Secure access to metals, raw materials, and energy is a major challenge for today’s society. This is closely related to pollution and environmental issues. In this programme option, you can work with air pollution caused by very small but potentially harmful concentrations. You can also learn how radio-chemical methods can contribute to better techniques for recycling and extracting metals critical to sustainable development.
The programme option was called "Environmental Chemistry and Nuclear Chemistry" up until and including the study year 2024–25.
Choose between atmospheric chemistry and nuclear chemistry
Atmospheric chemistry: The air we breathe contains hundreds of trace chemicals that adversely affect human health, the environment, and the Earth’s climate. Choose this specialization for learning how to measure trace chemicals in the air and for studying how chemistry affects the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere.
Nuclear chemistry: Nuclear methods are employed as tools in many key areas of society. Choose this specialization to work on challenges in areas such as energy supply and access to critical metals, nuclear medicine, preparedness for accidents at nuclear power stations or terrorism/war, as well as smuggling of nuclear materials.
Career opportunities
An education in atmospheric chemistry will give you a profile that is interesting for research institutes, environmental authorities, and the industry, which is increasingly embracing environmental sustainability.
Studying atmospheric chemistry will allow you to understand complex interactions in the environment, which is an important skill to face the challenges of our planet. The industry in the transition to sustainability needs professionals with an in-depth understanding of complex environmental processes, and so do environmental authorities (e.g. Milj?direktoratet) and research institutes (e.g., NILU).
Nuclear techniques contribute to solving important problems in modern society. By specializing in nuclear chemistry, you can work within a range of different areas, such as energy supply, extracting and recycling metals, radiation protection and preparedness, and nuclear medicine.
Nuclear chemistry covers an area that is small, but in great demand, and which provides Norwegian radio-pharmaceutical industry, civil service, and the nuclear research environments at Kjeller and Halde (IFE, FFI, NND, etc.) with necessary expertise within, for example, applied radio-chemical methods, industrial use of radioactive trace elements, radiation protection when using open radioactive sources, decommissioning of nuclear facilities, and preparedness in case of accidents or acts of terrorism involving radioactive material.
Currently, there is a shortage of personnel with the necessary expertise in nuclear and radio chemistry. Skilled candidates are in high demand. The Ministry of Education and Research has created new study places specificially for the nuclear disciplines. The specialization in nuclear chemistry falls under these new places, which are intended to strengthen nuclear competence in Norway to meet the present and future needs of society.