General data
| Name of the master |
Joint Masters in Polymers and Biopolymers
|
Official postgraduate programme (POP)
|
POP in Tecnology
|
| Type |
Academic/mixed
|
Participating universities
|
Technical University of Catalonia, Rovira i Virgili University and University of Girona
|
| Coordinating university |
Technical University of Catalonia  |
| Number of credits |
120
|
Language of instruction
|
Catalan: 50 %
Spanish: 40 %
English: 10 %
|
Study regime
|
Full time
|
| Duration |
Two academic years
|
Start of the course
|
1 October 2007 |
| Method |
Face-to-face
|
Course organised by
|
Years |
| Timetable |
Evenings |
Maximum number of students
|
30 |
| Price |
Subsidised (to give a general idea of what this means, for the 2006-2007 academic year the price has been set at 24-28 € per ECTS credit; in anticipation of approval of a Government of Catalonia decree, expected by June 2007, an approximate increase of between 5% and 7% can be calculated for the 2007-2008 academic year). |

Educational objectives
This masters provides scientific and technological training in the field of polymers and biopolymers for both professionals and researchers. Students acquire the specialisation required to work professionally and employ technological innovation related to the production, transformation and use of polymeric and biopolymeric materials.

Curriculum structure
The programme contains a compulsory part which is common to both tracks. After that the two tracks include compulsory and optional modules. In either case, the compulsory and the optional modules contain 15 ECTS credits each. The number of specific credits of each track is 45.
Compulsory common modules:
I. Fundamentals of chemistry and chemical engineering (30 ECTS credits)
IIA. Fundamentals of polymers (20 ECTS credits).
IIB. Fundamentals of biopolymers (10 ECTS credits)
Specific modules of each track (compulsory):
III-PR. Polymer technology (15 ECTS credits)
IV-PR. Internship in an industrial company (30 ECTS credits)
III-RE. Structural characterisation (15 ECTS credits)
IV-RE. Introduction to research work (30 ECTS credits)
Optional modules of the selected track
IIIA-PR and IIIB-PR. Advanced technologies I and II (15 ECTS, professional orientation)
IIIA-RE and IIIB-RE. Biotechnology and biopolymers I and II (15 ECTS, research orientation)
Optional common modules
IIIA and IIIB. Advanced polymers I and II (15 ECTS credits)
At the UPC, students can complete the entire masters, in either the professional or the research track.
At the URV they can do all of the first, second and fourth semesters. To complete either the professional or the research track, they must do a minimum of 24 ECTS credits of the third semester at the UPC, at the UdG or at both universities.
At the UdG they can do all of the first, second and fourth semesters. In the professional track, they can also do the entire third semester there. To complete the research track, however, they must do at least 15 ECTS credits at the UPC.
Definition of the internship and/or the final research project:
A) Professional profile: internship in an industrial company
A three to five month internship in an industrial company of the sector to carry out work preferably related with R+D activities.
B) Research profile: introduction to research project
Completing experimental or theoretical research work along the lines of the doctoral programme in Polymers and Biopolymers.

Career opportunities
Chief production, transformation, marketing or management technician in any industrial sector that uses polymers or biopolymers as basic materials in their business activities. Scientific and technical positions in the R+D+I departments of these industries.

Admission profile, previous education requirements and admission and selection criteria
Students need previous training in an area of technology or science. Previous professional experience is also important.
Admission requirements:
Current official degrees
Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Engineering, Biotechnology, Pharmacy, other degrees in Sciences, graduates of official degree programmes in other countries (if they are from European Union countries, they must have completed at least 180 ECTS credits).
Selection criteria:
- Priority will be given to students with degrees in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science or Pharmacy in addition to other technical and scientific degrees.
- Standardised grade point average based on the academic record.
- Professional experience or situation.
- Knowledge of languages.
- Previous research and development experience in universities or industries, professional experience, projects and/or minor theses.
» More information: General entrance requeriments

Pre-registration and registration
Pre-registration must be completed online.
First pre-registration period: will begin on 2 April and will run until 1 July 2007
Admission decisions: between 16 and 18 July 2007
If places are still available, a new pre-registration period will be open from 20 July until 19 September 2007.
For information about the registration process, refer to the web page
http://www.upc.es
» More information: Pre-registration and registration

Admission to the Doctoral programme
Students can apply for admission to the doctoral course of any Official Postgraduate Programme (POP, Programes Oficials de Postgrau) at the University of Girona provided they have completed a minimum of 60 ECTS credits in a POP programme or have an official master’s degree and have completed a minimum of 300 ECTS credits in their undergraduate and postgraduate studies at a university or other centre of higher education. The applications will be reviewed by the Doctoral Council of each programme.
» More information: POP doctoral programmes

Contact
Academic staff person in charge:
Pere Mutjé
pere.mutje@udg.edu
Fabiola Vilaseca
fabiola.vilaseca@udg.edu
Telephone: 00 (34) 972 418 438 / 00 (34) 972 419 889

Additional information
Stays abroad
Refer to the UdG External Relations website: http://www.udg.edu/internacional/ 
Grants
Refer to the UdG Research website: http://portalderecerca.udg.edu/ 
