Chemistry (Campus Geel)

Biochemistry

Course content
Biochemistry combines chemistry and biology, or life, as it were. Many biochemical processes let our body function the way it should. Many micro organisms ensure biochemical processes in food, including alcohol fermentation and the preparation of bread, cheese and yoghurt. Much modern technology uses micro organisms for preparing medicine. There is also the progress in gene technology, such as the selective integration of properties in the genetic material of plants to avoid illness and the cloning of organisms. Food analysis is a necessary step in the preparation of food and quality control. Thanks to a strict control it is possible to enjoy healthy, unpolluted food on supermarket shelves and on our plates.

Work placement
In the third year, students go on a work placement in the second half of the academic year in a laboratory or a production unit of industry or of a scientific research institution. A work placement abroad is an option as well. The subject of the work placement is a clearly defined lab or production problem. A company project leader and a lecturer supervise your placement activities. The lecturer regularly contacts the placement company to check whether you keep to your planning.

Job opportunities
As a Bachelor in Chemistry, with a specialisation in biochemistry you can work for companies in the biochemistry and food industry sector. Thanks to the thorough knowledge you will acquire in general biochemistry as well as enzymology, immunology, applied microbiology and food chemistry, and technology and analysis, you can work as a biochemist in the agri-food industry, pharmaceutical and cosmetic sector as well as in the biotechnological industry. You can therefore become a laboratory analyst, a research employee, a quality official, a processing or production employee, or a technical commercial employee.

Chemical Process Technology

Course content
In chemical industry, there is a wide gap between engineers and chemistry experts. It arises as a result of increasing automation on the one hand, and increasingly complicated production processes on the other.

That’s why we train graduate chemists with a knowledge of large-scale production methods. Besides a chemical training, the option Processing Techniques offers students a process-oriented training.  Subjects such as Practical Mechanics, Electricity/Electronics, Chemical Processing Technology and Quality Control are essential parts of this training.  You will also learn about mechanical, physical and (bio) chemical unit manufacturing, transport systems for mass and energy, measuring, regulation and protection units and materials.

Work placement
In the third year, students go on a work placement in the second half of the academic year in a laboratory or a production unit of industry or of a scientific research institution. A work placement abroad is an option as well. The subject of the work placement is a clearly defined lab or production problem. A company project leader and a lecturer supervise your placement activities. The lecturer regularly contacts the placement company to check whether you keep to your planning.

Job opportunities

As a bachelor of Chemistry, option Chemical Process Technology, your job is most likely in the chemical processing industry, i.e. in production, although you are also able to work for supply companies and government services.

In the processing industry, you will work as a processing technician who checks up on the production process and optimises it in order for the final products to meet requirements and to minimise environmental pressure. You will work together with information technologists, electronic engineers, mechanics etc., often in a multiple shift system.  As a processing technician, being able to take the right decisions in a calm and controlled way under difficult circumstances is essential.

In development and control labs, you will conduct analyses of raw materials, semi-finished and finished products and you will interpret the results in view of the improvement of production procedures. You are able to assist with processing and product development in the lab and in pilot research: new technologies enable you to develop new procedures, thus improving the final products.

Chemistry

Course content
The option Chemistry intends to give you a wide chemical training without specialisation in any one given discipline. As a graduate of this option, you will be able to develop and execute different chemical and physiochemical analyses and syntheses in the research labs and production supporting labs of various industries and institutions. During the training, the emphasis is on subjects such as analytic, organic and physical chemistry. After a thorough theoretical study, we offer you a wide range of exercises and applications.

Work placement
In the third year, students go on a work placement in the second half of the academic year in a laboratory or a production unit of industry or of a scientific research institution. A work placement abroad is an option as well. The subject of the work placement is a clearly defined lab or production problem. A company project leader and a lecturer supervise your placement activities. The lecturer regularly contacts the placement company to check whether you keep to your planning.

Job opportunities
Bachelors of chemistry, option chemistry are employed in research centres and chemical or chemistry related industries, especially in synthetic production, in the pharmaceutical industry, basic chemicals production and processing, the food, photographic and paint industries, metallurgy and petrol refineries.
In this professional area, there is a wide range of jobs for you:

• As a lab technologist, you are responsible for general chemical analyses, quality control of raw materials and products etc.
• As a research and development assistant, you develop new methods of analysis and synthesis or you take part in processing or product development;
• As a quality services assistant, you conduct on-line measurements, you are in charge of quality coordination or you take part in the validation of methods of analysis;
• As a co-worker in production, you can be appointed a work manager, production coordinator or process operator;
• As a commercial-technical co-worker, you can be in charge of purchasing and forwarding products, technical marketing, etc.

In research centres, you can work in both fundamental and practical scientific research.

Environmental Technology

Course content
Environmental Technology teaches various environmental techniques, besides classical analytic techniques. We move deeper into the sources of pollution, its influence on humans, plants and animals, into pollution measuring and decontamination procedures. Again, multi-disciplinary is the key word: physiochemical and biological environmental studies are interwoven with microbial ecology, ecotoxicology, environmental technology and law.

Work placement
In the third year, students go on a work placement in the second half of the academic year in a laboratory or a production unit of industry or of a scientific research institution. A work placement abroad is an option as well. The subject of the work placement is a clearly defined lab or production problem. A company project leader and a lecturer supervise your placement activities. The lecturer regularly contacts the placement company to check whether you keep to your planning.

Job opportunities
As a bachelor of Chemistry, option Environmental Technology, there are opportunities both in industry and in research centres and government services. The main industrial employers are food, polymer and synthetic industries and the pharmaceutical industry, where you can start working in their environmental departments. In control labs, you are responsible for sampling, analysing and processing measurement data. Quality and environmental controls are also your responsibility, as are environmental audits and environmental effect reports. In research labs, you can be called upon for developing and optimising methods of analysis and decontamination techniques. Environmental biotechnology, too, is a new, booming branch of research, aimed at bio-remedies. On the municipal level, you can apply for a function as an environment official; our training is recognised by AMINAL (the Flemish Ministry’s administration of environment, nature, land and water management).