Why study chemistry?

The most important criterion for studying chemistry is your love of the subject!
If you decide to study chemistry or biochemistry you should be curious about the issues of natural science and should enjoy experimentation. The basics of chemistry, biochemistry, biology, physics, mathematics and a working knowledge of English are not required, but would be very advantageous, of course. You should be prepared to work hard and carry a heavy work load. Lab courses which comprise about 50% of the program require tenacity and team spirit.

The winter semester of 2001 marked the beginning of the LMU's new bachelor program in chemistry and biochemistry. This program follows a so-called "Y-model" where students attend a common program of chemistry and biochemistry for the first four semesters. It is a multidisciplinary program in cooperation with the faculties of biology and physics. The basics of inorganic, organic and physical chemistry and biochemistry as well as physics, mathematics and biology are covered. In the fifth and sixth semesters an orientation program follows in which students decide on their concentration and then write their bachelor's thesis.
With a bachelor's degree you can embark on your professional career, or you are ready to pursue a master's degree in chemistry, biochemistry or, since 2005, advanced materials science.

You can also enrol in the master's program in biochemistry from the bachelor's program in either chemistry and biochemistry or biology.

The master's program comprises four semesters of advanced specialized study in inorganic, organic and physical chemistry and/or biochemistry. The program concludes with the writing of a master's thesis on a current subject in modern research and should be completed within six months in a research group of the student's choice. Most of the time, the thesis is based on experimental work. The master's degree is equivalent to the diplom degree in chemistry or biochemistry.

Approximately 100 students are accepted annually into the master of chemistry program and about 40 are accepted into the master of biochemistry program.

Most students who have completed a master's program go on to a doctoral program (Promotion). Doctoral students devote themselves for two-to-three years to problems in current research while accumulating experience in teaching and group leadership.

Concise information on chemistry and biochemistry programs:

• stud_info_ch_en.pdf (138 kByte)