Food Chemistry Staatsexamen, SE.

Course Overview

Food chemistry is a central scientific discipline in the field of food and nutritional science and plays a significant role in modern consumer protection. In the Food Chemistry Staatsexamen (state exam) program, you study the development of analytical methods used to assess the authenticity of food and to identify substances dangerous to our health. You also study and conduct biochemical evaluations of food ingredients, nutritional supplements, and functional foodstuffs. You acquire a thorough knowledge of the properties, composition, and transformation of food. You also gain a comprehensive understanding of the chemical and biochemical reactions of food ingredients during processing and of how to assess their physiological effects. During the practical year you work in the area of official food control, learning the legal foundations for assessing food and quality assurance methods used in labs and operations. As for every other undergraduate degree program at TU Berlin, applicants must possess a university entrance qualification certificate to apply. If you do not have a formal university entrance qualification, you may still be able to study at TU Berlin if you can provide proof of certain professional qualifications. The Food Chemistry Staatsexamen program is taught in German. If you are applying with a foreign school-leaving certificate, you must provide proof of German skills at a specific level. This is a prerequisite for admission. Knowledge of English is useful as some courses/modules are offered in English. However, it is not a condition for admission to studies. As food chemistry is a special field of chemistry, it is advantageous if you have an interest in natural science and a fundamental understanding of the discipline. It is particularly useful if you took advanced courses in subjects like chemistry, biology, or physics in school. To become a state certified food chemist, you must first study food chemistry and pass the Staatsexamen. You then complete a practical year and take a three-part test. TU Berlin offers a 10-semester program hosted by the Institute of Chemistry (1st - 4th semester) and two academic chairs for food chemistry (5th - 10th semester). The first four semesters very closely reflect the content of the chemistry study program and include lectures, tutorials, and labs in inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry as well as physics and mathematics. Students also take courses in general biology and legal studies specific for natural scientists. The second exam component encompasses the fields of chemistry and analysis; the biochemistry and toxicology of food, drinking water, tobacco products, cosmetics, and consumer goods; as well food hygiene and food technology. Lectures in food law complete the course offerings. The focus of the fifth semester is on teaching and training students in the analytical methods of complex material systems as well as tracking changes resulting from chemical and biochemical processes. Students write a scientific final thesis in their last semester. The practical year (11th - 12th semester) is defined by practical training in official food control, for example in the Berlin-Brandenburg State Lab or a comparable institution. During this time students learn the basic principles for the legal control of food and consumer goods. There is a proposed course schedule for the degree program. This is a recommendation for how to complete the degree program within the standard period of study of nine to ten semesters. It provides an example of which modules to take in which semesters. While this proposed course schedule is ideal on paper, it is not mandatory. Its simply an example of how to successfully schedule and shape your studies. The Ordinance on Training and Examination for a State-Certified Food Chemist (LmChemAPV) details the learning objectives of the study program and what students have to do to earn their degree. Course schedule for the 1st - 4th semester The Food Chemistry program consists of basic studies (1st - 4th course semester, first exam component) and primary studies (5th - 9th course semester, second exam component) with a scientific final thesis. The first and second exams are taken during your studies. The curriculum is not modular. A practical year is a mandatory component of the training to become a state-certified food chemist. You can generally complete parts of the program abroad, either in the form of study abroad or internships. General information regarding stays abroad can be obtained from the TU Berlin International Office (study abroad) and from the Career Service (internships abroad). The Food Chemistry Staatsexamen study program equips you with a thorough knowledge of the properties, composition, and transformation of food. During the first part of the program you acquire skills in the fields of inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry; physics, mathematics, general biology, and legal studies specifically for natural scientists. In the second component you learn and develop skills to analyze complex material systems and track their changes in chemical and biochemical processes. You train these skills in the fields of (bio)chemistry and toxicology of, for instance, food, drinking water, cosmetics, and food hygiene, technology and law. Additionally, you receive solid theoretical and practical training in instrumental analytics (chromatography, spectroscopy, molecular biology, microbiology). Practical labs in which you apply your analytical skills to food control intensively prepare you for later professional work. The increasing awareness of issues related to consumer and environmental protection is reflected in the growing demand for qualified food chemists. Graduates from this study program often work in the public sector, official food control, freelance in trade laboratories, and, increasingly, in the food industry. You can also find work in research and teaching at universities and state research institutions, developing new analytical methods, examining process-induced material changes, and investigating the effects on the nutritional physiology and toxicology of food. Guidance and choosing the right degree program: Academic Advising Service Questions about the degree program: Course Guidance General questions: Student Info Services Application and enrollment: Recognition of previously acquired credits: Examination Board Podcast "Reaktionen und Verbindungen studieren. Ein Gespräch mit Studierenden der Chemie, Lebensmittelchemie und Chemieingenieurwesen"