The entrance requirements for the master’s degree program in Chemistry are:

Proof of a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or an equivalent degree from a university. Qualifications that were not part of the bachelor’s degree program may also be recognized. The examination committee is the responsible deciding authority.

A further requirement for admission to the master’s program is proof of English language proficiency at the B2 level or above. You may be able to document your English language proficiency at this level with your German university entrance qualification (Abiturzeugnis), see info.

If you have not yet received your bachelor’s degree certificate by the application deadline, but have earned at least 135 credits in your bachelor’s program, you must apply by the set deadline with a transcript (certified copy issued by your university) of all coursework and exams completed to date, including your average grade to date.

Applicants who have not obtained a university entrance qualification at a German-speaking institution or a degree in a German-speaking course must provide proof of sufficient German language skills. These must correspond to the level DSH-2 of the “German Language Proficiency Examination for Admission to Higher Education for Foreign Applicants” and must be proven by the time of enrollment at JGU.

Good to know: The legally binding basis for selection, admission and enrollment is the text of the entrance requirements as specified in Section 2 of the currently valid examination regulations and, where applicable, in the appendix.

The examination regulations can be found here.

1st and 2nd semesters:

You may select from two of the following specializations

• Applied analytical chemistry
• Nuclear chemistry
• Macromolecular chemistry
• Matter, materials, and methods
• Molecular functional materials
• Preparative chemistry
• Theoretical chemistry and computational chemistry

… and two additional compulsory elective areas which include

• Inorganic solids
• Bioinorganic chemistry
• Macromolecular chemistry
• Macromolecular chemistry (practical course)
• Biomolecules, biocatalysis, and information transfer
• Metabolic biochemistry
• Molecular and cellular biochemistry
• Methods of biochemistry
• Biochemical working techniques
• Lab course in molecular biochemistry (practical course)

3rd semester

• You will focus on two current research projects by two working groups. You will work in teams and will acquire a basic knowledge of how to plan and design experiments.
• Beyond this, you will select one additional required elective. In terms of content, you are able to freely decide in which area you specialize.

4th semester

• In order to obtain your university degree, you must complete a master’s thesis, which you will then present and discuss in a plenum. You will be able to choose your own area of specialization that aligns with your own interests.

Stays abroad

The research module designated for the third semester can also be carried out as a part of a four-month long stay abroad. Alternatively, you may complete a required elective module. In this case, your stay abroad will amount to a total of six months.

Would you like to live abroad for a semester or a year? Do you want to learn another language and get to know a new culture? Or gain a different perspective on your particular subject? A stay abroad provides you with the perfect opportunity to achieve this and is possible with every degree program – either self-organized or by taking advantage of one of the popular exchange programs. This is made possible by various cooperation agreements and partnerships with foreign universities.

For more information on this topic, please visit our websites on studying abroad. Visit our student exchange platform for an overview of cooperating universities in your field.

This program of study does not require you to spend time abroad, but you nevertheless have the opportunity to do so.

Internships

As a part of your program of study, internships are offered each semester. These are a components of the specialization and required elective modules as well as the research module. The duration of the individual internships varies between four and twelve semester hours per week. The research module is the exception: The internship work is divided into 22 semester hours per week for the internship “Research Work” and one semester hour per week for the graduate seminar “Navigating Independent Academic Work.”

This program of study does not include a mandatory internship. However, voluntary internships are a great way to gain insight into a professional field.

An internship allows you to discover whether everyday life in a particular occupation suits your career expectations and interests. You can gain qualifications for a professional field and acquire important professional and personal skills to start a career. An internship helps you both shape your career path, and mold the remainder of your course sequence – in particular by selecting specializations that suit your practical experience.

You can find further information and relevant internships on the Career Service website.

Aside from higher education and research institutions, such as Frauenhofer institutes and facilities, Helmholtz Centers, and the Max Planck Institutes, you, as a chemist, will be able to find employment opportunities in the chemical industry, in medical research, such as in clinical laboratories, as well as work with authorities and other public institutions.

There are also opportunities available in the private sector upon completion of your Master of Science in Chemistry. Your profound level of English language proficiency, which you will be able to demonstrate via the completion of this degree course, will prove to be a decisive factor in qualifying you for work in transnational and international companies. Here are some potential areas of work:

• Analytics
• Application technology
• Consulting
• Product research
• Marketing
• Patents
• Production
• Quality control

Not sure what to do after graduation? Don’t worry!

A university degree generally does not prepare you for a single profession but qualifies you for a wide range of career paths – for example, in research, in a typical profession related to your field of study, or in one of many other academic fields.

This is why career orientation is also part of your studies. Gaining practical experience is key, and you can do so through internships, working student positions, part-time jobs or voluntary work, for example.

JGU’s Career Service will support you throughout the entire process with information, advice, workshops and numerous events – from career orientation and working on your profile and skills to finding your dream job and successfully applying for it.