Master of Science (MSc) in Engineering (Sustainable Biotechnology) 2019

1: Preface

Pursuant to consolidation Act 172 of February 27, 2018 on Universities (the University Act) with subsequent changes, the following curriculum is established. The programme also follows the Joint Programme Regulations and the Examination Policies and Procedures for The Faculty.

2: Basis in Ministerial orders

The Master’s programme is organised in accordance with the Ministry of Higher Education and Science’s Order no. 1328 of November 15, 2016 on Bachelor’s and Master’s Programmes at Universities (the Ministerial Order of the Study Programmes) with subsequent changes and Ministerial Order no. 1062 of June 30, 2016 on University Examinations (the Examination Order) with subsequent changes. Further reference is made to Ministerial Order no. 106 of February 12, 2018 (the Admission Order) and Ministerial Order no. 114 of February 3, 2015 (the Grading Scale Order).

3: Campus

The programme is offered in Copenhagen.

4: Faculty affiliation

The Master’s programme falls under The Faculty of Engineering and Science, Aalborg University.

5: Study board affiliation

The Master’s programme falls under Study Board of Chemistry and Bioscience

6: Affiliation to corps of external examiners

The Master’s programme is associated with the external examiners corps on: Ingeniøruddannelsernes landsdækkende censorkorps – kemi.

7: Admission requirements

Applicants with a legal right of admission (retskrav)

• Bachelor in Sustainable Biotechnology, Aalborg University

Applicants without legal right of admission

• Bachelor in Biotechnology, Aalborg University

8: The programme title in Danish and English

The Master’s programme entitles the graduate to the Danish designation Civilingeniør, cand.polyt. i bæredygtig bioteknologi. The English designation is: Master of Science (MSc) in Engineering (Sustainable Biotechnology).

9: Programme specifications in ECTS credits

The Master’s programme is a 2-year, research-based, full-time study programme. The programme constitutes a total of 120 ECTS credits.

10: Rules concerning credit transfer (merit), including the possibility for choice of modules that are part of another programme at a university in Denmark or abroad

The Study Board can approve successfully completed (passed) programme elements from other Master’s programmes in lieu of programme elements in this programme (credit transfer). The Study Board can also approve successfully completed (passed) programme elements from another Danish programme or a programme outside of Denmark at the same level in lieu of programme elements within this curriculum. Decisions on credit transfer are made by the Study Board based on an academic assessment. See the Joint Programme Regulations for the rules on credit transfer.

11: Exemptions

In exceptional circumstances, the Study Board study can grant exemption from those parts of the curriculum that are not stipulated by law or ministerial order.  Exemption regarding an examination applies to the immediate examination.

12: Rules for examinations

The rules for examinations are stated in the Examination Policies and Procedures - published at this website: https://www.studieservice.aau.dk/Studielegalitet/

13: Rules concerning written work, including the Master’s Thesis

In the assessment of all written work, regardless of the language it is written in, weight is also given to the student's formulation and spelling ability, in addition to the academic content. Orthographic and grammatical correctness as well as stylistic proficiency are taken as a basis for the evaluation of language performance. Language performance must always be included as an independent dimension of the total evaluation. However, no examination can be assessed as ‘Pass’ on the basis of good language performance alone; similarly, an examination normally cannot be assessed as ‘Fail’ on the basis of poor language performance alone.

The Study Board can grant exemption from this in special cases (e.g., dyslexia or a native language other than Danish).

The Master’s Thesis must include an English summary (or another foreign language: French, Spanish or German upon approval by the Study Board). If the project is written in English, the summary must be in Danish (The Study Board can grant exemption from this). The summary must be at least 1 page and not more than 2 pages (this is not included in any fixed minimum and maximum number of pages per student). The summary is included in the evaluation of the project as a whole.

14: Requirements regarding the reading of texts in a foreign language

It is assumed that the student can read academic texts in his or her native language as well as in English and use reference works etc. in other European languages.

15: Competence profile on the diploma

The following competence profile will appear on the diploma:

A Candidatus graduate has the following competency profile:

A Candidatus graduate has competencies that have been acquired via a course of study that has taken place in a research environment.

A Candidatus graduate is qualified for employment on the labour market based on his or her academic discipline as well as for further research (PhD programmes). A Candidatus graduate has, compared to a Bachelor, developed his or her academic knowledge and independence so as to be able to apply scientific theory and method on an independent basis within both an academic and a professional context.

16: Competence profile of the programme

The graduate of the Master’s programme

Knowledge

• Has knowledge within sustainable biotechnology on the use of state of the art biotechnological techniques and methods for process development and exploitation of renewable sustainable resources as replacement for fossil resources and mitigation of green-house gases
• Understand and reflect, on a scientific basis, over the knowledge associated with general biotechnology, microbiological production, sustainability, biomass conversion processes, biorefineries, production of biomaterials, biochemicals and bioactive compounds, and be able to identify scientific problems related to these areas

Skills

• Can master the scientific methods and tools of the above-mentioned areas and master the general skills that are tied to work within sustainable biotechnology
• Are able to evaluate and select among the scientific theories, methods, tools and general skills of sustainable biotechnology, and set up new analysis and solution models, on a scientific basis
• Can communicate research based knowledge and discuss professional and scientific problems with both peers and non-specialists

Competencies

• Can develop and design biotechnological processes and biorefineries for the sustainable conversion of biomass into valuable products and work with complex, unpredictable and new solutions
• Can independently initiate and carry out discipline specific and cross-disciplinary cooperation and to assume professional responsibility within the area of sustainable biotechnology
• Can independently take responsibility for own professional development and specialization

17: Structure and Contents of the programme

The program is structured in modules and organized as a problem-based study. A module is a program element or a group of program elements, which aim to give students a set of professional skills within a fixed time frame specified in ECTS credits, and concluding with one or more examinations within specific exam periods. Examinations are defined in the curriculum.

The program is based on a combination of academic, problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approaches and organized based on the following work and evaluation methods that combine skills and reflection:

• Lectures
• Classroom instruction
• Project work
• Workshops
• Exercises (individually and in groups)
• Teacher feedback

18: Overview of the programme

All modules are assessed through individual grading according to the 7-point scale or  Pass/Fail. All modules are assessed by external examination (external grading) or internal examination (internal grading or by assessment by the supervisor only).

Elective Courses

On 3  - 4 semester option A or B is chosen

19: Additional information

More detailed information about the programme, including exams and literature, is published on Moodle (learning management system).

All students who have not participated in Aalborg University’s PBL introductory course during their Bachelor’s degree must attend the introductory course “Problem-based Learning and Project Management”. The introductory course must be approved before the student can participate in the project exam. For further information, please see the course description

20: Commencement and transitional rules

The curriculum is approved by the dean and enters into force as of 2019.

The Study Board does not offer teaching after the previous curriculum from 2017 after the summer examination 2020.

21: Amendments to the curriculum and regulations

Changes to the curriculum in 2019:

• The 2nd semester course Anaerobic and fungal biotechnology has been replaced by the course Sustainable biotechnological companies - from innovation to industry.