Master's Programme in Analytical Chemistry
Looking for Masters Program that prepares you for a great career, either in industry or in academia? Look no further! The Stockholm University Masters Program in Analytical Chemistry teaches you the necessary skills needed to be ready for a career in industry or academia, the choice is yours.
You will learn skills such as GMP, validation, instrumental technology and method development, while at the same time be given access to the latest research conducted at the uni. Read all about it below.
The program is designed to cover all topics an analytical chemist will need during their career. During your studies you will learn all about:
- Separation - by gas and liquid chromatography (GC and LC) as well as capillary electrophoresis (EC)
- Sample prep in different matrix - for air, liquids, solid adn biological samples, you will learn to handle them all
- Quality control - good practice for quantitative analysis, quality control, and method validation.
- Detection - in our labs you will have access to mass spectrometers and and optical detection. And yes, you will learn how to operate the instruments yourself.
- Data science and statistics - to make best use of the data collected.
What happens to our graduate students? We find them in labs in all kinds of industry - pharmaceutical, materials, cosmetics, regulatory laboratories - doping control, environmental monitoring, food safety, at instrument manufacturers as sales and application specialists, at their own companies. Some continue in academia and do a PhD studies. Feedback we get from students tells us that the extensive lab training they get, makes them confident in working in a lab environment, and are ready for the real world when they finish their degree.
We are committed to supporting your career path by arranging seminars and workshops with analytical chemists working in all of these fields.
Analytical chemistry research at MMK comprises development of analytical methods and techniques for qualitative and quantitative determination of organic compounds and biomolecules relevant to human health and the environment, as well as characterization of materials.
The research topics embrace the entire analytical chain, including subjects such as sampling techniques, sample preparation, separation science, mass spectrometry, ionization techniques, as well as detection methods and data processing tools.
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Programme overview
During your first courses you will study separation and quality control. The training is both theoretical and hands-on, and cover gas and liquid chromatography (GC and LC) as well as capillary electrophoresis (CE). In order to analyze samples in different matrix the important topic of sample prep is also covered in depth. You will come in contact with samples from air, liquids, and solids.
We will also give you a good foundation in good analysis practices for quantitative analysis, quality control, and method validation - skills requested by employers. In the lab course the task will be to plan and execute two lab projects - where you will be given tasks to solve with your lab partner(s) under supervision. A first step to make you a proficient in the lab!
Later in the fall it is time for mass spectrometry and optical spectroscopy as detection methods. In mss spectrometry the course covers the fundamentals of the instrumentation – mass analysers, ionization techniques – together with interpretation of the mass spectra. You will be able to gain advanced experiences in mass spectrometry through project work incorporating MALDI, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and nontarget analysis. You will spend time in our course lab and in our MS-facility
During the spring semester, we will work with data science and data analysis for analytical chemistry and see how to make best use of the data collected. The course will cover optimizing methods with design of experiment, cover machine learning models for predict health condition from the data on metabolite concentrations, and implement predicting analytical properties of the chemicals to match the peak detected in LC/HRMS with its structure. Get a peak look into how the methods you will learn can be used to predict toxicity of chemicals here.
In your final mandatory courses - before elective courses and before you settle on the topic for your 45 ECTS thesis - time to get your feet wet in the analysis of biological and environmental samples. These samples may be complicated to analyse, and you will have good use of your previous studies and also have the opportunity explore some of the cutting-edge research questions in the field.
During your years with us we will make sure to support your future career by arranging seminars and workshops with analytical chemists working in the field. We also offer career days, where you can meet future employers and get career counselling.
During your years with us we will make sure to support your future career by arranging seminars and workshops with analytical chemists working in the field. We also offer career days, where you can meet future employers and get career counselling. Many of our students also participate in the SU alumni mentoring program.
Are you interested in what kind of research we do? Have a look at our teachers research!Ioannis Saktidis -Chemical characterization of the organic composition of particles from traffic pollution.
What are you waiting for? Apply now, you won't regret it!
Year 1
A full year of course covering a range of topics such, read more about each course at the course pages:
Advanced Separation Methods (KZ7101), 10 ECTS
Quality Control of the Analytical Process (KZ7102), 5 ECTS
Mass Spectrometry (KZ7103), 10 ECTS
Optical Spectroscopy in Analytical Chemistry (KZ7104), 5 ECTS
Advanced Mass Spectrometry (KZ7105), 5 ECTS
Advanced Data Analysis in Analytical Chemistry (KZ7106), 10 ETCS
Bioanalytical Chemistry (KZ7107), 10 ECTS
Chemical Methods for Environmental Analysis (KZ7108), 5 ECTS
Year 2
The second year consists of elective courses and a degree project (mandatory).
The elective courses can be in a different branch of chemistry. Some of the most important discoveries are happening where multiple disciplines meet, like where analytical chemistry meets biochemistry or materials chemistry.
Independent project
The master's program in analytical chemistry contains an independent project.
In order to start working on your independent project you will have to have passed three of the mandatory courses.
More information about selection of master's thesis project will be provided during the first year and can be found below.
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How to apply
You apply for the program through universityadmissions.se
Selection process
Additional eligibility criteriaRelevance of previous studies in relation to the programme and motivation letter.
As part of the application for our Master's programme you will be asked to provide a motivation letter. The motivation letter is an important selection criteria and must be uploaded together with your application at the university admissions site.
Please answer the follwing questions, and add the document to your application on university admissions. We expect maximum one A4 page in total.
- Your full name
- E-mail address
- The name of the masters programme you are applying to
- Relevant experience, such as research, employment, volunteering that has contributed to experience
- A list of completed courses, including number of credits, which count toward meeting the specific eligibility requirements for the program (please include courses not completed as well).
- What inspired you to apply to this particular program?
- Lab experience
- Why are you a good candidate?
- What do you hope to achieve with your degree?
- What research questions interest you and how do they relate to the ongoing research at Stockholm University?
Upload this letter with your application on to universityadmissions.se
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More information
Useful info
Formalites regarding projecs anchem (119 Kb)
MSc Thesis Template (132 Kb)
MSc Thesis Project Plan Template (15 Kb)
MSc Thesis assessement (247 Kb)
MSc Thesis Preparing for Defense (34 Kb)
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Meet us
Meet our students
Bashar, masters student in Analytical Chemistry
"You will get high-quality education and all kinds of support from teachers and the administration. The most important thing is to make friends and study in groups – then college might as well be the best time of your life."
My name is Bashar Abdelahad and I’m doing my first year at the master program in Analytical Chemistry. I came to Sweden 4,5 years ago but I was born in Syria and did my initial chemistry studies there. I love chemistry, and since chemistry has the same language all over the world I decided to complete my studies at Stockholm University.
I needed one year of study to get my bachelor's degree from Stockholm University. I felt that I needed to understand chemistry more deeply and that's why I continued with the master program. For me, chemistry is a science with no end.
I think the most interesting part of chemistry is biochemistry since you study proteins, DNA and energy processes in our bodies. The best thing about the program is that we spend a lot of time in the lab. At Stockholm university, you will not forget what you have learned because you get the information theoretical and then you apply it practically at the lab. My favourite lab is the analytical one because there we can test different methods to find and analyse compounds. It could be for example the amount of toxic compounds in the water, soil, materials, food, air or organisms.
Chemistry has many branches and at the bachelor level you will learn about all these branches. You will learn how to plan, think logic, solve problems and develop your skills, you will learn, explore and discover things and details which you can't imagine exist. After the bachelor you can choose the branch that you love and move to a more advanced level. I think it’s more fun at this level since it allows you to be more independent at the lab and you can use your knowledge to solve the problems.
Throughout your study at Stockholm University you will get high-quality education and all kinds of support from teachers and the administration. The most important thing is to make friends and study in groups – then college might as well be the best time of your life.
Best of luck!
Bashar
"Kanelbullens dag" properly celebrated in Analytical Chemistry
Kanelbullens dag, or Cinnamon Bun Day for our non-Swedish speakers, happens every day on October 4th. This year the master's students in Analytical Chemistry got some special treatment along with their fika.
The department invited the students to a mingling event where they would also listen to three minute speed-talks by department PIs. All in an effort to get the students to better understand the reserach going on at the department as well as better understand what subject and projects they can choose from for their thesis work next year.
The afternoon also included a surprise pub quizon the chemical to non-chemical topics by second year student Yvonne. Cinnamon buns were of course consumed and the event finsihed with a tour of the labs at the end.
Meet our teachers
Anneli, program responsible and researcher in analytical chemistry
"What makes a good chemistry student? Ability to dream big and be passionate of what you do. As a teacher, I am devoted to opening the magic of chemistry (and data) to the students."
Associate Professor Anneli Kruve is not only responsible for the master's program in analytical chemistry, she is also a researcher, focusing on developing machine learning tools for analytical chemistry.
Hi Anneli, can please tell me a little bit about yourself?
I am an Assistant Professor at Stockholm University in Analytical Chemistry. I am an analytical chemist by training but I also did a degree in computer science. I am very passionate about using chemical data for making data driven decision and using data to make even better analytical chemistry.
In the MSc program in Analytical Chemistry, I am teaching method validation, quantification, chromatography and most of all advanced data handling. I am excited to show how advanced data science tools alongside chemistry can benefit pinpointing hazardous chemicals responsible for the toxicity of wastewater or diagnosing dieses from metabolic profiles.
You are orginally from Estonia, how did you end up at SU?
I joined SU three years ago. I was and still am very drawn to the rich environment at SU. I have found at SU experts in almost anything I could dream about and this has allowed me to build a network of good colleagues. As a student, you will be directly exposed to this very diverse and vibrant environment.What is your position?
I am a group leader and a teacher. My research group is focusing on developing machine learning tools for analytical chemistry. We are especially interested in so called nontarget screening with high-resolution mass spectrometry. In comparison to classical targeted analysis methods that start with an assumption about the presence of specific chemicals in a specific sample, nontarget screening aims to look for all chemicals in the sample of and figure out which of these are most important. For example, what are the most toxic chemicals in wastewater? This is a very hard task, but it needs to be done to understand the chemicals in our environment, food, as well as re- and up-cycled consumer products. Our job is to make this a bit easier by developing tools for identification and quantification of the chemicals detected with nontarget analysis. This task requires a understanding of the analytical processes as well as creativity and passion for data driven solutions.What makes a good chemistry student?
Ability to dream big and be passionate of what you do. Without dreams we will not be able to deliver a better future. After this come ability to focus, work collaboratively, and some background in natural sciences.
What did you learn during your studies that you find valuable today?
Take the most of it. In every sense. It is a time when you can dig deep and wide, fall in love with a topic, disappoint, and find a new interest. It is part of the game. Also, do not forget to enjoy yourself, university will give you friends for life and a network that you can fall back on later in life.Why should anyone study chemistry?
As a first year BSc student in chemistry, I was not sure if I should continue in chemistry or switch to IT, which was one of my compulsory courses. However, I did not switch. I started working with chromatography in a biomedicine lab as an undergraduate and slowly moved towards using mass spectrometry as a detector. Soon the magical word of mass spectrometry rolled out in front of me. I was immediately fascinated by the magic still surrounding the ionization techniques. This allowed me to combine my passion for chemistry and data-driven thinking. My research would not be possible if I did not understand the chemistry behind the processes we are modelling. Chemistry really gives you an angle to work in any field you are interested in, be that medicine, food, environment, recycling, energy, or IT.What motivates you in your role/what are your driving forces?
As a researcher I am driven by finding out new things and enabling the unthinkable. As a teacher, I am devoted to opening the magic of chemistry (and data) to the students.In what way do you believe chemistry can help build a more sustainable future?
At the end of the day, it all boils down to chemistry. What happens to the materials during recycling? What is released to the environment and what is retained in the products? Why do some materials lose its durability? What is the most valuable product that we can “make” of waste? Can sewage produce energy? Behind all these questions are chemical reactions and processes, and accounting for these is essential in moving towards sustainable future.
Meet our researchers
Meet Louise, PhD Student in Analytical Chemistry
"Not only is chemistry fun to study, it also increases your understanding of the world and how it works, and in addition it gives you good opportunities to find a job."
Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
My name is Louise, I am from Stockholm and have lived here most of my life. After high school, I worked for one year before starting studying welding. Then I worked as a welder for five years, before realising that this was not what I wanted to do with my life. After taking a scientific base year at komvux in order to be able to study meteorology, I found out I really liked chemistry, and now I am doing my PhD in the field of analytical chemistry.How did you end up at SU?
Since I live in Stockholm, and I don’t want to move away from family and friends, Stockholm University was an easy choice for me for my bachelor studies. Then I really liked it here, so I continued with my master studies (in analytical chemistry) here and now I’m doing my PhD here too. What I liked with the chemistry studies here at SU is that there is so much practical work in the laboratory, and not just theory. I also like that you get the opportunity to use some advanced instruments during the masters and diploma work.What is your position?
Currently, I am a PhD student in Anneli Kruve’s group, but I’ve been a student at SU for a little over five years already as I took my BSc and MSc here.What do you think makes a good chemistry student?
A good chemistry student is someone who is curious to understand how the nature works, but also patient and meticulous in their work. Especially in analytical chemistry, analyses can take some time so you need to be patient and plan your work. After analysis, there is also a lot of work with the data, which also requires patience and an eye for details.Not only is chemistry fun to study, it also increases your understanding of the world and how it works, and in addition it gives you good opportunities to find a job.
Why should anyone study chemistry?
Not only is chemistry fun to study, it also increases your understanding of the world and how it works, and in addition it gives you good opportunities to find a job.In what way do you believe chemistry can help build a more sustainable future?
We are all, whether we like it or not, very dependent of chemistry. I know many people think about chemistry as some dirty business that rather destroys nature than helps making it better. This is understandable, but chemistry also makes our life much easier and helps building a more sustainable future. For example, by making sustainable materials, research on energy storage, etc. My research focuses on quantification of contaminants without their analytical standards, which can aid in regulations of hazardous contaminants in the environment.
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Career opportunities
The career prospects for someone with master’s in analytical chemistry are extremely good. The degree is very flexible and can be used in many fields including healthcare, environmental monitoring, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and more.
For the last ten years graduates of this programme have found full employment upon graduation.
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Contact
Program coordinatorAnneli KruveAssociate professor
Chemistry Section & Student Affairs Office- Visiting address
Arrhenius laboratory, room M345
Svante Arrhenius väg 16 A-D
- Here you will find:
Student administrator
International coordinator
Study advisor
Director of studies
- Office hours
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 09.00-11.30 and 12.30-15.00
- Phone hours
Wednesday 10.00-11.30 and 12.30-15.00