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B.Sc. Chemistry

Bachelor Chemistry

Brief Info

Structure

The study program consists of basic, advanced and supplementary modules as well as the bachelor thesis. Theory and practice are distributed equally in the course of study and the knowledge acquired in the lectures can be applied and deepened experimentally in practical courses. The diagram below shows the course of studies schematically. More detailed information can be found in the study regulations.

Study schedule of the bachelor's degree program in chemistry

Study Content

The aim of the study program is to impart fundamental, theoretical and practical knowledge in the basic areas of chemistry. In addition to chemistry-specific modules, the study program also includes fundamentals of the natural sciences (mathematics, physics) as well as toxicology and legal studies. The first half of the program focuses on the basic concepts, principles and theories, while in the other half the knowledge already acquired is deepened and supplemented by in-depth topics (e.g. technical chemistry and polymer chemistry). Scientific working techniques are also taught, in which, among other things, scientific ethics and the writing of theses are taught. The bachelor thesis is written in the sixth semester during lectures on a topic from current research. Students work on a scientific problem under supervision and present their results in a written thesis.

Study Documents

Timetables

Start of Studies and Orientation

 

Career Prospects

Typically, after completing a bachelor‘s degree in chemistry, students go on to study for a master‘s degree. According to a statistic of the GDCh [de] (German Chemical Society) in 2022, 98 % of students took up a master‘s degree, while only 2 % of students entered the workforce directly. However, the occupational fields of a trained chemist after completing a master‘s degree or doctorate are diverse – examples include the chemical industry, teaching and research, public service, but also management consulting or working for media companies.

Industry

  • Improvement of processes
  • Development of new products and processes
  • Marketing and sales
Teaching and
Research

  • University (post-doc, habilitation, professorship)
  • Research institute (e.g. Max Planck Institute, Fraunhofer Institute)
  • Lateral entry into teaching
Public Service

  • Authorities and municipal offices for environmental protection, monitoring, licensing, supply and disposal
Business
Consultancy

  • Development of new strategies
  • Opening up new markets
  • Restructuring
Media

  • Editing in professional and publication journals
  • Review of submitted manuscripts
  • Development of learning and training materials

 

Information was taken from an article about the career opportunities [de] of a chemist by the GDCh.

FAQ

General Information

The most important contact persons are listed below. You can find more detailed information on the page for Councelling: " On all Aspects of Studying".

The TUC-Card is a multifunctional student ID. Among other things, it can be used to make cashless payments in the canteen. It can also be used for cashless payments on the public multifunctional printers [de] of the Chemnitz University .

At the same time, the TUC-Card is the Student Annual Ticket, i.e. a ticket for the public transport in the VMS and in the regional trains of the Deutsche Bahn in the federal state of Saxony. Please note: The Student Annual Ticket is only valid as a ticket for the period printed on it – it is therefore important to re-register and renew the imprint in good time.

Specialist books can be borrowed free of charge from the Chemnitz University Library. The prerequisite for this is a user account, which must be activated in the library before the first use. Many textbooks are also available as online resources in the library catalog. To download these, you must be in the campus network or, if you are outside the TU Chemnitz, you must be connected via VPN.

In addition to textbooks, the university library also provides modern equipped places and rooms for studying and working which invite you to prepare for and follow up on lectures and practicals, alone or together with fellow students.

It is not necessary to create an individual timetable for the Bachelor’s degree program, as it is composed exclusively of compulsory modules. The timetable can be found in the course catalog [de]. The groupings that may be available for selection have no significance. Of course, you can also complete the modules in a sequence that deviates from the study schedule. However, you must keep in mind that in order to successfully register for examinations, you may have to successfully complete other module examinations beforehand and thus fulfil the requirements for participation.

In addition to the compulsory modules, additional examinations can be taken and the grades entered on the certificate after application. For this purpose, a registration at the Central Examination Office (ZPA) is necessary, on which it is indicated that these modules are taken as additional subjects. Before registering for the last module examination, an application must be submitted which lists the completed additional subjects on the certificate. The easiest way is to ask the Central Examination Office (ZPA) at the time of registration what the registration and the corresponding application should look like.

Start of Studies and Application

The admission requirement for the Bachelor’s degree program in Chemistry is the general higher education entrance qualification, a relevant subject-related higher education entrance qualification or a higher education entrance qualification recognized as equivalent by legal regulation or by the competent state authority (see § 3 of the study regulations Bachelor Chemistry [de]).

If you have any questions, the student advisory [de] for the Bachelor’s degree program in Chemistry is a good contact.

You can apply via the application portal of the TU Chemnitz. International applicants can apply via uni-assist. More information about the application can be found on the website of the Student Service.

Theory and practice are equally distributed in the chemistry degree program. In a typical week two to three days are usually blocked off for practicals; the remaining days are devoted to lectures, seminars and exercises, as can be seen in the course catalog [de] of the individual years. The internships, especially in the Bachelor’s program, can last from 7:30 a.m. to about 6:00 p.m., depending on individual working hours, and thus fill an entire day. However, you should not be deterred by this, as the working hours include valuable team-building experiences together with fellow students in addition to the typical laboratory activities – in other words: You won’t get bored in the lab any time soon! Furthermore, the practical work and the associated tests greatly help to deepen the theoretical content of the degree program, so that less time may be needed to prepare for the exams during the examination period.

Studying with a child is possible. The TU Chemnitz supports this with numerous offers such as childcare or the provision of breastfeeding and changing facilities as well as parent-child rooms and play corners. More information can be found on the TUC family portal. The organisation of everyday study life is carried out in close consultation with the Dean of Studies [de] of the Bachelor’s degree program in Chemistry with the aim of creating individual solutions for students in compliance with the Maternity Protection Act. If you have any questions in advance, the student advisory [de] and the contact persons for Equality at the Faculty of Natural Sciences [de] will be happy to help.

Study Costs and Financing

No tuition fees are charged at the state universities in the Free State of Saxony. However, semester fees [de] are unavoidable and are used, among other things, to finance the services of the Student Service Organisation (Studentenwerk), the student culture ticket and the student annual ticket. What other costs arise depends, among other things, on your living conditions or, more generally, on what you expect from your quality of life. The good news is  that Chemnitz is one of the most affordable cities in Germany in terms of rent! The Student Service Organisation (Studentenwerk) also offers inexpensive halls of residence for students.

FFor the first semester, it is also necessary to purchase personal protective equipment. This includes a lab coat, which is 100% cotton, knee-length and long-sleeved, and safety goggles. The lab coat can be purchased at the Institute’s chemical storage for 20 €. Safety goggles are provided by the Institute of Chemistry and will be handed out during the first chemistry practical.

Furthermore, the purchase of a glass breakage insurance can be advantageous, as one may have to procure replacements for destroyed internship equipment (replacement procurement e.g. via the chemical storage).

There are many ways to finance your studies – starting with the BAföG, student loans and scholarships for gifted students. An overview of general financing options can be found on the Student Services page.

Especially for chemistry students of the bachelor program of the third or fourth semester, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) provides about 20 scholarships every year within the framework of the August Wilhelm von Hofmann Foundation. An amount of 300 € is paid out for 12 or 18 months, which is not offset against BAföG benefits.

Exams

For all test performances – including written examinations, other written papers, practicals, oral examinations and alternative examinations – you must register with the Central Examination Office (ZPA). Exceptions to this rule are creditable academic achievements and prerequisites for admission to the examinations. You can register for examinations from the comfort of your own home via the SBservice; alternatively, this can also be done via a registration form [de]. Further information can be found on the Central Examination Office (ZPA) examination registration [de] pages. When registering, please be sure to note the specified registration periods for examinations [de].

Registration for an examination is always valid for the current semester – if the examination is to be taken in the following semester (e.g. reports on practicals, oral examinations), the exam must be registered for the corresponding semester. If, after registration, the examination date falls in the following semester, a deregistration at the ZPA for the current semester and a registration for the following semester is necessary. Otherwise, the examination counts as failed because it was not taken.

For the awarding of credit points for certain modules, the study regulations still stipulate prerequisites, such as a certified practicals or examinations already taken in advance. Before taking a module, please inform yourself about these requirements in the study regulations [de]. In general, you will also receive information about the practicals accompanying the lectures in the lecture. When studying according to the intended study plan, adhering to the order of examination achievements is not a problem.

You can register for examinations from the comfort of your own home via the SBservice; alternatively, this can also be done via a registration form [de]. Further information can be found on the Central Examination Office (ZPA) examination registration [de] pages. When registering, please be sure to note the specified registration periods for examinations [de].

Registration for an examination is always valid for the current semester – if the examination is to be taken in the following semester (e.g. reports on practicals, oral examinations), the exam must be registered for the corresponding semester. If, after registration, the examination date falls in the following semester, a deregistration at the examination office for the current semester and a registration for the following semester is necessary. Otherwise, the examination counts as failed because it was not taken.

Whether a test performance (e.g. a practical) is subject to registration as an examination performance can be found in the current study regulations [de]. If a practical is specified as a module examination, it must be registered with the Central Examination Office (ZPA) [de]. Creditable academic achievements and prerequisites for admission to the examinations do not have to be registered with the Central Examination Office (ZPA); however, registration is usually advantageous for the planning and orientation of those responsible for the practical. This can be done during the registration phase of the lecture-related examinations via the SBservice.

Information on registered examinations can be viewed in the "My studies“ of the SBservice. A table with the examinations registered for the respective semester will be displayed. The information "Admitted subject to reservation“ means that prerequisites, such as the completion of a practical accompanying the module, must still be fulfilled before taking the examination. More detailed information on this can be found in the study regulations [de]. If the reservation still exists a few days before the examination date, it is advisable to ask the responsible professorship for the preliminary work at the latest.

Admission subject to reservation means that prerequisites, for example the completion of a practical accompanying the module, must still be fulfilled before taking the examination. More detailed information on this can be found in the study regulations [de]. If the reservation still exists a few days before the examination date, it is advisable to ask the responsible professorship for the preliminary work at the latest.

The examination date and location are set by the professorship and are published in the examination schedule a few weeks before the central examination period.

The date for oral examinations is usually set in consultation with the examinees. You can register for oral examinations outside the official registration period. It is advisable to register early. You should have registered at least one week before the oral examination. You must bring an examination protocol with you to the examination, which can be obtained via the SBservice under the heading "My studies“.

For most written examinations, registration is only possible during the registration period [de] published by the Central Examination Office (ZPA). The registration period for such examinations in the central examination period usually begins at the beginning of December or the beginning of June and extends over two weeks.

You can register for the examination in the SBservice in the section "My studies“ under "Information on registered examinations“. If the note "Admitted subject to reservation“ is listed, this means that prerequisites, for example the completion of a practical accompanying the module, still have to be fulfilled before taking the examination. More detailed information on the requirements can be found in the study regulations [de].If the reservation still exists a few days before the examination date, it is advisable to ask the responsible professorship for the preliminary work at the latest.

For the examination itself, in addition to the approved aids, the TUC-Card must be brought along for identification purposes.

You can also register for oral examinations outside the official registration period. It is advisable to register early. You should have submitted your registration no later than one week before the oral examination. You must bring an examination protocol with you to the examination, which can be obtained via the SBservice in the section "My studies“.

In addition to the examination protocol, you must also bring your TUC-Card for identification purposes.

Registration is required if the practical is defined as a module examination in the module description. Registration should take place before the start of the practical. Registration with the Central Examination Office (ZPA) is not necessary for the practicals scheduled in the first semester of the Bachelor’s degree program according to the study schedule.

Yes, otherwise the exam counts as failed because it was not taken. Examinations can be cancelled at the Central Examination Office (ZPA) up to one week before the examination date without stating reasons. This can be done via the SBservice or by using a deregistration form [de].

Outside this deadline, deregistration from the examination is only possible in the case of illness or other valid reasons. For this purpose, the forms for withdrawal from examination enrollment provided by the Central Examination Office (ZPA) must be filled out and sent to the ZPA. It is helpful to additionally submit the application for withdrawal from the examination enrollment to the chairman of the Examination Board [de].

You can withdraw from the examination at the Central Examination office (ZPA) up to one week before the examination date without stating reasons. This can be done via the SBservice or by using a deregistration form [de].

Withdrawal within less than one week before the start of the examination, e.g. due to illness, is possible. For this, a justified application for withdrawal from examination enrollment [de] must be submitted to the Central Examination Office (ZPA). It is helpful to additionally submit the application for withdrawal from the examination enrollment to the chairman of the Examination Board [de].

If you are or become ill on the day of the examination, you must declare to the Central Examination Office (ZPA) that you are withdrawing from the examination as soon as possible. The withdrawal must be justified in writing and the reasons must be proven. A medical certificate [de] must be filled out and submitted to the ZPA. Please use the form for withdrawing from examination enrollment provided by the ZPA for withdrawing from the examination; otherwise the ZPA might not accept the certificate.

The examination supervisor or the examiner must be informed of any illness during the examination and a justified withdrawal together with a medical certificate must be submitted to the ZPA as soon as possible. It is important that the examiner is informed of this at the latest when the examination is handed in and that a doctor is consulted on the same day and that this is documented.

In the case of oral examinations, in addition to informing the ZPA, it is also advisable to notify the professor or call the professor's office.

Practicals: In the case of practicals that are an examination performance, it is usually not necessary to notify the ZPA, since an alternative date or a longer processing time can often be arranged with the person responsible for the practical. A medical certificate must be presented to the person responsible for the practical. If an individual appointment is made, the person responsible for the practical must be informed immediately.

If you fail an examination, it may be useful to inspect the examination. Formally, the examination regulations provide for a maximum period of one year for this – however, most examiners announce individual dates when the examinations can be viewed and existing questions can be clarified.

The failed examination must be repeated within one year. Registration for the re-examination or repeat examination is done normally via the Central Examination Office (ZPA). If the exam is not passed for the second time, there is a third attempt. This must be taken at the next possible opportunity, i.e. as soon as the exam is offered again. At the third attempt, the examination must be assessed by two independent examiners.

Failure of the third attempt results in the module examination being deemed „definitively failed“, which also means that the Bachelor examination is deemed „definitively failed“. More details can be found in the examination regulations [de].

IT Matters

For most technical problems, the University Computer Centre (URZ) is a competent contact person. The most important information for students can be found on the URZ FAQ page. An introductory lecture on the services of the URZ as a video [de] (as of 2021) also helps with initial orientation.

For each year group, the Student Representatives (FSR Chemistry) creates a mailing list [de], which is used to distribute all important information about chemistry studies. All participants in the orientation phase of the FSR can be added to the corresponding mailing list by filling out a form. All others please write an email to the FSR Chemistry to be added to the mailing list. The mailing lists follow the pattern chJJ@tu-chemnitz.de.

At the Straße der Nationen, where most chemistry events take place, there are three computer pools; at the Reichenhainer Straße there are six computer pools available. An overview of the exact locations and current usage can be found on the University Computer Centre’s (URZ) training pools [de] page . Please also pay attention to the notices on the doors so as not to disturb any courses.

Special Features of the Chemistry Degree

Since the chemistry degree program has a high practical component, the acquisition of personal protective equipment cannot be avoided. This includes a lab coat and protective goggles. The lab coat must be made of 100% cotton, and it must also be knee-length and long-sleeved. It can be purchased at the Institute’s chemical storage for 20 €. Safety goggles are provided by the Institute of Chemistry and will be handed out during the chemistry practical in the first semester. The protective equipment can – when not in use – be stored in a locker. In the first and second semesters, collective lockers are offered for the practicals, which are used by several students together. In higher semesters, a locker can be rented for a deposit of 15 €, and are usually available to a single student.

Lab coats and safety goggles can be stored in the Institute’s lockers. In the first and second semesters, collective lockers are offered fort he practicals, which are used by several students together. In higher semesters, a locker can be rented for a deposit of 15 €, and are usually available to a single student.

A glass breakage insurance can be advantageous, as you may have to obtain replacements for destroyed laboratory equipment (replacements can be obtained, for example, from the chemical storage. This can be part of a liability insurance; sometimes special laboratory insurances are also offered.

At the beginning of the winter semester, there is a compulsory safety briefing for each semester – the exact dates are communicated by mail. In addition, there are separate safety briefings for many practicals, which are also obligatory for participation in the respective practical. Information on those are provided in the lectures or seminars accompanying the practical or via e-mail.