Curriculum for the Bachelor's Programme in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, 2022

1: Preface

Pursuant to consolidation Act 778 of August 7, 2019 on Universities (the University Act), the following is established.

The programme also follows the Examination Policies and Procedures incl. the Joint Programme Regulations for Aalborg University.

2: Basis in Ministerial orders

The Bachelor’s programme is organised in accordance with the Ministry of Higher Education and Science’s Order no. 2285 of December 1, 2021 on Full-time University Programmes (the University Programme Order) and Ministerial Order no. 2271 of December 1, 2021 on University Examinations (the Examination Order). Further reference is made to Ministerial Order no. 104 of January 24, 2021 (the Admission Order) and Ministerial Order no. 114 of February 3, 2015 (the Grading Scale Order).

3: Campus

The programme is offered in Esbjerg.

4: Faculty affiliation

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

5: Study board affiliation

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

6: Affiliation to corps of external examiners

The Bachelor’s programme is associated with the external examiners corps: Nationwide engineering examiners/Chemistry.

7: Admission requirements

Admission requires an upper secondary education.

According to the Admission Order, the programme’s specific entry requirements are:

• Mathematics A (Mathematics A with a minimum grade of 4.0)
• English B

And one of the following combinations: 

• Physics B and Chemistry B
• Physics B and Biotechnology A
• Geoscience A and Chemistry B

8: The programme title in Danish and English

The Bachelor’s programme entitles the graduate to the Danish designation Bachelor (BSc) i teknisk videnskab (kemi og bioteknologi). The English designation is: Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Engineering (Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology).

9: Programme specifications in ECTS credits

The Bachelor’s programme is a 3-year, research-based, full-time study programme. The programme is set to 180 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 that passed programme elements from other educational programmes at the same level replaces programme elements within this programme (credit transfer).

Furthermore, the Study Board can, upon application, approve that parts of this programme is completed at another university or a further education institution in Denmark or abroad (pre-approval of credit transfer).

The Study Board’s decisions regarding credit transfer are based on an academic assessment.

11: Exemptions

The Study Board’s possibilities to grant exemption, including exemption to further examination attempts and special examination conditions, are stated in the Examination Policies and Procedures published at this website: https://www.studyservice.aau.dk/rules

12: Rules for examinations

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

13: Rules concerning written work, including the Bachelor’s project

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 Bachelor’s project must include an English summary. If the project is written in English, the summary can be in Danish. 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 English and use reference works, etc., in English and other European languages.

15: Competence profile on the diploma

The following competence profile will appear on the diploma:

A graduate of the Bachelor's programme has competencies acquired through an educational programme that has taken place in a research environment.

A graduate of the Bachelor's programme has fundamental knowledge of and insight into his/her subject's methods and scientific foundation. These properties qualify the graduate of the Bachelor’s programme for further education in a relevant Master’s programme as well as for employment on the basis of the educational programme

16: Competence profile of the programme

The Bachelor

Knowledge

• Has research-based knowledge about theory, method and practice within following natural and engineering fields: Chemistry, biology, physics, material science, mathematics and statistics
• Analytical chemistry, instrumental methods, experimental design, data collection and method validation
• Process engineering, including chemical reaction engineering, chemical unit operations, construction materials, process control, instrumentation and safety
• Can understand and reflect on theory, method and practice within the scientific fields mentioned above and put them in a social context

Skills

• Can apply the problem-based approach to analyze complex issues, identify problems and define requirements for solutions
• Can describe processes and systems using process diagrams and also draw up and solve balance equations for this
• Can perform chemical, microbiological, material related and process engineering experiments in the laboratory in accordance with the laboratory safety regulations
• Can select and apply appropriate analytical methods for qualitative or quantitative analysis of composition of different products and for the purposes of process control
• Can apply statistical tools to develop experimental designs, process data and validate analytical methods
• Can develop mathematical models for chemical and biochemical reactions and processes, and design ideal reactors and simple unit operations
• Can select appropriate process equipment, construction materials, safety regulations, and approach for regulation and instrumentation (including data acquisition equipment) for a given process
• Can evaluate theoretical and practical problems associated with development, production and analysis of chemical and biotechnological products, and also reason for relevant solutions
• Can communicate chemical, biochemical, and process-technical problems and solutions to both peers and non-specialists, including collaborative partners and users, both through discussion, as well as written and oral reports

Competencies

• Can handle complex and development-oriented situations in a study or work context
• Can independently be part of discipline-specific and interdisciplinary cooperation with a professional approach
• Can identify own learning needs and structure own learning in different learning environments
• A bachelor in Chemistry and Biotechnology can analyze, identify and formulate relevant problems and subsequently work problem-oriented on understanding and finding solutions both individually and in collaboration with other professionals.
• A bachelor in Chemistry and Biotechnology can use digital solutions for data collection and storage, statistical data analysis, data visualization, modeling and simulation, for presentation of theories, hypotheses and results in writing as well as orally, as well as for organizing and implementing collaboration in project groups and with external partners.
• A bachelor Chemistry and Biotechnology can perform digital search of relevant literature and knowledge in databases as well as assess the validity of digital sources and use digital platforms for self-study and knowledge sharing.

17: Structure and Contents of the programme

The programme is structured in modules and organised as a problem-based study. A module is a programme element or a group of programme elements, which aims 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. The examinations are defined in the curriculum.

The programme is based on a combination of academic, problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approaches and organised 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

Rules concerning the progress of the Bachelor's programme
The student must participate in all first year examinations by the end of the first year of study in the Bachelor's programme, in order to be able to continue the programme. The first year of study must be passed by the end of the second year of study, in order that the student can continue his/her Bachelor's programme.
In special cases, however, there may be exemptions from the above.

AAU Micro
AAU Micro are small e-learning modules of limited, well-defined scope. AAU Micro modules are extra-curricular but may be employed to support learning in curricular course and project modules.  

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 assessment by the supervisor only).

All modules in the Bachelor’s degree programme are taught in English.

Knowledge and Scientific Method

Theory of science and scientific method are taught in the course module Problem-based learning at 1st semester and are included as basic elements in the project modules on Semester 1-6.

Elective Courses

The Bachelor's program provides students with freedom of choice for individual profiling of their education. This freedom is achieved by the fact that both on 4th semester and 5th semester, there is an optional choice between several project modules. Also the bachelor's project provides opportunity to work on different subjects.

Commencement of Studies Exam
Studiestartsprøve

The commencement of studies exam does not yield ECTS credits and will not appear on the diploma.

Objective: The purpose of the commencement of studies exam is to ascertain whether students have actually commenced their studies. The students must participate in and pass the commencement of studies exam in order to continue their studies. If the students do not participate in or pass the commencement of studies exam or re-exam, the students’ enrollment at their studies will be terminated immediately after the re-exam.

 The commencement of studies exam will be held within the first weeks of the 1^st semester.

Content: The commencement of studies exam is based on the introduction course and contains for instance general questions about the students’ expectations and motivation for their choice of studies.

Re-exam: There will be only one commencement of studies re-exam. If the students do not participate in or do not pass the commencement of studies exam or re-exam, the students’ studies will be terminated before October 1^st. The Study Board can grant exemption from the rules regarding the commencement of studies exam if there are unusual circumstances.

Examination format: Written exam

Assessment: Internal assessment. The students receive the assessment “Approved” or “Not approved” based on their answers to the written exam. The students receive the assessment “Approved” when the written exam is answered and handed in.

Appeal: The students can complain about the commencement of studies exam to the University. The complaint must be submitted to the University within two weeks from the result of the commencement of studies exam is announced. If the University rejects the complaint, the decision may be appealed to the Danish Agency of Science and Higher Education, if the appeal concerns legal issues.

19: Additional information

20: Commencement and transitional rules

The curriculum is approved by the dean and enters into force as of September 1, 2022.

The Study Board does not offer teaching after the previous curriculum from 2020 after the summer examination 2024.

The Study Board will offer examinations after the previous curriculum, if there are students who have used examination attempts in a module without passing. The number of examination attempts follows the rules in the Examination Order.

21: Amendments to the curriculum and regulations

On November 14, 2022, the Vice-Dean of Education has approved, that the assessment method has changed to "written or oral exam" in the following modules:

• Design of Experiments
• Process Control, Instrumentation and Safety
• Methods in Quantitative Chemical Analysis

The amendment is valid from spring 2023.

The Vice-dean has on November 24, 2023, approved an addition of Micro Modules in section 17, valid as of spring 2024.