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The Program

Institutional information about the Graduate Program in Chemistry at IQ-USP
The Graduate Program in Chemistry at the Institute of Chemistry of USP (PPGQ-IQUSP) offers Master’s, Direct Doctorate, and Doctorate degrees, with the highest score in the CAPES evaluation.

Mission

To train highly qualified, independent, creative, and ethical scientists and professionals who are prepared to lead and promote relevant scientific, technological, and social advances.

Objective

To offer academic and scientific training of excellence through a comprehensive curricular structure, cutting-edge research opportunities, and qualified supervision, aiming to train masters and doctors who excel in teaching institutions, research, innovation, and other strategic sectors of society.

CAPES Rating

The Program holds Rating 7 in the CAPES evaluation, the highest possible score. This classification has been maintained since the first periodic evaluations in the 1970s, reflecting excellence in all criteria: faculty, intellectual production, impact, student training, and social engagement.

Program Numbers

IndicatorValue
Doctorates awarded (1970-2024)1,275
Master’s degrees awarded (1970-2024)969
Accredited supervisors60+
Enrolled students (01/2026)231 (54 M, 70 D, 107 DD)
Published articles (2021-2024)1,025
Patents (2021-2024)20
Books (2021-2024)6
Book chapters (2021-2024)46

Degree Types

The Program offers three types of academic training:

  • Master’s — initial research training focused on scientific method
  • Doctorate — advanced research training for those who already hold a master’s degree
  • Direct Doctorate — advanced research training directly after undergraduate studies

1 - History

History of the Graduate Program in Chemistry at IQ-USP since 1970

The Institute of Chemistry at USP was founded in 1970 during the University Reform, bringing together faculty from various units: the former Department of Chemistry of the Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters (FFCL), the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, and the Department of Chemical Engineering of the Polytechnic School.

The Graduate Program in Chemistry was born alongside the Institute. In February 1970, the Master’s and Doctoral programs began in the four classic areas: Physical Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry.

Historical Milestones

YearMilestone
1934Founding of USP and start of the Chemistry program at FFCL
1970Creation of IQ-USP and the Graduate Program
1970First Master’s defense in Chemistry
1970Recognition as Center of Excellence by CNPq
1972First Doctoral defense in Chemistry
1973Official accreditation by the Federal Council of Education
2011Unified degree title (Master/Doctor in Chemistry, without specific area)
202050 years of IQ-USP
2024Single concentration area: Chemistry

Leadership Development and Impact on Brazilian Chemistry

The Program acts as a training hub for Brazilian Chemistry, following its founders’ idea: to train researchers capable of creating new groups, not just filling existing positions.

Many of the faculty who participated in creating the program were trained abroad in the decades preceding the creation of IQ-USP. Their ideas established the culture of the doctorate as original production, the structured research group model, and the requirement for relevant international publication. The first doctors trained by IQ-USP spread throughout the country and were decisive in creating graduate programs at UNICAMP, UFMG, UFRJ, UFSC, UFPR, UNESP, UFPE, UFBA, UFC, among others. In many cases, the first faculty member with a doctorate in Chemistry at a Brazilian university was an IQ-USP graduate.

Subsequent generations expanded this legacy: they created new subfields, established international networks, and began publishing consistently in high-impact journals. Today, common traits inherited from IQ-USP (strong theoretical foundation, appreciation of intellectual autonomy, rigorous training in scientific method) are recognizable in many Chemistry departments across Brazil.

With more than 2,000 master’s and doctoral graduates, the program has helped expand graduate education in the country and advance research, development, and innovation. The program’s graduates are where the future of Chemistry is being built.

Explore the academic genealogy of faculty and alumni at Academic Tree. To learn more about the Institute’s history, visit IQ-USP Memory.

2 - Infrastructure

Laboratories, equipment and resources at IQ-USP
IQ-USP occupies the Chemistry Complex at Cidade Universitária, with 36,000 m² of built area and a new Teaching Center under construction that will add another 6,000 m². It is one of the largest and best-equipped Chemistry institutes in Latin America.

Facilities

The Institute has 15 renovated classrooms, 2 auditoriums with capacity for 300 people, a study room with computers, a multimedia room, and a defense room. Teaching and research laboratories are distributed across 11 of the 12 buildings in the complex.

Analytical Center

The Analytical Center houses multi-user equipment of national reference. It serves internal projects and external collaborations, with techniques ranging from nuclear magnetic resonance to mass spectrometry.

Library

The Chemistry Complex Library is the largest Chemistry library in the country: about 40,000 books, 8,000 dissertations and theses, 250,000 journal issues, including rare titles. The 3,500 m² space has group study rooms and fast internet access.

Computing

The Institute’s network operates at 10 Gbps, with 12 servers dedicated to high-performance computing. All users have institutional email and access to the Eduroam network.

Audiovisual Studio

LABIQ maintains a studio for video and educational material production, with free access for the community.