Chemistry

The bachelor's degree provides an overview of all relevant areas of chemistry. In the subject areas of "inorganic chemistry" and "organic chemistry", for example, these are rules according to which substances react with one another. Knowledge of such reaction mechanisms enables the synthesis of target molecules to be planned. The associated internships provide a feel for the behavior of substances on the one hand and the competence to carry out experiments that are difficult at the end of the course on the other, for example working at very low temperatures or with no air or moisture at all. Successful synthesis also requires extensive knowledge of the possibilities for securing structures, in particular using spectroscopic methods, as well as effective research into the chemical knowledge known worldwide using appropriate databases.

In the subject area of ​​"physical chemistry", knowledge of the behavior of substances is imparted, for example why heat is generated or consumed in a certain process, why a reaction takes place at all and how fast it is. The internships focus on techniques for determining these behaviors and the derivation of corresponding laws. Quantum mechanics ultimately provides the theoretical understanding of chemical bonds.

The knowledge of mathematics and physics required for the course of study and going beyond school knowledge is taught in parallel in the first semesters of study.