This master’s programme offers two honours programmes: the Debye honours programme of 135 EC and the Double Degree honours programme Nanomaterials: Chemistry & Physics 180 EC, the latter leading to two degrees in Physics and in Chemical Sciences.
Structure of the Honours Programmes of Nanomaterials Science
1. Debye Honours Programme (135 EC)
The Debye honours programme builds on top of the regular Nanomaterials Science programme, and is aimed at the top 10-20% of students in the programme. The honours programme is selective and extends the normal 120 EC to 135 EC.
Honours students take one additional course of 7.5 EC showing their interdisciplinary affinity with other science fields and execute an internship abroad at an outstanding research laboratory.
Research part (60 EC)
52.5 EC of the research will be devoted to a research project including the master’s thesis, as in the regular programme. However, in order to obtain the honours degree the student will additionally be involved in one of the two following options:
- PhD proposal: 7.5 EC can be spent on writing a PhD proposal of a topic to be freely chosen by the honours student. Supervision and coaching will be provided by two senior staff members who should be from different groups. This proposal is eligible to compete in the Debye Graduate Program.
- Research paper: Alternatively, 7.5 EC can be spent on writing a research paper as a first author for an international peer-reviewed journal using the results of the master research project or the internship project, that should be ready up for submission. Supervision and coaching will be provided to guide the student through this process.
Active participation in a conference/symposium will be encouraged if conference dates correspond to the period in which the research project is performed and the results are ready to be presented.
2. Double degree honours programme Nanomaterials (180 EC)
To be eligible to this honours programme, the student must be admitted and has to be currently registered for the degree in Physics and Chemical Sciences.
The application will be reviewed by a selection committee, consisting of representatives of the Debye Institute of Nanomaterials Science. The selection committee will base its final decision on previous study results (top 10-20% of the BSc population), master results (grade average of the obtained results is minimal 8) of the first term, motivation and the CV of the applicant. If the student meets all the selection criteria, the conditional admission to this programme will lead to a definite admission in February at the latest, following the September start, and July for students entering the programme in February. Please contact the Programme Coordinator, Dr. Annik van Keer, to apply for this programme.
The following Honours Programmes are available for all students of the Graduate School of Natural Sciences:
Are you interested in more than just one of our Master’s programme? Do you want to look across the boundary of your programme and combine it with another? Are you an excellent student and looking for an extra challenge? In this Honours programme you effectively take two Master’s programmes at the same time.
two degrees
Students who finish the Honours programme obtain two separate degrees, i.e. one diploma for each Master’s programme. By combining research projects the total study load is 180 EC. Usually, the double Master’s programme can be finished in three years or less. The Board of Examiners of both Master's programmes have to approve with the proposed Honours programme.
This programme is highly selective and only the very best students, with proven excellent academic records, are admitted. Typically, you need to be in the top 10% of your class and have completed your Bachelor's degree without delay.
Information and signing up
To be admitted to this Honours programme, please contact the programme coordinator of one of the two Master’s programmes involved. Your application will then be considered by the programme leaders of both Master’s programmes. You also need to be enrolled in both the participating Master’s programmes. For Dutch or EU/EER-students there is no additional tuition fee.
For more information, please consult the OER or contact one the Master’s programme coordinators (see: contact).
The Honours programme Quantative Biology offers students extra challenge in the field of Quantative Biology and Computational Life Sciences.
Especially for ambitious master students who want to employ their creative abilities in complex national and international social issues, Utrecht University offers a 15 EC honours programme: the Young Innovators. You can take part in this programme alongside every Utrecht University master’s programme, but there is a selection procedure.
Along with students from other disciplines, you will consider innovative and sustainable solutions for issues from the following themes:
- Sustainable innovations for the theme of health
- Sustainable innovations for the theme of economics
- Sustainable innovations for the theme of urbanisation
Information and signing up
Do you want to know more about the programme and entrance requirements? Full information about Young Innovators can be found on the prospective master’s website.
Master students looking for an intellectual challenge can participate in a new, extracurricular honours programme called Graduate Honours Interdisciplinary Seminars (GHIS). These seminars can be attended next to any master programme of Utrecht University.