COURSE CURRICULUM

The MSc Chemistry program at Leiden University places strong emphasis on research training, which forms the central component of the curriculum. Students participate in a major research training project within an LIC research group for at least five months, developing essential practical skills while gaining experience as independent researchers. During the project, students learn to plan experiments, analyse data, report and discuss results with various audiences, troubleshoot issues, solve problems, and collaborate effectively as team members. For those pursuing the research specialisation, the major research project ranges from 40 to 60 EC, while students in the other specialisations complete a project of at least 30 EC. Optional minor research projects, which are at least 20 EC, can be undertaken in a different research group, research area, institute, or even at a company, offering flexibility and exposure to diverse research environments.The theoretical component of the MSc program complements the research projects and comprises 10 EC of academic and professional skills courses. Students choose at least four out of eight core courses within their selected research area, with up to 30 EC available for electives depending on the specialisation. Electives may include additional theoretical or practical courses or an extension of the research project (maximum 20 EC). These courses can be drawn from LIC core courses, approved electives within other MSc programs at Leiden University, or courses offered by other universities in the Netherlands or abroad, allowing students to customise their learning experience.For the Chemistry for Health specialisation, core courses include Chemical Biology, Computational Techniques for Chemical Biology, Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Discovery, Modern Organic Chemistry, Molecular Cell Biology, Protein Structures for Drug Discovery, Reactivity in Organic Chemistry, and Supramolecular Biomaterials. The Chemistry for Sustainability specialisation includes Computational Chemistry and Molecular Simulations, Density Functional Theory in Practice, Electrochemistry, Photochemistry, Photosynthesis & Bioenergy, Solid State Chemistry and Physics, Spectroscopy for Chemistry and Materials Science, and Surface Science for Heterogeneous Catalysis. This combination of research, core courses, and electives ensures that graduates acquire both in-depth knowledge and practical experience, preparing them for careers in research, industry, or science-based business.