Molecular Sciences – Spectroscopy and Simulation Ruhr-Universität Bochum

Courses are held in English (100%). An optional preparatory course is offered for non-native speakers. Participants are encouraged to take free German classes at the university language centre.

The iMOS programme is a research-oriented, interdisciplinary Master of Science course in the fields of molecular and physical chemistry, biochemistry, and physics run by the Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry at RUB.

Why iMOS?

• Learn a unique combination of theoretical and practical spectroscopy and molecular simulation techniques
• Research-oriented study course within a national cluster of excellence for solvation science
• Small groups of students (20 max.)
• Integrated research practical in one of our multicultural, interdisciplinary groups
• Two-to-three-month course at international top institute
• Early hands-on experience in high-profile research
• Qualify for your funded doctoral thesis in Germany
• Fast-track option for outstanding students with a Bachelor's degree: choose iMOS as your preparatory study year and co-enrol in the iGSS or GSCB PhD programme.

What skills should you have?

This highly competitive programme relies on your skills in quantum mechanics, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Basic knowledge about concepts of classical mechanics and thermodynamics / statistical mechanics is mandatory. You can already solve problems involving Schrödinger's equation, partial differentiation, and how spectroscopic observables relate to structural and dynamic information of molecular systems, etc.

Many candidates have completed a programme in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Molecular Biophysics, Biotechnology, Mathematics, Physics, Biomedical Engineering, or Applied Mathematics in addition to the prerequisite ECTS credit points in mathematics and chemistry.

We offer:

• Comprehensive international student services before, during, and after the programme
• Many other student benefits and services
• German and English language courses
• Integrated three-month international course
• The possibility to start a PhD programme after completing the Master's degree here or elsewhere
• An active research environment with internationally renowned scientists

15 June for the following winter semester which starts 1 October

This is a faculty admissions process. Please find the application document and FAQs on our website rub.de/imos. International applicants are encouraged to apply early, from December through 15 June.

The deadline is 15 May for Track II iGSS stipend applicants with a top-tier (1.5) grade point average. Please note that when selecting the iMOS preparatory programme, an admission to the iMOS MSc programme is required for the Track II application.

Students in the iMOS programme obtain fundamental and cutting-edge skills in theoretical and spectroscopic techniques. They can then apply molecular (bio) physics / chemistry to research subjects from the nano-regime to macroscopic entities. After successful course completion, they are ready to take on a wide variety of interdisciplinary scientific challenges.

For example, many of our students continue their research in PhD programmes both here and abroad in molecular modelling, laser photonics, ultrafast IR spectroscopy, EPR of biomolecules, and solvation science. The areas of optical and information technologies (e.g. lasers, microscopy, data mining, medical applications) are particularly attractive for iMOS graduates.

The iMOS Curriculum (120 ECTS) includes hands on laboratory practicals within many of the course modules. In total, 120 ECTS credits are necessary to obtain the iMOS Master's degree. ** Three of these seven elective courses are required for graduation.

• First semester modules (28 or 33 ECTS)
  • Dynamics and Simulation (+ Practical)
  • Concepts of Spectroscopy 1 (+ Practical)
  • Concepts of Molecular Chemistry 1
  • Biomolecular Simulation **
  • Biophysical Chemistry 2 **
  • Concepts of Quantum Mechanics **
  • Statistical Physics and Thermodynamics **
• Second semester (28 or 33 ECTS)
  • Electronic and Molecular Structure (+ Practical)
  • Concepts of Spectroscopy 2 (+ Practical)
  • Theoretical Spectroscopy
  • Concepts of Molecular Chemistry 2 **
  • Biophysical Chemistry **
  • Scientific Programming Methods for Chemists **
• Third semester (29 ECTS)
  • Focal Point Practical (hands-on research training in a group of your choice)
  • International Course (three-month internship)
• Fourth semester (30 ECTS)
  • Master's thesis

You may find detailed information on the required, integrated third semester International Course (14 ECTS) on our webpage. Students can join one of our many international university collaborators or create their own study abroad experience, as described by some of our students in blog posts here.

In addition to a ten-week research practical in a local group, the two-to-three-month international module is obligatory. Students are encouraged to apply for financial scholarships for this trip abroad.

No tuition fees

Students have to pay a social contribution fee of approx. 330 EUR per semester, including a semester ticket covering public transport in Germany (https://studium.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/en/re-registration-and-social-contribution).

Minimum of 950 EUR per month to cover personal and living expenses in Germany

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in chemistry, physics, mathematics, biochemistry or related engineering fields
• proof of 10 ECTS credit points in mathematics
• proof of 8 ECTS credit points in theoretical chemistry, and/or spectroscopic techniques and/or quantum mechanics and/or equivalent topics

Applicants must provide proof of their English skills: TOEFL 600 (paper-based), 100 (Internet-based), IELTS 6.0 or equivalent.

Alternatively, written proof that the first degree programme was held 100% in English may be accepted.

15 June for the following winter semester which starts 1 October

This is a faculty admissions process. Please find the application document and FAQs on our website rub.de/imos. International applicants are encouraged to apply early, from December through 15 June.

The deadline is 15 May for Track II iGSS stipend applicants with a top-tier (1.5) grade point average. Please note that when selecting the iMOS preparatory programme, an admission to the iMOS MSc programme is required for the Track II application.

Students with outstanding academic performance who are involved in special social activities can receive 300 EUR per month for a year from the Ruhr-Universität Scholarship Fund “Deutschlandstipendium”: http://www.rub.de/bildungsfonds/info-studierende/en/index_en.html.

International students with good to very good academic performance who need financial support during the final phase of study can receive a graduation grant of 400 EUR per month for four months from the International Office at RUB. Please visit the RUB International Office website for the latest information, https://international.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/en.

Do you have a GPA over 1.5? You may qualify for a stipend! Please contact us for more information.

In the city of Bochum, you can find different types of accommodation. On average, students in Bochum pay approximately 350 to 600 EUR per month for a single apartment, which is below the average rent in Germany. A room in a shared apartment is usually less expensive.

About 5,000 students in Bochum live in multiple student halls close to the campus, which are run by the Akademisches Förderungswerk (AKAFÖ). In the halls, students have their own single room and share a kitchen and bathroom with other students, they rent an apartment with a private bathroom and kitchen, or they share an apartment with one or several flatmates. 

More information on the student halls can be found at https://studium.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/de/wohnen.

In addition, private and church-affiliated student halls accommodate up to 1,000 students: http://www.stuwo.de/wohnheim-region/bochum/.

Students are invited to various Cluster of Excellence RESOLV (Ruhr Explores Solvation) events and seminars. This opportunity provides an entrance to the interdisciplinary research community of solvation science.

Student Services offers various "boot camps" for skills training and job-market preparation, from the start to end of a student's studies. These span from semester-long workshops, writing and peer-support groups to language courses.

Additionally, the university networks with area businesses to support English-speaking graduates entering the local workforce. For more information, please visit mycareer@RUB.

Situated in the centre of the dynamic, hospitable Ruhr metropolis in the heart of Europe, Ruhr-Universität Bochum is one of Germany's largest universities with a student population of over 43,000. Twenty departments offer around 190 study courses covering a broad spectrum of natural and social sciences, economics, medicine, engineering, and humanities on a single campus. With excellence in both research and teaching, Ruhr-Universität Bochum has truly earned its reputation as an innovator. In the 1960s, the university was one of the driving forces behind the Ruhr region's successful industrial transformation from mining and manufacturing to high-tech and services. International research, an interdisciplinary academic approach, and favourable study conditions attract around 4,000 foreign students and some 350 to 400 visiting scholars annually from all around the globe to the university. 

Four reasons to study in Bochum:

• International and multidisciplinary research
• More than 190 innovative degree programmes and a unique range of subject combinations
• Excellent services for international students and researchers
• Located in the heart of the metropolitan Ruhr region in the middle of Europe, with a wealth of cultural and leisure activities available nearby

Bochum, a very lively modern city with around 370,000 inhabitants, is situated in the heart of the Ruhr area, a metropolitan region with a population of around five million, close to the Dutch and Belgian borders. The region has one of the highest concentrations of institutions of higher education and research in Europe as well as a very rich cultural life with many theatres, concert halls, cinemas, and museums. There are also many opportunities to discover the living history of industrial culture in and around Bochum, and there are many places to unwind and relax in the green belts and forests south of the city.