycle. The Master in Chemistry is open to internationalization and, as such, to receiving international students under mobility programs. In the case of the curricular path Chemistry (without specialization), although the courses are taught in Portuguese, the faculty members are receptive to a close pedagogical support in English for international students.

Employment Prospects

The master’s degree holders will have advanced scientific and technical skills that will enable them to: (i) join as professionals in the field of Chemistry in private companies or public institutions; (ii) join as researchers in technological interface centers and other institutions for transfer of knowledge between academia & industry; (iii) to pursue doctoral studies (PhD) in Chemistry or related sciences, nationally or internationally. It is also envisaged that the master’s degree holders will be able to participate actively in the technological development of the country through activities of entrepreneurship and of creation of technology-based start-up companies.

Admission requirements

• To hold a first degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, Chemical Engineering or Teaching of Physics and Chemistry.
• To hold a degree in a 1st Cycle of Studies, according to the Bologna process, with a minimum of 45 ECTS in the area of ​​Chemistry or a Minor in Chemistry.
• To hold a degree in other areas, provided that the respective curriculum demonstrates an appropriate basic scientific background.
• To have an academic, scientific or professional curriculum that the Scientific Committee of the Master recognizes as sufficient to warrant the capacity to carry out this cycle of studies.

For candidates who do not hold a first degree at the date of application, but who are in a situation of being able to complete the degree up to the date of enrollment in the cycle of studies, evidence of the curricular average must be made at the application date, by means of proof of approval in curricular units (grade, ECTS, scientific area).

Note: All applicants who do not prove that they have completed the degree (or equivalent) until the end of the enrollment period will be excluded.

Selection and Seriation Criteria

• Available soon

Information

• Application Dates 2019-2020
• Access to FCUP’s Academic Exams

Contacts

Course Director:	m.qui.diretor@fc.up.pt
Postgraduate Section:	pos.graduacao@fc.up.pt
Students:	m.qui@fc.up.pt

This information is provided strictly for informational purposes
and does not preclude consultation of the Official Gazette.

General information

Study Plan

Certificates

Predominant Scientific Areas