The Advanced Master in Nanotechnology offers holders of a basic second cycle degree complementary and/or advanced second cycle training in the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. It is intended for, on the one hand, those who do not have any training in this field and who wish to specialise in it, or on the other hand, for those who have already taken an option in this field during their Master’s and who wish to further their training with a specialisation in another area of nanotechnology, e.g. an electrical engineer wanting to further his/her training in nano-biotechnology.
The Advanced Master in Nanotechnology is a program of 60 credits organised around five main areas of specialisation:
- nanophysics: quantum phenomena, molecular transportation, spintronics, simulation, physical characterisations ...
- nanochemistry: synthesis of nanoparticles, chemical and physico-chemical characterisation, quantum chemistry
- nanoelectronics: micro and nanoelectronics, MEMS, NEMS, electronic characterisation ...
- nanomaterials : nanocomposites, nanofils, nanotubes, nanomedicine, biocaptors ...
This program is also intended to train students in the multidisciplinary aspect of nanotechnology. To this end it puts the accent on the different approaches used in these fields : knowledge of basic phenomena at the nano level, nanomanufacturing or the synthesis of nanostructures, the characterisation of nanostructures and the modelling and numeric simulation at the nano level
It also aims to make stuents aware of the impact on society of nanotechnology by way of interdisciplinary seminars on the following themes : ethics, enonomic perspectives, applications of nanotechnology, toxicity of nanomaterials ...
In each of the areas of specialisation, the program involves a minimum of 60 credits. This program comprises :
- a core curriculum of 30 credits consisting of
. a research work (thesis) carried out in a laboratory of one of the six institutions organising the Master’s (27 credits)
. interdisciplinary seminars and an individual assignment (3 credits) : students follow seminars common to the various streams and do an assignment on some interdisciplinary themes such as ethics, enonomic perspectives, applications of nanotechnology, toxicity of nanomaterials ... ; these seminars are organised in turn by the program partners in the form of thematic days ; the interdisciplinary seminars are compulsory for all the streams and involve all the Master’s students.
- specialised training (8 to 15 credits) made up of four basic courses in each of the four disciplines (basic phenomena, nanomanufacturing or nanosynthesis, characterisation of nanostructures and simulation at the nano level) : several basic courses are offered for each of the disciplines, in each of the areas of specialisation, adapted to the previous knowledge of the students ; students will be obliged to choose at least one course in each of the four disciplines
- options in the form of electives (15 to 22 credits)
. in function of their previous studies, students will be able to take general courses (maximum 9 credits), in particular in the chemistry and physics of solids, the chemistry and physics of macromolecules, biochemistry and biophysics ...
. students will specialise in one of the five research or application areas while following specialised courses ; they will devise a multidisciplinary training program in function of the topic of their research work.
Within the area of specialisation, students will, with the assistance of an adviser, devise a coherent program which is adapted to their previous knowledge. With the agreement of their adviser, it is possible to take electives outside the area of specialisation, even out of the Master’s program. If during their previous studies students have already taken a particular course or one deemed equivalent, they cannot include this in their program.
Whatever the area of specialisation, the program will comprise a minimum of 60 credits. It may be raised to 75 credits if intensive upgrading courses are considered necessary by the committee responsible for the program in function of the student’s previous studies (see admission conditions). The program thus constituted will be submitted for approval to the inter-academic committee responsible for the Master’s.
The Advanced Master in Nanotechnology is intended in particular for holders of a degree in civil engineering, bioengineering, a master’s in biology, chemistry, physics, biomedical science or management, wishing to specialise in this field, or advance their training in it. It is characterised by a global approach to the field of nanotechnology, and offers a deliberately multidisciplinary program.
The program is organised conjointly by six universities : FPMs, FUNDP, UCL, ULB, ULg et UMH; the courses are given in these universities. The research work is carried out in one of the laboratories of these universities which is active in the fild of nanotechnology.
These laboratories are members of the Walloon association of nanotechnology (NanoWal). This association also includes research centres and companies active in this field. The students taking the Master’s will also have the opportunity to study and carry out research in a resolutely multidisciplinary environment in laboratories which have a strong tradition of collaboration.
With its training and research components, the Advanced Master in Nanotechnology also prepares students for the PhD program. Most of the teachers involved in the Master’s are members of the thematic doctoral school MAIN (Science et Ingénierie des Matériaux, des Interfaces et des Nanostructures) which can supervise students wishing to do a PhD.
