Your degree course is designed to feed your curiosity for chemistry, to encourage you to express your ideas clearly and logically and to develop your approach towards independent learning. We achieve this through a series of modules that broaden your previous knowledge, and introduce you to topics that you may not have encountered at school or college.
The academic year is divided into two semesters and you will complete 120 credits of study per year. There are typically 10 lectures per week in addition to laboratory classes.
Small-group tutorials
You will also take part in a series of small-group tutorials that provide an opportunity for you to analyse and use the material that has been presented in lectures and laboratory classes. These meetings also ensure that you have grasped the key points of the lectures and that you fully understand the course material.
Laboratory experience
You will gain laboratory experience in hands-on practical classes that run for up to eight hours in a typical week during the first year of your course, and which extend to 10 hours in a typical week in the second and third years. These modules introduce you to the current synthetic and analytical approaches in chemistry and the operation of modern instrumentation.
Practical sessions are held in modern laboratories housed within the School of Chemistry. In your third year, you will work on short-term, team-based projects to develop your independence and time management skills. These projects will prepare you for your fourth-year research project.
Research projects
During the fourth year, MSci students are invited to join an active research group within the school to contribute to projects at the cutting edge of chemistry. You will be given greater independence and will be responsible for driving your own project under the day-to-day guidance of an academic member of staff.
Personal tutors
You will be assigned a personal tutor who will guide your studies and help you to select modules that match your interests and ambitions. Your personal tutor is your first port of call in the school and they will take an interest in your personal and academic development, offering you help, encouragement, and guidance.
Assessment
Our courses are assessed in a variety of ways, including traditional written examinations, coursework assignments, dissertations, computing assignments, essays, and laboratory reports. The final degree classification is based on marks gained for the second and subsequent years of study.
BSc or MSci?
The BSc courses provide a strong background in chemical theory and practice and permit entry into a wide variety of careers. If you opt for one of the MSci courses, part of your final year will involve joining a research group in the school to work on a project at the cutting edge of chemistry research. Many of our students decide to pursue a career in research as a result of the excitement that they experience during their research project. Transferring from the BSc to the MSci courses can be considered during the first 12 months of study.