Postgraduate
Postgraduate studentships currently available.
The Department of Chemistry at the University of Reading has a wide variety of novel and on-going research programmes in many areas of Chemistry as well as a considerable number of collaborative interdisciplinary projects with colleagues from other departments and from industrial organisations. These activities benefit from the recent refurbishment of most of the research space, including the provision of seven new large state-of-the-art laboratories, and from funding of £4.5 million to install a state-of-the art Chemical Analysis Facility with analytical chemistry instrumentation in the areas of nmr, X-ray diffraction, mass spectrometry. thermal analysis and molecular spectroscopy.
We currently have more than 70 researchers at postgraduate and postdoctoral level, with 24 members of academic staff available to supervise research. Our research activities are grouped into four themes:
- Chemistry at the Biological Interface
- Nanoscience and Materials
- Atmospheric and Earth Systems Chemistry
- Synthetic Methodology
We recognise the importance of meeting the training needs of our postgraduate research students and the value of transferable skills. You will also be encouraged to become involved with the University's teaching activities, through practical demonstrating on selected laboratory-based courses.
Each year we obtain a number of awards from the research councils, industry and the University of Reading to support new postgraduate students. To be eligible for full support, students must be British or European Nationals and hold at least an upper second class degree in Chemistry or its equivalent. Some PhD and MSc students are also self-funded.
Students are usually admitted to the postgraduate programme in October although it is sometimes possible to be admitted in January. The research degrees we offer are:
PhD
This is a three-year research degree, with a small amount of course work in the first year. To be eligible for admission students usually hold at least an upper second class honours degree in Chemistry from a British university or an equivalent qualification. Occasionally there are a few grants for students who hold lower second class degrees.
MSc in Chemical Research
This is a one-year modular degree. The student will undertake a research project and follow a number of lecture courses which are selected to complement your project. To be eligible for admission an applicant will usually hold at least a lower second class honours degree in chemistry from a British university or equivalent qualification. Those who do not have such qualification may be granted admission in special circumstances. Although the usual route to PhD is by direct entry, it is possible for MSc students to transfer to PhD.
Diploma in Chemical Research
This is a nine-month programme combining lectures and coursework with a research project. Students who perform exceptionally well in the Diploma programme will be given the opportunity to transfer to the MSc.