Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Introduction

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are disciplines at the cutting-edge of scientific knowledge. They combine aspects of basic and applied sciences applied to specific fields, such as biotechnology, medicine, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, physics, materials engineering, sciences and electronic engineering. Nanoscience and nanotechnology are therefore key areas of interdisciplinary research and development, in which activity is increasing across the globe.

The master's degree in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at the University of Barcelona is taught in English and intended for students with an academic background in science.
The aim of the master's degree is to provide students with professional competences in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology, for industry and science. Students must be capable of addressing problems that require interdisciplinary skills. On completion of the master's degree, graduates will be equipped to work on creative tasks in a new scientific or technological environment and form part of interdisciplinary research groups. The compulsory subjects are designed to bolster this interdisciplinarity. The practical component of the optional subjects is very useful for the development of different types of applications for society. Therefore, the focus of the master's degree could be suitable for a career in either the public or private sector.

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are fields whose origin is the interaction between scientific disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biotechnology, medicine and pharmacy, and their relationship with engineering disciplines such as electronic, chemical and materials engineering. Consequently, nanoscience and nanotechnology are interdisciplinary fields, in which new areas of research and development are emerging, with an increasing amount of activity at international level.

The main aim of nanoscience and nanotechnology is to understand and control the fundamental structure of matter at the nanometric scale, and to use this knowledge to design and develop new products and systems that could affect a wide range of areas of special socioeconomic significance, for example:

• Medicine and pharmacy
  
• Food and industrial agriculture
  
• The aerospace industry
  
• Sociotechnological information
  
• Energy
  
• Environmental science
  
  The aim of this master's degree is to train professionals in these fields. Therefore, contributors include speakers, lecturers and researchers from groups that are highly active in nanoscience and nanotechnology at the University of Barcelona and have strong links with other research institutions and companies in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area.
  

  Learning objectives

  The main aim of the master's degree in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology is to develop an understanding of the fundamental structure of matter, in order to control its behaviour at the nanometric scale, and to use this knowledge to design and develop new products and systems that could have a major bearing on a wide range of areas of special socioeconomic significance, for example:
  
  
  • Medicine and pharmacy
    
  • Food and industrial agriculture
    
  • Aerospace industry
    
  • Information technology and communications
    
  • Energy and the environment
  
  
  These are fields in which interdisciplinary postgraduate training is essential, to meet the increasing demand for research and for professionals with experience in nanotechnology.
  
  The aim of the master's degree is to train competent professionals in this field, in industrial and scientific aspects. Therefore, students who join the course should be versatile enough to speak about disciplines as diverse as biology, physics, chemistry or engineering, and must be capable of acting as a link between professionals who work in one of these areas specifically.