Master of Science in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Erasmus Mundus)

  My profile | Admission requirements | Study programme | Studying abroad | Assets | Career prospects| Registration fee | More information | Application

Fact sheet

The Master's

Within the Erasmus Mundus framework four leading educational institutions in Europe offer a joint Erasmus Mundus Master of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (EMM-Nano). The programme offered is a truly integrated one, with a strong research backbone and a very important international outreach. The objective of this course is to provide top quality multidisciplinary education in nanoscience and nanotechnology.

My profile

You have strong analytic, synthetic and interpretive capabilities and a clear interest in both fundamental sciences as well as technological problems. You should be able to understand a large variety of problems and to attempt to solve them on an abstract academic level. You are interested in how and why systems function, as well as having a clear sense of the societal and psychological relevance of technology and its implications upon society.

From your Bachelor's education, you have basic knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry and electronics. Moreover knowledge on cell biology and biochemistry, molecular and atomic architecture, materials science and electromagnetism are considered an asset. You have shown excellence in your study results, as well as sufficient knowledge of English.

By the end of the programme, you will possess:

• Thorough knowledge of the fundamental structures at the level of physical, biological, and chemical systems in terms of their molecular and atomic characteristics
• Understanding of the formation of complex macro systems, which are unique in their operations and possess new functionalities
• Thorough knowledge of mathematics, material science, and electronics
• Proficiency in translating this knowledge into useful technological applications
• Extensive analytic and synthetic problem-solving capacities
• Sufficient scientific background to undertake research

Admission requirements

To the definitive admission requirements
Click the -icon next to 'admission requirements'.

Study programme

The programme is divided into six modules:

• In the introductory courses (max. 12 credits), you will learn the basics of the disciplines you have missed during your Bachelor's training. If, however, you have followed these courses during your Bachelor's programme, you will compensate the credits with elective courses.
• The non-technical courses (9-12 credits)
• The core courses (36 credits) provide you with the basic knowledge of the programme's core disciplines: nanoelectronics, nanophysics, nanochemistry and nanobiochemistry. You must follow these courses irrespective of your specialisation. Moreover, you have to choose a project-based practical course and follow a series of lectures on actual topics in nanoscience and nanotechnology.
• The specific courses (21-33 credits) introduce specialisation into the programme.
• The broadening courses (15 credits) allow you to broaden your horizon with specific courses from other specialisations. You may choose from a large set of courses offered at the second year university.
• The Master's thesis (30 credits) is intended to introduce you to a multidisciplinary research environment. You will be assigned to a relevant research project and work in close collaboration with PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and professors. The research project culminates in the public presentation of the Master’s thesis.

To a detailed overview of the programme

Studying abroad

Erasmus Mundus is a co-operation and mobility programme in the field of higher education that aims to enhance the quality of European higher education in order to promote the European Union as a centre of excellence in learning around the world and to promote intercultural understanding through co-operation with third countries as well as for the development of higher education in third countries. In addition, it contributes to the development of human resources and the international co-operation capacity of higher education institutions in third countries by increasing mobility between the European Union and these countries.

Assets

Through the creation of European Master’s courses and the provision of a limited number of EU funded scholarships, the programme enables students and visiting scholars from around the world to engage in postgraduate studies at European universities. It also encourages the outgoing mobility of European students and scholars towards non-European countries.

Career prospects

Within a few years, nanoscience applications are expected to have an impact on virtually every technological sector and ultimately many aspects of our daily life. In the coming five to ten years, many new products and companies will emerge based on nanotechnology and nanosciences. These new products will stem from the knowledge developed at the interface of the various scientific disciplines offered in this Master’s programme.

As a result, the students who graduate as masters of nanoscience and nanotechnology will be joining companies developing these new technologies. The graduates will be able to go into R&D as well as industry. In the coming years, there will be a strong need for scientists and engineers whose expertise is precisely at the interface of these various disciplines, and these engineers will end up in jobs directly aligned to the education provided in this Master’s programme. You will be employed by companies in the electronics sector, new and smart material industry, chemical technology, and biotechnology companies. As a graduate of the programme, you will have an ideal background to become the interface between experts in all these disciplines and you will be able to use your broad perspective of nanotechnology to develop and create new products or even start up completely new companies. With your basic education, you may also end up in R&D (research & development), product design or product development, or you can become an independent consultant.

Registration fee

To the definitive registration fees

More information

Visit this programme's website

If you have other questions, e-mail:

nano@kuleuven.be

Application