Bachelor in Chemistry

Extension of the BA with a Master in Chemical Sciences will allow the student to work in the following areas:

• Industrial or academic research

• State-run services: crime laboratories, heritage laboratories, health services...

• Pharmaceutical industries (research towards new medicines)

• Health (research towards new treatments)

• Making of new materials

• Environment

• Teaching

• Production

• Analysis

• Technical/commercial sector

• ...

The chemical industry is the second sector in the Belgian manufacturing industry. It is also one of the better paid sectors, with salaries 20% larger than the average.

If, however, the student decides to go on with a different Master, he can do so in other areas of sciences related to chemistry, such as physics, geology, environmental sciences, meteorology or bioengineer.

The chemistis a multi-faceted professional. He can be an architect creating molecules, a developer of new materials and of manufacturing, purification or separation processes, or a protector of the consumer by verifying and controlling the conformity with legislations and the quality of products. He can also proposes solutions to improve the quality of the environment, such as new insulators, photoconversion of solar radiation, more effective processes...

Employment sectors

Chemical industries (basic chemistry, petrochemistry, gases, polymers, fertilizers, fine chemistry, specialties, paints, pigments, oleochemistry, bio-fuels, catalysts...)

Pharmaceutical companies

Consumer goods (cleaners, glues, cosmetics...)

Environment, recycling

Chemical engineering

Laboratory of analysis and control, research

Teaching

Academic sector (researcher or teacher in universities)

Federal institutions, musea, crime detection institute...

Types of duties

Research and development, intellectual property (patents), product steward (REACH), definition of manufacturing processes, production control, quality assurance control, analytical tests, technical support for customers, project leader...

Note that the large majority of these jobs are only accessible at the end of the full BA and MA degree courses in Chemistry; the BA in Chemistry is a transition diploma in the education system of the French Community of Belgium ("Fédération Wallonie Bruxelles").

Chemistry studies matter, its composition, properties and reactions. Chemistry naturally links Natural Sciences. Today, chemistry plays a central role in three major areas in our Society, which are as many challenges for our development: health, energy and environment.

The Department of Chemistry of ULB takes these demands into account: it trains students to analyse new problems Society poses and to develop their creativity to solve them. This training will allow students to fulfil their personal aspirations in a large number of areas of application, traditional or new, including creating materials having new properties, developing alternate sources of energy, discovering new medicines, helping to preserve the quality of food resources, controlling and reducing pollution...

The specific competences aimed are listed under the heading "Learning objectives".

During the BA, students do basic training courses in mathematics, physics and chemistry, and tackle more specific aspects of chemistry, complemented by elements of closely related disciplines. To acquire both general and specific competences, the student learns to develop a coherent scientific approach and an operational knowledge of basic tools in sciences, notably in chemistry. The ex cathedra courses are complemented by exercises carried out in supervised small groups, personal work and laboratories. The student is introduced to the proper execution of personal work, which will allow him to optimize his/her creativity and sense of initiative.

The sub-disciplines of chemistry are tackled along the following main themes:

• organic chemistry

• analytical chemistry

• biochemistry

• theoretical chemistry

• inorganic chemistry

• quantum mechanics

• thermodynamics

• chemical physics

The training at ULB emphasises the importance of the experimental approach and personal work. Together with the practical work and sessions of supervised exercises, the "active" work carried out by the bachelor represents more than 50% of his/her training. During his/her BA, the student is also brought round to actively developing projects at the "Experimentarium of Chemistry" or the "Spring of Sciences".

The BA in Chemistry ends with an end-of-cyclepersonal work, during which the student tackles research for the first time in teams of the department.

Learning support is provided in personalised guidance structures in chemistry, physics and mathematics. A dedicated room, a library, collections of exercises, access to computer help, a standard laboratory and more are available for this purpose.

The ULB is a full, French-speaking university, located in the capital of Europe. It benefits from a remarkable cultural melting pot (a definite source of richness), which makes it naturally open to the international market.

The Department of Chemistry is composed of internationally-recognized research groups, the activities of which having been rewarded by several prestigious prices, including the Nobel Prize. To date, the Department of Chemistry is the only one in Belgium to have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

The Department of Chemistry also benefits from scientific activities (colloquia and chairs in Chemistry), organised at ULB by the International Solvay Institutes in Physics and Chemistry.

All year long, most courses are supplemented with exercise sessions and laboratory classes, which are supervised by academic and scientific staff, and individual supervised coursework.

The student has at his/her disposal:

• laboratories

• the university libraries

• individual guidance for chemistry, physics and mathematics with access to the following : fully equipped and supervised working room, library, collections of additional exercises, access to IT resources, standard laboratory ...

In addition to the learning support mentioned above, the first-year students can be helped ("parrainer") by higher-degree students in Chemistry.

Learning support is provided in personalised guidance structures in chemistry, physics and mathematics. A dedicated room, a library, collections of exercises, access to computer help, a standard laboratory and more are available for this purpose.

To ease the transition from secondary school to university, the first year (block 1) is organised in a gradual manner:

• written tests organised in November

• written tests in January, exams in June, resit in August

Additionally, foundation courses for first-year university students are organised before the start of the new academic year. Finally, a "resource-person" is available in each department to help students to evaluate their marks and their methods of working.

http://www.ulb.ac.be/enseignements/support-enseignements/reussir.html (in French only)