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BSc Chemistry

  • UCAS code
    F100
  • Typical offer
    BBB
  • Year of entry
    2023/24 See 2022/23 entry
  • Course duration
    Full Time:  3 Years

This BSc Chemistry degree offers you a broad education in chemistry and provides you with the skills to succeed in a range of professions.

This degree provides solid training in chemistry and equips you with key transferable skills. You will spend your first two years learning the core subjects that all chemists need to know. Topics include trends in the periodic table, carbonyl group chemistry and chemical kinetics. You will be taught by internationally leading experts through a combination of lectures, lab classes, workshops and tutorials.

If you do not have an A level in Maths, you will take our first year Maths for Chemists module which covers all the topics you will need for Chemistry. Depending on your level of maths, you may have the opportunity to take an option from outside the Department.

In your final year you will study more advanced topics influenced by the cutting-edge chemistry taking place around you. The Department's staff specialise in a number of areas including nanotechnology, synthesis, polymers and advanced materials, surface science and forensic analysis, providing a wide range of options for your final year research project. You will also have the opportunity to participate in academic research. and can work alongside our world-class researchers.

Additionally, if you are interested in teaching as a career, we offer a school-based project in your final year. Students spend one day a week for two terms working alongside both teachers and pupils on an individual project. This project gives you the necessary experience for teacher training applications and helps develop your professional skills for careers which involve working with people.

All our chemistry courses are very flexible and, depending on your grades, you can transfer between them at the end of your first or second year. All our courses are accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).

Royal Society of Chemistry accredited degree 

Placement

We have a dedicated placements officer who is able to advise on career options, CVs and letters of application, as well as to help you find a placement. We have previously sent students to companies such as Coty (Rimmel), Dow Corning and GSK. Students have also been placed at foreign research institutions such as the University of Zaragoza, Aarhus University, the University of South Australia and NASA.

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,250*

New international students: £24,500

* UK/Republic of Ireland fee changes

UK/Republic of Ireland undergraduate tuition fees are regulated by the UK government. These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.

EU student fees

With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees. For exceptions, please read the UK government's guidance for EU students.

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

We incorporate skills development into each year of the degree, giving you a better chance of securing work when you leave university. Upon graduation you will have a range of skills which are essential for chemists but also make you highly desirable in all areas of employment. These include skills such as planning and organisation, handling information, communication, scientific and practical skills, ICT, problem solving, critical analysis, time management and business awareness. The Department also holds a careers fair at which University alumni discuss their careers and advise you on the different options available.

Other graduates go into a range of professions, including becoming analytical scientists, chemical sales reps, organic synthetic chemists, peptide chemists, research chemists and senior analysts.

Past students have found work for a range of companies and organisations, including Evotec, Pharmaterials, Intertek, Reed, Police Service, Pfizer, CEM Analytical Services and Thames Water.