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Life Science and Technology

The Leiden Institute of Chemistry organises two MSc programmes: MSc Life Science & Technology and MSc Chemistry

The Master’s programme Life Science and Technology consists of the following specialisations:

  • Life Science Research and Development

  • Life Science and Education

  • Life Science and Communication and Society

  • Life Science-Based Business Development

Details about their programmes and organisation can be found at:
MSc Programmes at the Leiden Institute of Chemistry

For our current research activities visit: Leiden Institute of Chemistry

For the course schedule visit: MSc schedule Chemistry and Life Science and Technology

Programme structure

MSc Life Science and Technology

All master students must follow a basic theoretical training comprising of at least

  • Academic writing 2 EC

  • Science Methodology 4 EC

  • Core courses 24 EC

  • Research Training

Additional training within the specialisations:

Life Science Research and Development

The research specialisation offers the student the opportunity to spend two full years on training and specialisation to become an independent and creative researcher.

  • Essay and Colloquium 6 EC

  • Research Training Projects 60-80 EC

  • Free Electives 24-4 EC

Life Science and Business Studies

The specialisation Life Science and Business Studies (BS) offers students the possibility to combine Life Science with knowledge, insights and skills in the area of Management, Business and Entrepreneurship.
Students are encouraged to broaden their horizon, to form an opinion on and prepare for a career in industry and to enhance competences for pursuing entrepreneurial business opportunities created in science and research.

  • Research Training Projects 30-50 EC

  • Business Studies Program 40 EC

  • Free Electives 20-0 EC

More information

Life Science and Science Communication and Society

The specialisation Life Science and Science Communication and Society (SCS) offers students the possibility to combine life sciences and science communication. Students are prepared for a career in popularisation of science or for a career as a scientist with a communicating mind-set.

  • Research Training Projects 30-50 EC

  • Science Communication and Society Program 40 EC

  • Free Electives 20-0 EC

More information

Life Science and Education

The specialisation Life Science and Education (EDU) prepares students for a career as chemistry (scheikunde) or biology (biologie) teacher qualified to teach in Dutch secondary education.

  • Research Training Projects 30 EC

  • Education Program 60 EC

More information

Compulsory courses

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2
Academic writing (AWR) 2
Science Methodology (SCM) 4
Research training project 20/60

Life Science Research and Development (compulsory component)

Essay and Colloquium (LST) 6

Core courses MSc LST

The program offers eight core courses organized in two course series: Molecular Sciences and Medical Sciences. Students have to choose at least two courses form each category.

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Four core courses should be chosen: 2 from the Molecular Sciences and 2 from the (Bio)medical Sciences

Molecular Sciences

Molecular Chemistry (MC) 6
Enzyme dynamics: NMR spectroscopy and kinetics (EDNMR) 6
Bionanotechnology (BNT) 6
Chemical Genetics (CG) 6

(Bio)medical Sciences

Genome organization and maintenance in cancer and aging (GCA) 6
Biomedical Informatics (BMI) 6
Global Regulatory Networks in Bacteria (GRNB) 6
In-vivo biomolecular interactions underlying diseases (IBID) 6

Elective courses

  • Dependent on the chosen specialisation a number of elective courses can be selected from the MSc Chemistry and MSc Life Science and Technology programme.

  • For more information visit the programmes website

  • Students may choose core courses as elective courses.

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2
Advanced Medicinal Chemistry (AMC) 6
Bioinorganic Catalysis (BIOC) 6
Biomaterials (BMAT) 6
Chemical Biology (CB) 6
Chemical Immunology (CHI) 6
Chemistry and Physics of Solids (CPS) 6
Computational Drug Discovery and Development (CD3) 6
Cross-domain chromatin organisation (CDC) 4
Density Functional Theory in Practice (DIP) 6
Electrochemistry and Bioelectrochemistry (EBE) 6
Heterogeneous Catalysis (HET) 6
Integrated Cell Biology (ICB) 2
Metals and Life (MAL) 6
Modern Organic Chemistry (MOC) 6
Modern Quantum Chemistry (MQC) 6
Molecular Biology (MB2) 6
Molecules of Life (MOL) 6
Molecular Aspects of RNA Viruses (MRV) 4
Organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis (MHC) 6
Photochemistry (PC) 6
Photosynthesis and Bioenergy (PBE) 6
Quantum Reaction Dynamics (QRD) 6
Reactivity in Organic Chemistry (ROC) 6
Solid State NMR (SSNMR) 6
Spectroscopy (SP) 6
Supramolecular Chemistry (SUP) 6
Surface Science (SUS) 6
Synthetic Organic Chemistry (SOC) 6
Theory of Spectroscopy and Molecular Properties (TSMP) 6

Biennial courses given every second year

Dynamics of Molecule-Surface Reactions (DST) 6
Scientific Computing and Programming (SC) 9