Educational goals

Graduates of the Master’s programme must have in-depth knowledge and background in the various areas of chemistry and a high-level of scientific and practical preparation in the various fields of basic and/or applied chemistry which the student chooses; these fields range from the traditional and still cutting edge sectors, such as fine, biomolecular, supramolecular chemistry, to the emerging or close-to-full-development sectors in terms of industrial applications, such as molecular equipment and devices, new materials (for the energy, electronic, optical and sensor areas), etc. that favor the acquisition of vast knowledge of chemical methodology and advanced, unconventional techniques and chemiometric, commodities and regulatory area knowledge. Through a curriculum that provides a balance between theory and experimentation and is flexible regarding the students’ educational needs, the graduate will achieve the following objectives:- mastery of the scientific research method;- good knowledge of supporting mathematical and computer tools;- the ability to fluently use written and spoken English, with reference in particular to the specific disciplinary lexis;- the ability to work independently and to quickly enter the working world in a scientific and organizational capacity.Master’s graduates in chemistry will be qualified to work in promoting and developing scientific and technological innovation and in managing and designing technologies, and to work as qualified professionals in chemistry-related areas. Based on the student’s particular curriculum, there is the possibility for further studies in chemistry at the research doctorate level and in related areas such as biochemistry, biotechnology, pharmacy, materials, etc. To this end the Master’s in Chemistry entails:1) reinforcing and further in-depth treatment of the theoretical foundation in chemistry undertaken in the three-year degree; the acquisition of techniques useful for understanding molecular phenomena; gaining specialist competencies in specific chemistry sectors;2) a high degree of competency in carrying out experiments from the lab courses in the programme and, above all, a high number of credits from the final evaluation, which consists of a thesis based on an experiment, during which the student will acquire the capacity for independent work;3) the programme is structured so as to prepare the student in a number of topic areas and at the same time bring him into contact with the cutting edge topics in chemical research in line with the objectives for this class of degree.Though representing the natural continuation of a three-year degree of the L27 class, the Master’s in chemistry can also be effectively undertaken by graduates from related areas who intend to continue their studies in chemistry.The curriculum will provide advanced studies in a wide range of chemical sectors, allowing the student to improve his capacity and aspirations. Nevertheless, the chance to tailor each student’s curriculum to meet his interests will entail well-established areas in chemistry, as can be seen in the general regulatory framework. The teaching method will be mainly conventional, with lessons in theory and supplementary lessons, along with an appropriate number of chemical lab activities using the most modern scientific instruments. Student evaluation will involve the traditional written and/or oral exams. Given the advanced nature of the courses and the students preparation (in comparison to the three-year degree programme), seminars may be adopted to assess the students' level of learning, a method which is particularly suited to stimulating the their capacity for synthesis and independent work.

Career opportunities

One of the most important objectives of the Master’s programme is to provide the student with the additional preparation necessary to work in fields of applied chemistry as well as in various areas of pure and applied chemical research, in particular: public or private research laboratories dealing with basic and applied chemistry; scale-up and development laboratories with firms in the chemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, veterinary, agro-alimentary and materials sectors; production facilities at the same firms; public and private laboratories undertaking chemical, environmental and certification analyses; “customer satisfaction” regarding chemical instruments; “high throughput analysis” in labs undertaking, for example, research in combinatorial chemistry research; free-lance and consulting activities.The Master’s degree completes the preparation begun in the three-year programme in terms of the possibility of entering a profession oriented toward scientific and technological research at universities and public or private research institutes, with the possibility as well to enter the teaching field.

Admission requirements

To be admitted to the master's degree program, students must hold a bachelor's degree (including those obtained under the regulations preceding the D.M. 509/1999 and subsequent amendments and integrations) or a three-year university diploma, or another foreign qualification recognized as suitable by the competent authorities of the University. Additionally, admission requires meeting curricular requirements and having adequate initial preparation. The curricular requirements consist of the bachelor's degree obtained in specific classes as indicated in the Didactic Regulations of the master's degree program, as well as the competencies and knowledge acquired by the student in their previous educational path, expressed as a number of credits related to specific scientific-disciplinary areas outlined in the same Didactic Regulations. The latter also defines the procedures for verifying the adequacy of the student's initial preparation.