CHEMISTRY

The second cycle degree course in Chemistry trains up professionals capable of working in laboratories, corporate structures or private and public organisations, even at a managerial level, in the following fields: (i) innovation in the synthesis of old and new products which meet the criteria of environmental efficiency and sustainability imposed by social awareness and recent strict European guidelines; (ii) use of cutting-edge technology for structural determination of new molecules; (iii) identification and use of the most suitable technologies for analysing the quality and control of processes in the clinical, toxicological, forensic and environmental fields; (iv) familiarity with calculation techniques geared towards resolving structural and mechanistic problems and a statistical approach for handling data and optimising processes.
Great attention is given to the acquisition of “soft skills” through seminars on: 1) protection of intellectual property; 2) teamwork; 3) technical/scientific communication, even in English and with multimedia devices. The specific terminology in a foreign language will be acquired through at least a subject taught in English.
The agreement for the double degree with the University of Cape Town (South Africa) allows students to broaden their international vision through a direct contact with different study and working environments and to widen their working opportunities at a global level. This European and international vision is increased not only for students actively participating in the exchange programme, but also for all the students of the course, as South African students will come to the University of Parma and study there for a long period.

Course Structure. The second cycle degree in Chemistry is structured in 12 course subjects, seven of which form part of a common programme, whilst the remaining subjects are divided into two programmes: these make it possible to acquire particular specialisations and professional skills in the fields of Biomolecular Chemistry and the Chemistry of Materials. The common programme provides knowledge regarding the latest instrumental analytical techniques and the ability to assess their quality parameters critically. It also enables students to plan and execute efficient, environmentally-sustainable synthesis of inorganic, organic and organometallic molecules for a wide variety of applications, as well as theoretical and experimental concepts for analysing the links between properties and structures of molecular and super-molecular systems.
Biomolecular programme: the theoretical/mechanistic foundation that students acquire allows them to grasp the mechanisms governing biologically active molecules, including natural organic substances, those involved in secondary metabolism, pharmaceutical drugs and all substances applied to the agro-chemical, food and health-related sectors, and in producing molecules interacting with cells and biological macro-molecules. Programme on innovative materials and nanotechnologies: the theoretical and mechanistic foundations given to students cover the design, synthesis and characterisation of new molecules with the capacity to organize themselves in such a way as to create materials with interesting and unusual properties, and to develop new theoretical and calculation methods and models for calculating the properties of molecules either isolated, in solution, in aggregates or in a solid state.