Sustainable Chemistry Masters: Course Content

Mostly online-based, the Masters programme M.Sc. Sustainable Chemistry allows high flexibility and is designed to match the schedule of full-time professionals. Clustered on-site sessions feature lectures, practical exercises and selected laboratory trainings, and provide opportunities for networking. In four semesters, you will attend modules on the following topics.

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M.Sc. Sustainable Chemistry: Overview of modules

Theoretical modules

  • F1: Concepts of Sustainable Chemistry (5 CP)
  • F2: Environmental Chemistry (5 CP)
  • F3: Toxicology and Ecotoxicology (5 CP)
  • F4: Modelling of Chemical Properties and Fate (5 CP)
  • F5: Green Chemistry (5 CP)
  • F6: Sustainable Chemistry and Renewable Energy (5 CP)
  • F7: Benign by Design (5 CP)
  • F8: Resources, Recycling and Circular Economy (5 CP)
  • F9 Sustainability Assessment (5 CP)
  • F10: Law, International Regulations and Chemicals Management (5 CP)
  • F11: Business Models and Strategies (5 CP)
  • F12: Project Work Chemistry, Sustainability and the Agenda 2030 (10 CP)

Complementary modules

  • C1: Society and Responsibility (5 CP)

Masters Thesis

  • Masters Thesis (20 CP)

Theoretical modules

F1: Concepts of Sustainable Chemistry (5 CP)

This module introduces you to the interdisciplinary concept of sustainable chemistry and a holistic perspective of chemistry along the life cycle of chemical products. Topics covered are the interrelation of and difference between sustainable and green chemistry, synthesis and evaluation of its greenness, resources and recycling, benign by design of chemicals and products, service and function of chemicals, alternative business models and international chemicals management.

F2: Environmental Chemistry (5 CP)

In this module you learn about sources, reactions, transport, fate and effects of chemicals in air, soil and water environments and the effect of anthropogenic activities on these processes. The importance of analytical chemistry for environmental chemistry is highlighted.

F3: Toxicology and Ecotoxicology (5 CP)

This module provides an introduction to key principles of toxicology and ecotoxicology. You receive a practical overview of toxicological tests, and learn the procedure of risk assessments and risk-based decision making.

F4: Modelling of Chemical Properties and Fate (5 CP)

You learn the basic principles of chemo-informatics and how to build, validate and apply models for the prediction of chemicals properties and fate. You practice how to apply these models for computational toxicology predictions of new compounds as well as the evaluation of existing compounds and their environmental effects.

F5: Green Chemistry (5 CP)

This module introduces the 12 principles of green chemistry and how to apply them in chemical synthesis. You discuss when and how green chemistry can contribute to improved sustainability.

F6: Sustainable Chemistry and Renewable Energy (5 CP)

You study the materials and processes required for harvest and storage of renewable energy and analyze aspects of resource use and recycling for renewable energy infrastructure.

F7: Benign by Design (5 CP)

In the module benign by design you learn the procedure of de-novo design or redesign of chemical compounds to better comply with sustainability requirements. A benign design may target improved degradability for decreased environmental persistence, increased stability for products that are applied in closed systems, or a reduction of toxicity, improved recycling and improved product performance.

F8: Resources, Recycling and Circular Economy (5 CP)

This module offers insights into the availability and specifics of mineral, biological and fossil resources. You discuss the challenges of current and future use of these resources, their recycling and the establishment of a circular economy with respect to sustainability.

F9 Sustainability Assessment (5 CP)

You learn about different tools for qualitative and quantitative sustainability assessment and practice how to apply them in the context of decision-making and policy development.

F10: Law, International Regulations and Chemicals Management (5 CP)

In this module, you are introduced to chemicals and environment law as well as international conventions and strategies for international chemicals management.

F11: Business Models and Strategies (5 CP)

By viewing chemicals in terms of their function and service, you learn to think critically about alternative ways of securing these functions, including aspects of substitution on one hand, and alternative economic solutions on the other hand.

F12: Project Work Chemistry, Sustainability and the Agenda 2030 (10 CP)

You choose a topic of your interest to integrate your combined knowledge in a project work on sustainable chemistry and reflect implications for the Sustainable Development Goals of the Agenda 2030 and the current debate on sustainable development.

Complementary modules

C1: Society and Responsibility (5 CP)

In this complementary module, you reflect on your personal style of communication, are trained in responsible leadership and learn about sustainability-driven change management in corporations and organizations.

Masters Thesis

Masters Thesis (20 CP)

In your Masters thesis, you investigate current and future contributions of chemistry for sustainability and sustainable development in a topic of your choice. Ideas for topics can stem from any module of the programme, or may be chosen from your individual professional work context. Thesis results are presented and discussed in plenary at the end of the programme. Your final grade is composed of grades for course assignments, your thesis and the final presentation.

Contact & Advising

Coordination

Anastasia Polyzou
Universitätsallee 1, C13.204
21335 Lüneburg
Fon +49.4131.677-4110
anastasia.polyzou@leuphana.de

Director

Prof. Dr. Klaus Kümmerer
Universitätsallee 1, C13.311b
21335 Lüneburg
Fon +49.4131.677-2893
klaus.kuemmerer@leuphana.de

E-mail contact

Please feel free to contact us via schem@leuphana.de.