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Studies & Degrees in Inorganic Chemistry

Inorganic chemistry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the elements and their compounds other than the carbon-based molecules of organic chemistry. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics describes inorganic chemists as studying the structure, properties and reactions of substances that do not contain carbon, such as metals, and as working to understand inorganic substances such as ceramics and superconductors so that they can be modified, separated or used in products.

Students go through the periodic table systematically: how the elements and their compounds are obtained, how they are structured, how they react and what properties they have. Later courses usually cover metal complexes, solid-state and materials chemistry, and catalysis, and laboratory work in synthesis and characterisation runs alongside the lectures.

Qualifications and levels

Inorganic chemistry is one of the core areas of a chemistry degree rather than a first degree of its own. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, undergraduate chemistry programmes require several chemistry courses, most with a laboratory component, and graduate programmes commonly include specialisation in a subfield such as inorganic chemistry.

  • Bachelor's degree in chemistry. In Spain an official bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits. The Grado en Química of the Universidad de Alcalá lasts four years and is taught in Spanish; its 240 credits are made up of 60 of basic training, 120 compulsory, 48 optional and 12 for the final project. Its contents include the study of the chemical elements and their compounds: how they are obtained, their structure, reactivity and properties.
  • Master's degree. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. The Máster Universitario en Química para la Sostenibilidad y Energía of the Universidad de Alcalá has 60 ECTS credits, lasts one academic year and is taught in Spanish, although some classes given by visiting lecturers may be in English. At the University of Madras the Department of Inorganic Chemistry, established in 1976, takes part in a Master of Science programme in which students follow a common chemistry programme in the first year and specialise in inorganic chemistry in the second. At the University of Jyväskylä a two-year, English-taught master's programme of 120 ECTS credits includes practical courses on instrumental techniques in organic and inorganic analytical chemistry.
  • Doctorate. Inorganic chemistry is a research-heavy field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that chemists may need a master's degree or PhD for some jobs, such as research positions.

In master's programmes the subject often appears under other names. At Sorbonne Université, for example, the Master de Chimie lists course units on the metal complex (structure, properties and reactivity) and on inorganic materials. Read the course list of a programme, not only its title.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 6 active schools for inorganic chemistry: four in Spain, one in India and one in Finland. The Spanish schools are the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, the Universidad de Alcalá, the Universidad de Cádiz and the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha. The other two are the University of Madras and the University of Jyväskylä, whose Department of Chemistry focuses its research and teaching on functional molecules and materials, chemical nanoscience and the circular economy; about 25 master's degrees and 7 doctoral degrees are completed there each year, according to the department.

Bachelor's degrees in Spain are generally taught in Spanish. English-taught options are more common at master's and doctoral level, as in Jyväskylä.

Careers

Inorganic chemists work on catalysts, metals and alloys, ceramics and glass, pigments, fertilisers, batteries and electronic materials, and in research and teaching. The Universidad de Alcalá reports that more than half of the job offers for chemistry graduates are in the chemical sector, and names industry, glass and ceramics, research and teaching among the other fields.

In the United States, chemists held about 84,900 jobs in 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The largest employers were chemical manufacturing (33%), scientific research and development services (16%) and testing laboratories and services (11%). The Bureau projects overall employment of chemists and materials scientists to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between inorganic and organic chemistry?

Organic chemistry studies molecules that contain carbon. Inorganic chemistry studies the other substances, such as metals, minerals, ceramics and their compounds.

Is there a bachelor's degree in inorganic chemistry?

Usually not. It is a core part of the bachelor's degree in chemistry, which in Spain has 240 ECTS credits, and students specialise at master's or doctoral level.

How long does a master's with inorganic chemistry take?

One or two years. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits; the English-taught master's programme at the University of Jyväskylä has 120 ECTS credits over two years.

In which language is it taught?

Mostly in the language of the country at bachelor's level. The Grado en Química of the Universidad de Alcalá is taught in Spanish, while the master's programme at the University of Jyväskylä is taught in English.