Nanoscience
The Uniqueness of Nanoscience
Nanoscience is an exciting highly specialized forefront of modern science and technology. Nanoscience isn't just about tiny things—it’s about smallest things making the biggest difference to harness their power in solving big problems. From revolutionizing electronics to curing diseases, the potential is never-ending. Students will have the opportunity to work with groundbreaking technologies and collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the world.
The mission of the proposed program is to establish a cutting-edge academic and multidisciplinary scientific educational program in nanoscience to dispense knowledge for the current and future, and provide quality knowledge and training for students to help facilitate the advance of innovations to solve real world challenges and, as a result, become highly successful scientists, in the global innovation universe.
Why study nanoscience?
Studying nanoscience will prepare you to enter a job market that is constantly expanding, with roles in every possible sector from healthcare to renewable energy; Nanoscience is the field of study for now as well as for the future. The followings covers few of the reasons for engaging immediately in studying nanoscience:
- Innovative breakthroughs: the ability to work in a field that is constantly evolving and where they can contribute to breakthroughs that push the boundaries of science and technology.
- Appeal to diverse interests: Nanoscience is inherently interdisciplinary, combining aspects of physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, engineering, and even computer science. Students with varied interests can find a niche within nanoscience. Emphasize that they can be part of a field that bridges multiple disciplines, offering a broad range of career paths.
- Creative freedom: Nanoscience offers an opportunity to push creative limits, designing materials at the atomic and molecular levels. For students with a passion for innovation, this field offers nearly limitless possibilities
- Hands-on training: Nanoscience program provides practical experience that’s highly applicable in many industries including design, laboratory techniques and data analysis, all of which are highly sought by employers.
- Adaptability: The skills learned in a nanoscience program can be applied in many other fields like biotechnology, environmental science, materials science, and even quantum computing.
- Applicability to solve real-world problems: nanoscience is at the forefront of solving global challenges directly affecting society — Whether developing targeted drug delivery systems or creating more efficient solar cells, the applications are indispensable in energy, healthcare, environmental sustainability, and computing.
- In-demand job market: Nanoscience is a rapidly growing field, and there is a high demand for experts in academia, industry, and government. Highlight specific career paths such as research and development, materials science, nanotechnology, and even entrepreneurial ventures in start-ups focused on cutting-edge innovations.
The main goal of the nanoscience program is to develop and offer, highly demanded, competitive, applicable, multidisciplinary and advanced trendy program that is current for the current and the future needs worldwide and provide the national industrial market with graduates who have solid background in the different nanoscience sub disciplines such as physics, chemistry, material science, and biotechnology. Specifically, the program intends to enrich the students learning experience and enhance the abilities and skills to achieve the following goals:
- Equip students with basic knowledge in cutting-edge nanoscience across the nanoscience disciplines including physics, chemistry, material science, and biotechnology.
- Develop students’ technical accuracy, critical evaluation skills, decision-making skills and skills specific to the nanoscience field.
- Develop students’ communication skills including written, oral, entrepreneurial skills, deep thinking skill, to transmit complex technical information in a clear and concise manner to enable them to become leaders in the nanoscience field.
- Equip students with necessary competent attitudes, ethical manner and values necessary for professional responsibility in nanoscience discipline
Upon successful completion of the bachelor program in nanoscience, students will achieve knowledge and various skills to enable them to become leaders in the nanoscience community.
- General knowledge: equip students with basic knowledge in cutting-edge nanoscience across the nanoscience disciplines including physics, chemistry, material science, and biotechnology.
A1. Explain the theories of self-assembly and quantum confinement and apply this knowledge to construct nanoparticles and nanomaterial.
A2. Demonstrate technical and professional proficiencies necessary to identify, describe, discover, investigate, and interpret nanoscale phenomenon
- Experiential and problem-solving skills: develop students’ technical accuracy, critical evaluation skills, decision-making skills and skills specific to the nanoscience field.
B1. Identify, define and permit analysis of problems, and arrive at solution.
B2. Design proper analytical schemes according to analytical requirements to obtain desired results.
B3. Prepare and analyze the material to generate relevant data
B4. Assess, evaluate, and synthesize scientific information and data interpretation from a variety of sample sources.
- Communication and collaboration skills: develop students’ communication skills including written, oral, entrepreneurial skills, deep thinking skill, and to transmit complex technical information in a clear and concise manner to enable them to become leaders in the nanoscience field.
C1. Explain, interpret and analyze issues across the spectrum of different disciplines and integrate knowledge from different fields of study.
C2. Work effectively as member of inter- and intra-disciplinary teams.
C3. Find information, collect data and assess its relevance and reliability.
- Lifelong learning and ethical conduct: equip students with necessary competent attitudes, ethical manner and values necessary for professional responsibility in nanoscience discipline
D1. Demonstrate honesty, reliability, punctuality, motivation, work ethic, and interpersonal skills that are the hallmarks of a professional scientist.
D2. Exhibit the ethical behavior, learning skills and initiative needed to reach the high level of achievement, personal growth and life-long learning
Graduates will be qualified to pursue scientific, technical, or professional jobs in emerging nanoscience -enabled fields in current and emerging nanoscale science including the following:
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Environmental agencies and ministries for environmental monitoring, control, and remediation
- Food industry and food science including quality control & packaging
- Agriculture
- Join cutting-edge R&D in some of the most important and profitable global industries nationally and worldwide such as environment, technology, energy, drug development, drug delivery and biotechnology
- Energy production and energy storage
- Material science manufacturing including polymer, packaging and textiles
- Green technology for water treatment and environmental technologies
- Start-up own business
- Compete for specialized graduate programs worldwide in public and private universities
Industries & sectors for nanoscience careers in Palestine
Although the field of Nanoscience is still in its infancy in Palestine, it provides exciting opportunities for graduates, locally and globally especially as global interest in nanotechnology and related disciplines grows exponentially which provides numerous avenues where graduates of a Nanoscience program can apply their skills, contribute to local industries, and participate in groundbreaking research.
While Nanoscience is still a niche field in Palestine, the growth potential is significant in areas like healthcare, energy, environmental sustainability, and tech innovation. The key for graduates will be to pioneer the integration of nanoscience into these emerging sectors and create opportunities by collaborating with universities, government bodies, international organizations, and businesses. Below are the industries & sectors for nanoscience careers in Palestine:
Below is a list of possible careers for Nanoscience graduates in Palestine, focusing on both existing opportunities and potential growth sectors:
- Pursue graduate studies (master and doctorate degrees) in specialized (nanoscience & nanotechnology) and conduct research in related fields: Teach and or conduct advanced research in academic or government research institutions.
- Industrial R&D Scientist: Conduct applied research for various industries such as manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, food science and electronics to enhance existing products or develop new technologies or processes using nanoscience.
- Nanomedicine Specialist: work to develop innovative medical applications such as targeted drug delivery systems, or nano-based medical imaging techniques for related industries such as pharmaceutical companies, healthcare startups, NGOs working in health sectors.
- Environmental Nanotechnologist: develop solutions for existing environmental issues such as water purification, pollution control, and sustainable resource management for industries such as environmental NGOs, government agencies and water purification startups.
- Nanotechnology Product Developer: develop and commercialize nanotechnology-based products, ranging from nano-coatings to sensors or advanced materials for local industries such as construction and manufacturing.
- Materials engineer: develop advanced materials with nanomaterials to develop better building materials with enhanced properties such as strength, conductivity, or environmental sustainability for construction, manufacturing, and electronics.
- Semiconductor Engineer: collaborate with international firms or local tech startups to develop and improve semiconductor devices, an area that intersects with nanotechnology, particularly in electronics and energy sectors in related industries such as Tech startups, electronics, telecommunications.
- Product Safety and Quality Control (Nanotech Focus): work to strengthen local industry, especially in food and medicine, nanotechnology can be used to develop new safety measures or product innovations to ensure that nanotechnology-based products meet safety standards, particularly in fields like medicine, food safety, and environmental sustainability.
- Sustainable Energy Specialist (Nanotechnology): improve the efficiency and affordability of these systems in order to develop better materials for energy production, storage, or more efficient solar panels, batteries, and energy systems in industries related to renewable energy companies, research institutions, government agencies, environmental NGOs.
- Entrepreneur/Start-up Founder: there is potential for young entrepreneurs to pioneer nanotech-based businesses in Palestine to focus on the development or commercialization of nanotechnology products, such as nanomaterials, nanomedicine, or nanocoatings for related industries in technology, healthcare, manufacturing, environmental sustainability.
The student should successfully pass the 121 credit hours for the bachelor in nanoscience with a cumulative average of 70% or higher.
Program curriculum
The bachelor degree in nanoscience is awarded upon successful completion of a minimum of 121 credit hours that can normally be completed in four academic years (8 semesters) as follows:
|
Course type |
Number of credit hours |
Percentages |
|
20 |
16.52% |
|
18 |
14.88% |
|
74 |
61.16 % |
|
9 |
7.44 % |
|
Total |
121 |
100% |
- University requirements (2 0credit hour)
|
# |
Course code |
Course name |
Cr. hr. |
Pre-requisites |
|
1 |
Arabic language skills I |
3 |
|
|
|
2 |
Arabic language skills II |
3 |
ARAB135 |
|
|
3 |
6 Cr. Hr. from the following: |
|
|
|
|
Modern and contemporary European thought |
3 |
Second year level |
||
|
Modern and contemporary Arab thought |
3 |
Completion of 30 credit hrs |
||
|
Palestine: the identity and the cause |
3 |
|
||
|
4 |
Intensive intermediate English 1 |
4 |
||
|
Intensive intermediate English 2 |
4 |
|||
|
Total |
20 |
|
||
- Faculty of science requirements (18 credit hours)
|
# |
Course code |
Course name |
Cr. hr. |
Pre-requisites |
|
1 |
General biology |
3 |
|
|
|
2 |
General chemistry I |
4 |
|
|
|
3 |
Introduction to computer and programming |
3 |
|
|
|
4 |
Calculus I |
4 |
|
|
|
5 |
General physics I |
4 |
MATH1411 or concurrent |
|
|
|
Total |
18 |
|
|
-
Program requirements (83 credit hours)
- Core courses: 74 credit hours
|
Category |
Course code |
Course title |
Cr. hr. |
Prerequisite |
# of hours/week |
|
|
Theor. |
Prac. |
|||||
|
Biology and biochemistry |
General biology laboratory |
1 |
0 |
3 |
||
|
Biochemistry I |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
|
||||||
|
Chemistry |
General chemistry lab I |
1 |
CHEM141 or concurrent |
0 |
3 |
|
|
General chemistry lab II |
1 |
0 |
3 |
|||
|
General chemistry II |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
Organic chemistry lab |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|||
|
Basics of organic chemistry |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
|
||||||
|
General Science |
Ethics in natural and nanoscience |
3 |
Department approval |
3 |
0 |
|
|
|
||||||
|
Mathematics |
Calculus II |
3 |
3 |
0 |
||
|
Ordinary differential equations |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
|
||||||
|
Nanoscience |
Introduction to nanoscience |
3 |
3 |
0 |
||
|
Nanomaterial synthesis and characterization |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
Nanodevices and applications |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
Introduction to material science |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
Applied electrochemical techniques |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
Principles of nanobiotechnology |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
Nanochemistry |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
Surface science |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
Seminar in nanoscience |
1 |
Completing 90 credit hours successfully or department approval |
1 |
0 |
||
|
Nanoscience laboratory |
3 |
1 |
6 |
|||
|
Quantum nanoscience |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
Internship in nanoscience |
3 |
Finishing 70 credit hours and department approval |
|
10 |
||
|
Introduction to nanoelectronics |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
Computational nanoscience |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
|
||||||
|
Physics |
General physics lab I |
1 |
|
0 |
3 |
|
|
General physics lab II |
1 |
0 |
3 |
|||
|
General physics II |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
Modern physics lab |
1 |
0 |
3 |
|||
|
General physics III |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
|
Modern physics |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|||
- Elective courses: 9 credit hours of the following list
|
Course code |
Course title |
Cr. Hr. |
Prerequisite |
# of hours/week |
|
|
Theor. |
Prac. |
||||
|
Nanomaterials in industrial chemistry |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
Environmental nanoscience |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
Nanomaterial for catalysis |
3 |
|
|
||
|
Nanomedicine |
3 |
|
|
||
|
Nanophotonics |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
Nanomaterials for energy application |
3 |
|
|
||
|
Advanced topics in nanoscience |
3 |
Department approval |
|
|
|
High school, scientific stream or equivalent.
Implementation and Study Plan
Sample four-year plan for a full-time student in the bachelor degree in nanoscience
|
First Year – First Semester |
|
Weekly Contact Hours |
||||||
|
S/N |
Course Code |
Course Title |
Cr. Hr. |
Pre-req. |
co-req |
Theor. |
Pract. |
Total |
|
1 |
MATH1411 |
Calculus I |
4 |
|
|
4 |
|
4 |
|
2 |
CHEM141 |
General chemistry I |
4 |
|
|
4 |
|
4 |
|
3 |
CHEM111 |
General chemistry Lab I |
1 |
|
|
0 |
3 |
3 |
|
4 |
BIOL131 |
General biology |
3 |
|
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
5 |
ENGC1400 |
Intensive intermediate English 1 |
4 |
ENGC1000 |
|
4 |
|
4 |
|
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
15 |
3 |
18 |
|
First Year – Second Semester |
|
Weekly Contact Hours |
||||||
|
S/N |
Course Code |
Course Title |
Cr. Hr. |
Pre-req. |
co-req |
Theor. |
Pract. |
Total |
|
1 |
MATH1321 |
Calculus II |
3 |
MATH1411 |
|
4 |
|
4 |
|
2 |
CHEM132 |
General chemistry II |
3 |
CHEM141 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
PHYS141 |
General physics I |
4 |
MATH1411 |
MATH1411 |
4 |
|
4 |
|
4 |
ENGC2400 |
Intensive intermediate English 2 |
4 |
ENGC1400 |
|
4 |
|
4 |
|
5 |
PHYS111 |
General physics lab I |
1 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
6 |
BIOL111 |
General biology laboratory |
1 |
BIOL131 |
BIOL131 |
|
3 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
15 |
6 |
21 |
|
Second Year – First Semester |
|
Weekly Contact Hours |
||||||
|
S/N |
Course Code |
Course Title |
Cr. Hr. |
Pre-req. |
co-req |
Theor. |
Pract. |
Total |
|
1 |
ARAB135 |
Arabic language skills I |
3 |
|
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
2 |
NASC2300 |
Introduction to nanoscience |
3 |
CHEM132 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
COMP132 |
Introduction to computer and programming |
3 |
|
|
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
4 |
PHYS132 |
General physics II |
3 |
PHYS141, MATH1321 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
5 |
CHEM230 |
Basics of organic chemistry |
3 |
CHEM132 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
6 |
CHEM112 |
General chemistry lab II |
1 |
CHEM111, CHEM132 |
CHEM132 |
|
3 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
14 |
6 |
20 |
|
Second Year – Second Semester |
|
Weekly Contact Hours |
||||||
|
S/N |
Course Code |
Course Title |
Cr. Hr. |
Pre-req |
co-req |
Theor. |
Pract. |
Total |
|
1 |
ARAB136 |
Arabic language skills II |
3 |
ARAB135 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
2 |
NASC2330 |
Introduction to material science |
3 |
CHEM132 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
NASC2310 |
Nanomaterial synthesis and characterization |
3 |
NASC2300 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
4 |
PHYS112 |
General physics lab II |
1 |
PHYS111 |
PHYS132 |
|
3 |
3 |
|
5 |
NASC2340 |
Electrochemistry for nanoscience |
3 |
CHEM132 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
6 |
CHEM221 |
Organic chemistry lab |
2 |
CHEM112 |
CHEM230 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
|
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
13 |
6 |
19 |
|
Third Year – First Semester |
|
Weekly Contact Hours |
||||||
|
S/N |
Course Code |
Course Title |
Cr. Hr. |
Pre-req |
co-req |
Theor. |
Pract. |
Total |
|
1 |
NASC3310 |
Principles of nanobiotechnology |
3 |
NASC2310 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
2 |
NASC3360 |
Surface science |
3 |
PHYS132, NASC2340, NASC2300 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
MATH331 |
Ordinary differential equations |
3 |
MATH1321 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
4 |
PHYS231 |
General physics III |
3 |
PHYS132 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
5 |
NASC2320 |
Nanodevices and applications |
3 |
NASC2310 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
6 |
PHYS212 |
Modern physics lab |
1 |
PHYS112 |
PHYS232 |
|
3 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
16 |
|
|
15 |
3 |
18 |
|
Third Year – Second Semester |
|
Weekly Contact Hours |
||||||
|
S/N |
Course Code |
Course Title |
Cr. Hr. |
Pre-req. |
co-req |
Theor. |
Pract. |
Total |
|
1 |
BIOC331 |
Biochemistry I |
3 |
BIOL131 and CHEM230 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
2 |
NASC3330 |
Nanochemistry |
3 |
NASC2340 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
PHYS232 |
Modern physics |
3 |
PHYS132 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
4 |
|
Specialization elective |
3 |
|
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
5 |
CULS(xxx) |
University elective |
3 |
|
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
15 |
|
|
13 |
3 |
16 |
|
Fourth Year – First Semester |
|
Weekly Contact Hours |
|||||||||
|
S/N |
Course Code |
Course Title |
Cr. Hr. |
Pre-req. |
co-req |
Theor. |
Pract. |
Total |
|||
|
1 |
NASC4300 |
Quantum nanoscience |
3 |
PHYS232 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|||
|
2 |
CULS (xxx) |
University elective |
3 |
|
|
3 |
|
3 |
|||
|
3 |
NASC4320 |
Introduction to nanoelectronics |
3 |
PHYS231 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|||
|
4 |
NASC4250 |
Nanoscience laboratory |
2 |
NASC2320 |
|
1 |
6 |
7 |
|||
|
5 |
|
Specialization elective |
3 |
|
|
3 |
|
3 |
|||
|
|
|
|
14 |
|
|
14 |
6 |
20 |
|||
|
Fourth Year – Second Semester |
|
Weekly Contact Hours |
||||||
|
S/N |
Course Code |
Course Title |
Cr. Hr. |
Pre-req. |
co-req |
Theor. |
Pract. |
Total |
|
1 |
NASC4330 |
Computational nanoscience |
3 |
COMP132, CHEM141, PHYS132, MATH1321 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
2 |
GENS3300 |
Ethics in natural and nanoscience |
3 |
Dep. approval |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
NASC4310 |
Internship in nanoscience |
3 |
Finishing 70 credit hours and department approval |
|
|
10 |
10 |
|
4 |
|
Specialization elective |
3 |
|
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
5 |
NASC4110 |
Seminar in nanoscience |
1 |
Completing 90 credit hours successfully or department approval |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
13 |
|
|
12 |
10 |
22 |
