Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Chemistry and Bioprocess Technology

The Master of Science Bioscience Engineering: Chemistry and Bioprocess Technology aims to offer a broad education in applied chemistry, biochemical and microbial technology and chemical and biochemical engineering techniques. Not only does our programme focus on in-depth fundamental knowledge, but also on industrial production. A bioengineer must be able to understand, quantitatively describe and optimize the processes. The study programme specifically wants to address the social demand for the use of (more) sustainable production processes and clean technologies, based on renewable (instead of fossil) raw materials. Within the programme, special attention is paid to the sustainable processing of biological raw materials into industrial products via chemical, physical or biochemical processes. You will be trained as a multidisciplinary process engineer who thinks independently and acts ethically, who is able to develop new, industrially relevant products and to design, control and optimize efficient and sustainable production processes. In addition to product development, you must be able to guarantee the quality of the product and the production process.

Building on the bachelor’s programme, in which a number of crucial disciplines and engineering-oriented skills for a bioprocess engineer were taught, more production-oriented course units are taught in the first year of the Master’s programme. In the final year, you can acquire specific skills in applied chemistry or biochemical and microbial technology by means of the Master’s dissertation, a possible industrial work placement or via a series of elective course units. The final year attention also focuses on management and quality aspects.

Looking ahead at deployability in various sectors, the study programme aims at a broad fundamental training instead of a narrow specialist one. Sufficient attention is therefore paid to social, ecological and ethical aspects.  

The Faculty of Bioscience Engineering is highly international. As such it is a  hub for coming into contact with students and cultures from all over the world. Additionally, there are several ways to gain experience abroad: you can e.g. participate in an exchange programme during the Master’s programme. A work placement abroad is also one of the possibilities. In addition, you can go abroad for a period of time as part of your Master’s dissertation. For programme-specific information, please visit www.ugent.be/bw/nl/voor-studenten/buitenland.

Our graduates often end up in the chemical industry and the agro-industry, processing biological products or producing substances applicable in the chemical and agro-industrial sector. Possible sectors are: bulk and fine chemicals, industrial biotechnology, agrochemistry, phytopharmaceutical industry and related sectors.
In addition, the combination of biology and technology in the programme ensures that our graduates also find employment in the biomedical and pharmaceutical sector. In those sectors, bioengineers can weigh in on setting out policy lines and/or contribute to the design and optimization of efficient and/or environmentally friendly production processes and technologies. Product development, product launch and quality management are also often part of the job description of a successful bioengineer.

Find out where our graduates work (Dutch only) and take a look at our alumni’s highly diverse profiles.