European Master - Theoretical Chemistry and Computational Modelling (EMTCCM)

The TCCM master will teach you the fundamental of Quantum Chemistry, which is at the core of most accurate techniques in Theoretical Chemistry, but will also provide you with the necessary skills to use and modify the most advanced software codes used to perform simulations of real systems. You will also learn to simulate complex systems by combining techniques based on Quantum Mechanics with classical Molecular Dynamics techniques.

• The first year - It will be taken at the student’s home Institution, and will be devoted to providing the student with a background in Theoretical Chemistry and Computational Modelling as well as in advanced aspects within the different areas of Chemistry. In the first year the student must attend courses and pass related exams for 60 ECTS credits. These courses will provide the student with the background necessary to follow the second year of the Master, which has a marked International research character.
• The second year - It is mostly international, is devoted to courses and research activity in advanced aspects of Theoretical Chemistry and Computational Modelling as well as in their applications to the most important fields of modern Chemistry, Material Science and Biology. For this purpose all students will take, compulsorily, a four-week Intensive Course that will be followed by 10 weeks of tutorial work in the home Institution up to complete 30 ECTS credits. The second part of M2 will be devoted to an introduction to research, equivalent to 30 ECTS credits. Part of this research activity has to be carried out abroad, in a host Institution of the Consortium of a country different from that of the home Institution. For this purpose, each student will undertake a research project, under the supervision of a local Tutor, and in close collaboration with his tutor at the host Institution.

BUILDING THE FUTURE

The Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) in Theoretical Chemistry and Computational Modelling (TCCM) is a high-level integrated international study programme that has been designed by a large international consortium of 9 degree-awarding universities from 5 EU countries: Autonomous University of Madrid , University of Barcelona , Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium), University of Groningen (Netherlands), University  Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier (France), University of Perugia, Sorbonne University, University of Trieste and University of Valencia , in order to provide a common and integrated degree in a discipline that has a multidisciplinary character (molecular biology, biochemistry, material science, chemical kinetics, spectroscopy, astrochemistry or environmental chemistry).

Teaching will be delivered in English by world academic leaders with fundamental expertise in theoretical methods and their applications. All partners share the responsibility of teaching in these courses, including staff from companies, associated partners and invited scholars from Universities outside the consortium. Students will also integrate in the local research groups and will benefit from interaction with scientist working in top-rated educational establishments as well as, supercomputing centers and industrial companies. This multidisciplinary and intercultural approach will deliver Master graduates that have a true international background and are prepared for an international workforce.

The Consortium

The Consortium is composed by the 9 degree-awarding universities (Partners) and the 32 Institutions / Computational Centres / Companies participating in the programme (Associated Partners) given a total of 41 participating Institutions.

 Partners

• Autonomous University of Madrid (Coordinator).
• University  Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier (Co-Coordinator).
• University of Barcelona.

• Catholic University of Leuven.

• University of Groningen.

• University of Perugia.

• Sorbonne University.

• University of Trieste.

• University of Valencia

The Program

TCCM is a two-year master (referred as M1 and M2 respectively) of 120 ECTS. M1 is mostly delivered at the local level, the syllabus to be implemented in each university has been agreed among all degree-awarding universities to ensure common contents, within the restrictions imposed by national regulations or by the need to adapt the plan to the level of local students. It covers the fundamental aspects: theoretical methodologies, computational techniques and main applications.At the very beginning of the M1 and integration activity will take place very year to ensure a sense of community among our students. It will allow all the M1 students from the TCCM Master (Master regardless of their country of choice for M1) to meet each other and feel part of a joint journey.

The courses in M2 include a compulsory part and several elective subjects to cover the different fields of applications. All M2 courses will be common and offered during the first semester of the second year to all master’s students. They have been designed to promote mobility and will be held in different countries, but allowing that at least 30 ECTS are completed in one single country. During the second semester of M2 all students will do their Master thesis in collaboration between two groups from different partners and different countries, to enhance collaboration an integration among research groups and to ensure that students learn at least two complementary techniques. In the Master thesis students will spend a minimum of three months in a country different from the University in which they are registered, thereby also addressing the EMJMD objective of “promoting linguistic diversity and intercultural awareness”.

This scheme will ensure that all students take long periods in at least two different countries and can do the required compulsory mobility of 30 ECTS in a second country in any of the two semesters of the second year, or in both having extra mobility periods adding up to more than 30 ECTS.