Advanced Synthesis & Catalysis (SynCat) M.Sc.

The international master's program Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis (SynCat) is an elite program with English language of instruction, funded by the Elite Network Bavaria. It offers a focused and international education in the field of modern synthesis and catalysis chemistry. Part of the curriculum is a mandatory approximately two-month individual research internship, outside the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, where participants gain practical research experience in an international context.

The master's program SynCat offers a focused and international education in the field of modern chemical synthesis and catalysis. Students acquire a thorough theoretical knowledge and sound practical skills that enable them to solve challenging research tasks in almost all areas of chemistry and materials science. The knowledge acquired is used to creatively solve specific questions in the research context and is thus actively available. The curriculum, which is taught entirely in English, is designed as a synergistic combination of theory and practice through challenging lectures and seminars, individual laboratory and research internships, as well as stays in industry and abroad. All graduates will be equipped with the C1 level of technical English as an important prerequisite for working in an international environment. A personal mentoring relationship, an international orientation, an emphasis on interdisciplinary research and a high degree of individual involvement in teaching and research form the special profile of the elite M.Sc. SynCat program.  

The SynCat curriculum is composed of seven modules which reinforce one another and are closely interlinked. Each module deals with the synthesis and characterization of molecules and materials in an interdisciplinary way. Students are admitted in the summer and winter semesters, as modularization allows the program to begin in any semester. The standard period of study is four semesters.                                

The three basic modules Synthesis, Catalysis and Techniques teach the basic principles and modern applications of synthetic and catalytic chemistry, as well as the theoretical basis of modern (spectroscopic) analytical methods. In addition, the principles of modern quantum chemical methods are taught and placed in the context of a practical application. Language training in technical English with a final C1 examination is also integrated. The basic modules each conclude with an oral module examination.           

Students acquire methodological competence in the module Advanced Techniques, which includes structure determination using practical and modern methods on the one hand and the area of problem-oriented application of computational chemistry on the other. The External module includes a mandatory research stay at a partner university in Germany or abroad or in the chemical industry. Here, the national and international network with academic and industrial research institutes is used to place the students in an excellent scientific environment. Guest lectures and research stays by internationally renowned researchers in the field complete the curriculum of the elite program.                                           

The Concluding module includes a two-day excursion as well as a research methods course to prepare for the master's thesis. The scientific master's thesis, which is accompanied by seminars, takes nine months. The overall grade of the master's degree is composed of the three graded final oral module examinations and the grade of the master's thesis.