The Department of Materials chemistry is responsible for a large part of the chemistry education at Uppsala University. The students entering their studies on the undergraduate level are either within the natural sciences (studying within the fields of chemistry, biology, physics or geology) or aim towards a Master of Chemical Engineering (within two branches, materials or pharmacology). All students of chemistry are taught together during their first year.
The responsibility of the Department of Materials chemistry entails the conception and development of many chemistry courses, very many of the teachers being professors with a solid research background to ensure that scientific as well as industrial aspects are included.Moreover, the responsibility for the whole engineering master program belongs to the department almost from the start of this program. The teachers are active also within courses that are not administered by their own department, for instance also courses by the Department of Technology.
The Department of Materials Chemistry forms the stronghold of inorganic chemistry, with its focus on chemical bonding and structure. As a speciality, the solid state and structure-property relations are emphasized, forming a natural bridge to materials chemistry where also solid polymers are represented within the department (and thus in the curricula).
The advanced courses that are administered by Materials chemistry are mostly inclined towards materials. They therefore contain elements of physics and advanced mathematics but are also to a large part offering the students the possibilities of practical use of synthesis and characterization equipment. The practical work may be supported by calculations, including theoretical modelling, and much of the work at advanced level entails a high degree of organisation by the students themselves.
