Student profile
Type of Degree
The multidisciplinary nature of the qualification makes chemists highly versatile. Chemists work to improve the quality of life of individuals, with better drugs, safer materials, new electronic devices, more sensitive analysis techniques and new energy sources, encouraging the use of renewable resources that mean that this quality of life can be maintained in the future. The study of Chemistry has a vocational component and students must be interested in science, experimentation, have a critical mind and the ability to defend their arguments.
This is an officially recognised University Degree, valid throughout the European Higher Education Area.
WORLD HERITAGE
This Degree complies with European Higher Education Area requirements
Career opportunities In recent reports on work placement, the Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry is listed as one of the most demanded. Over half the jobs offered are in the chemical sector, which includes the manufacturing and distribution of chemical and pharmaceutical products. Other sectors with a major demand for this qualification are industry, hospitals, food and drink, research, services, health, and glass and ceramics. Teaching has traditionally been a professional opportunity for chemists, and professional activities related to the environment and new technologies have become important in recent years.
FACULTY OF CHEMISTRY
Course contents Chemistry is the study of matter and its transformations. Among the types of matter are people, rocks, bacteria, computers and cars, making Chemistry essential for understanding how the world works. As a result, Chemistry has been called the Central Science, as it shares areas of knowledge with sciences such as Biology, Physics, Pharmacy, Medicine, Engineering and the Environmental Sciences. During the first year of the course, students acquire basic knowledge of Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Biology and are trained in the various areas of Chemistry in the following three years (Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry). The practical classes take place in modern laboratories and in small groups. The Chemistry degree has adapted its study plan to the European teaching-learning model (ECTS), which fosters personalised teaching, with a system for the recognition and accumulation of credits, in which the credits taken at another university are recognised and included in the student’s record. The organisation of courses encourages students’ mobility within the same university and between Spanish universities, as well as between European universities and those elsewhere in the world. As a complement to their training, and in order to reinforce the commitment to graduate employability, future chemists can undertake external practical training in chemical, pharmaceutical, food or materials companies, among others sectors, or in one of the many research groups at the Faculty of Chemistry.
CAMPUS UNIVERSITARIO Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, km 33,600 28871 Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) www.uah.es/quimica
INFORMATION CENTRE www.uah.es ciu@uah.es
BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN:
Chemistry
Overall credit distribution SUBJECT TYPE
ECTS
Basic Training (B)
60
Obligatory (Ob)
120
Optional (Opt)
48
Bachelor's Degree Final Project (Ob)
12
TOTAL CREDITS
240
STUDY PLAN
General characteristics of the Study Plan
Full time: FIRST YEAR First semester
Type
ECTS
Physics
B
6
Basic Chemistry
B
6
Basic Laboratory Operations
B
Mathematics
B
Biology
Second semester
Type
ECTS
Physics
B
6
Basic Chemistry
B
6
3
Basic Laboratory Operations
B
6
9
Numerical Calculation and Applied Statistics
B
6
B
6
Chemical Binding and the Structure of Matter
Total ECTS
30
B
6
Total ECTS
30
Type
ECTS
SECOND YEAR First semester
Type
ECTS
Analytical Chemistry I
Ob
9
Analytical Chemistry I
Ob
6
Chemical Thermodynamics
Ob
6
Molecular Physical Chemistry
Ob
6
Inorganic Chemistry I
Ob
6
Inorganic Chemistry I
Ob
6
Organic Chemistry
Ob
9
Organic Chemistry
Ob
3
Biochemistry
Ob
9
Total ECTS
30
Type
ECTS
Ob
3
Total ECTS
Second semester
30 THIRD YEAR
First semester
Type
ECTS
Physical Chemistry
Ob
9
Physical Chemistry
Analytical Chemistry II
Ob
9
Introduction to Organic Synthesis
Ob
6
Inorganic Chemistry II
Ob
6
Inorganic Chemistry II
Ob
6
Structural Determination of Organic Compounds
Ob
6
Chemical Engineering
Ob
9
Materials Science
Ob
6
Total ECTS
30
Type
ECTS
Total ECTS
Second semester
30 FOURTH YEAR
First semester
Type
ECTS
Second semester
Optional subjects
Opt
18
Optional subjects/External practical training
Opt
18
Cross-Disciplinary Skills
Opt
12
Bachelor's Degree Final Project
Ob
12
Total ECTS
30
Total ECTS
30
TOTAL ECTS CREDITS: 240 B: Basic Training; Ob: Obligatory; O: Optional
The timeframe of the study plan is available in two versions: one for full-time students over four years (at 60 ECTS credits per year) and another for part-time students over 8 years (at 30 ECTS credits annually). All the basic subjects are taught in the first year and are subjects for the students to reach the appropriate level enabling them to understand and assimilate the content of the subjects in later years. As well as the basic subjects (60 ECTS credits) a total of 120 mandatory credits has been established, which are distributed between the second and third year. In this sense, all students must take the subjects in the first three years of the Bachelor’s degree. The second year mainly includes the subjects that provide the students with the scientific, technical and instrumental foundations of Chemistry. The third and fourth year contain the compulsory and optional subjects, which apply the knowledge acquired in previous years to enable students to develop the skills they will need in their future as professionals. Students must take 36 credits in optional subjects. In order to obtain these credits, a total of 11 subjects with a study load of 6 credits each will be on offer, from which students must choose six. It is also possible to obtain half these credits by undertaking External Practical Training (18 ECTS credits), in which case students only have to take 3 of the optional subjects. As well as the optional subjects mentioned above, the 4th year includes the Bachelor’s Degree Final Project (12 ECTS credits), which is produced in the second semester of the fourth year. In this final year students consolidate the abilities and skills, practices and techniques acquired.
The University of Alcalá has established 12 credits for cross-disciplinary skills, which must be available in all study plans and which must be taken by all students. Every academic year, the university provides a range of subjects and activities with 6 ECTS credits each, which enable all students to complete these 12 credits for cross-disciplinary subjects. According to current regulations, students will also be able to request academic recognition for a maximum of 6 optional credits for participation in cultural, humanitarian and cooperation activities, or in other activities related to sports and student representation.