How we teach you

The main part of both the MSc and Diploma in Chemical Research is the 90 credits project. This is carried out by independent working within one of several research groups. You will be supervised by an expert in your chosen field and will have regular one-to-one meetings with your supervisor. In the laboratory you will work on your own project research, but will also be part of a team together with other research students.

In addition, you will take selected modules from a wide range of options. These will be taught by lectures backed up, where appropriate, by workshops, small-group teaching and, in some cases, practical work.

The assessment for the taught courses consists of formal examination and/or continuous assessment. The research project is assessed by means of a dissertation for which you will have a viva voce examination with both an internal and an external examiner, selected for both their expertise in the subject and third experience in examining. In order to prepare you for this you will submit an interim report after six months and you will have a viva at this stage. Our students see this as a valuable part of preparing for the final viva examination at the end of the course. Following the viva you will be given valuable feedback on both the report and the viva.

With a M.Phil and PhD Degree, these are research degrees although some course work is undertaken in the first year of both programmes. The M.Phil is a two year programme while that for the PhD lasts 3 years.