Undergraduate courses Chemistry
This programme is taught in French.
field(s) of training :
Science, Technology, Health
diploma level :
Bachelor's degree (three-year degree)
duration of the program :
3 years
Course overview
What is our world made of? What is matter, and what changes does it go through? Explore these fascinating issues with the bachelor’s programme in Chemistry! With a theoretical and practical programme, you will discover the main branches of this fundamental science.
Physics chemistry, organic chemistry, materials and environment… The bachelor’s in Chemistry is a three-year full-time programme allowing you to improve your scientific knowledge in order to specialise in chemistry.
Highlights
To support you during your studies, the bachelor’s in Chemistry offers two curriculums. The choice of curriculum is determined by your application results.
- “Standard” curriculum, including tutoring in mathematics and physics
- “Adapted” curriculum, allowing you to take 2 years to complete Year 1
- At the beginning of your first Year 1, you will attend tutoring in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry
- During your first Year 1, you will complete 6 course units instead of 10 for the standard curriculum
- During your second Year 1, you will complete the remaining course units
Besides, the Electronics, Electric Energy, Automation provides various resources to support your learning: on the digital learning platform eCampus, you will find quizzes, digital resources, corrected exercises, past exams…
Welcoming international students
Since 2019, the University of Caen Normandy has been awarded the "Bienvenue en France" label by Campus France, highlighting the quality of the university's welcome for international students.
Application requirements
Entry requirements
To enter this bachelor's, you should graduate from a high school diploma with majors in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry.
Applicants must provide:
- Grades in Mathematics and other scientific subjects
- Cover letter and resume
You can also access the bachelor’s if you completed Year 1 or Year 2 of a programme in Health Sciences, Life Sciences, or Life and Earth Sciences, however only if you attended the course units specialised in chemistry.
Language proficiency requirements
Minimum French proficiency level required: C1
Apply and register
The registration process takes place in 3 steps:
Application process
Admission and registration requirements may vary depending on your nationality, country of residence, foreign secondary school leaving certificate, and the nature of your programme of study. Discover how to apply to the University of Caen Normandy.
Course structure
Courses
- Take place on site in the Campus 2 of the University of Caen Normandy
- Amount to 500 hours per year, approximately 20 hours per week, completed by your personal work
Course units
The bachelor’s in Chemistry is part of the Physics, Chemistry, Engineering department. In order for you to acquire a general scientific culture, the bachelor’s in Chemistry shares course units with the bachelor’s in Physics.
The curriculum specialises progressively during 3 years, starting with basics in sciences and moving towards more and more complex issues. This way, you will be able to gain more insight on your professional project, notably thanks to an internship in Year 3.
In Year 1, you will attend courses in:
- Chemistry (organic, inorganic, physics, solution)
- Physics (motion, thermophysics)
- Mathematics applied to chemistry
The curriculum is mostly shared with the Year 1 in Physics, except for a personalised unit to start to specialise your studies either in:
- Physics: light and picture, oscillators and waves (recommended if you wish to specialise in teaching)
- Chemistry: fundamentals and applications (innovations in chemistry, energy and environment, chemistry for better lives)
In Year 2, you will specialise in Chemistry with courses in organic, inorganic, physics chemistry, as well as analysis. Like for Year 1, you will have to choose between two personalised units:
- Physics (field and interaction, oscillators and waves)
- Biology and environment
In Year 3, you will go deeper in chemistry:
- Theoretical chemistry, thermodynamic chemistry, kinetics
- Organic chemistry, chromatography
- Inorganic chemistry
- Electrochemistry and solution chemistry
- Experimental chemistry
And specialise either in:
- Physics (oscillators and waves, fluid physics, optics)
- Chemistry (metallurgy, polymers, processes and complements in experimental chemistry)
Besides, some courses will focus on transferrable skills such as:
- English
- Digital tools
- Methodology
- Professional project
- Hygiene, security, science environment
Internships and placements
The bachelor’s programme includes
- one optional internship (from 1 to 8 weeks) in Year 1 or Year 2
- one compulsory internship (1 month) in the second semester of Year 3
Both internships can be done in a company or a laboratory, in France or abroad. The internship in Year 3 will be can be done during any year of the bachelor’s and will be evaluated through a detailed written report and an oral presentation of this report.
Coursework and assessment
The course lasts 2 years and is divided in 4 semesters, each comprising several courses units. Examinations are held at the end of each semester and are graded on a scale from 0 to 20, 20 being the best grade. Grade compensation is organized without eliminatory marks and on the basis of the general average obtained in every course unit:
- Over each semester
- Over the 2 semesters of the same year
To successfully complete a semester, you must have an average mark of at least 10 points out of 20. If you have not completed your semester, you can retake the courses units you failed; you do not have to retake the courses in which you have obtained at least 10 points out of 20.
Language
French
Study abroad
You wish to go abroad for your studies or an internship? In Year 3 of the bachelor’s programme, you can benefit from the Erasmus+ exchange programme. The University of Caen Normandy has a network of universities in various European countries, such as:
- Northern Ireland (Belfast)
- Poland (Poznan)
- Spain (Zaragoza and Murcia)
- Italy (Milan)
Learning outcome
By the end of this course, you will be able to
- Master necessary theoretical knowledge in general chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry and analytical chemistry
- Implement experimentation in these fields (write a synthesis, use devices, take measurements, analyse data, validate a model)
- Work in autonomy (prioritise, manage your time, assess yourself…) and in team
- Carry out informational intelligence
- Have writing or oral skills in French and in English
Further study
Once you’ve obtained your bachelor’s degree, you can pursue studies in:
- Specialised masters’ in Chemistry, for example, in the University of Caen Normandy:
- Catalysis, Environment and Sustainable Development
- Organic Chemistry and Interfaces
- Industrial Environmental Monitoring
- Specialised masters’ in Material Sciences, such as the Advanced Materials for Energy programme for the University of Caen Normandy
- Engineering schools, such as the ENSICAEN
Or programmes preparing to teaching chemistry or physics.
If you wish to work in chemistry with a bachelor-level, you can enter a professional bachelor’s programme after completing Year 2 or Year 3 of this bachelor’s in Chemistry. The University of Caen Normandy notably offers two programmes:
- Radiation Protection and Nuclear Security
- Pharmaceutics and Cosmetics Industries: Management, Production and Valorisation
Careers
The bachelor’s degree is the first step to pursue careers related to chemistry. According to our last surveys, 8 students out of 10 went further with their studies after graduating from their bachelor’s degree. Hence your career will depend on your specialisation and the diploma you pursue after your bachelor’s.
An expertise in chemistry can open many professional opportunities, especially in industries such as:
- Industrial chemistry
- Analytic chemistry
- Environment chemistry
- Medicinal chemistry
Address
Université de Caen Normandie
UFR des Sciences
Boulevard Maréchal Juin · CS 14032 · 14032 Caen Cedex 5
France
Course leader
formation : Karine Thomas · karine.thomas@unicaen.fr