University of Aarhus 2005
New degree programmes
The Faculty of Humanities
Master’s degree in Internet Communication
The Master’s degree in Internet Communication was offered for the first time in 2005. This degree programme targets staff in private companies and private and public institutions who work with communication strategies at a professional level. The degree programme has three core areas: the importance of the Internet as a medium for the complex communication relations in businesses and institutions; tools for the analysis of media use; and the preparation and implementation of concrete communication strategies. The degree programme aims to equip the students with the necessary qualifications to handle the complex communication requirements that businesses and institutions are facing in today’s knowledge and network-based society.
www.au.dk/evu/mic
Master’s degree in Journalism and Media
In September 2005, the University of Aarhus and the Danish School of Journalism introduced a new Master’s degree programme for journalists, in collaboration with universities in Amsterdam, Hamburg, London and Swansea. The degree programme is a two-year Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree called Journalism and Media within Globalisation: the European Perspective.
The first year of the degree programme involves studies in Aarhus and Amsterdam, respectively. In the second year, the team of 40 is split into groups that undertake specialised studies in Hamburg, London or Swansea. The degree programme was chosen from 140 competing proposals for a high-quality European degree programme, and the University of Aarhus is the first Danish university to receive approval for an Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree programme. Students of the degree programme qualify for the Danish State Education Grant and Loan Scheme. Applicants must have a BA degree and at least three months’ work experience as a journalist.
International Studies
In December 2005, the University of Aarhus received approval for a new Master’s degree programme in International Studies. This degree programme encompasses two faculties and includes Political Science, Economics, Law, European Studies and History components. The programme will be launched in September 2006, and will be taught entirely in English.
www.internationalstudies.au.dk
The Faculty of Science
Technico-scientific Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology
The new research-based degree programme in Biotechnology is based on Molecular Biology, i.e. our knowledge of DNA and RNA molecules, proteins and signal molecules. It aims to give the students a strong background in basic scientific subjects, combined with a solid knowledge of subjects that are more engineering-related or technical.
The programme is taught both at the Engineering College of Aarhus and at the university. The university organises courses in subjects such as Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Protein Technique, as well as a number of experimental courses that teach the students many advanced techniques currently used in Biotechnology. In addition, a number of minor subjects in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry provide the necessary basis for the understanding of Molecular Biology. The Engineering College focuses on the use of industrial products and processes, and organises courses in both Scientific Theory and Business Management. In addition to the compulsory subjects, the Biotechnology degree programme includes a number of projects and elective subjects.
The engineering subjects focus on the application of knowledge. The Biotechnology degree programme is business-oriented, with a focus on the very large national and international pharmaceutical and health industries, and today’s high-technology food industry.
Technico-scientific Bachelor’s degree in Geotechnology
The new research-based Geotechnology degree programme combines the understanding of science with technical subjects. This combination means that the student learns to develop practical ways to map, protect and utilise the Earth’s natural resources. The degree programme focuses on the history and great potential of the upper layers of the subsoil. Water and water quality constitute another of the topics given high priority in the degree programme.
The subjects taught at the university include Water Circulation, Denmark’s Geology, Hydrogeology, General and Inorganic Chemistry, Soil and Water Chemistry, as well as Geophysical Methods. In addition, a number of minor subjects are taught in Mathematics and Statistics, Physics and Chemistry, all of which are necessary to understand Geology. The Engineering College teaches subjects such as Products and Processes, Soil and Ground Water Pollution, Modelling, Technical Thermodynamics and Business Management. The degree programme includes several projects.
A number of consulting engineering companies support the new Geotechnology degree programme, as this sector has a considerable need, both nationally and internationally, for young staff members with a background in the environment and water resources.
Master’s degree programmes in Optics and Electronics
The degree programme in Optics and Electronics comes in two versions: one is an advanced programme based on a technico-scientific Bachelor’s degree or a diploma programme in Engineering, leading to the title of MSc (Engineering). The other is an advanced programme building on a Bachelor’s degree in Science, in which the graduates acquire the title of MSc (Technology).
These degree programmes are based on research undertaken in research environments that focus on theoretical and experimental disciplines. The degree programmes allow specialisation in the form of modules ranging from optics to electronics within subjects such as Integrated Optics; Laser, Semiconductor, Solid Matter and Surface Physics; Processing of Signals; and Regulation and Modelling Techniques.
The degree programmes comprise compulsory subjects plus a number of elective components. The Master’s degree programme in Optics and Electronics is offered in collaboration with the Engineering College of Aarhus.
The graduates are particularly qualified to take up positions within companies that design and produce equipment and technical systems for the development of optoelectronic components and systems for industrial use.
The university has several libraries – this one is at the Institute of Aesthetic Studies, in the former barracks building.