Course summary

On this flexible, three-year degree you’ll learn how chemistry and medicinal sciences combine to help us treat disease. You’ll study every aspect of the drug development cycle, including: · the design of molecules with the potential to treat disease · understanding and predicting how medicines will interact with the body · testing the effectiveness and safety of new treatments You’ll learn from staff who are changing the world through research, including designing new cancer drugs and developing synthetic DNA for use in COVID-19 testing. Supporting your studies You’ll be part of a supportive Chemistry community, with a personal academic tutor to provide any extra help you need, both academically and personally. Your tutorial group will be small, so you’ll have plenty of time and attention from your tutors. Between classes, the Chemistry department will be your ‘home’ on campus, where you can grab a coffee in the common room, catch up with friends and talk to staff. Outstanding undergraduate laboratories Take advantage of our recently refurbished laboratories, which opened in 2019 as part of a £12m investment in Chemistry’s facilities. In this spacious, bright and modern environment you’ll gain hands-on practical experience with equipment such as NMR and IR spectrometers and X-ray diffractometers. There are also laptops for each student to record their practical work. It’s the same high-tech equipment you’ll find in industry or academic labs, and you’ll learn to make and analyse your own samples, with full support and training – all excellent preparation for your placement and future career. For your biology studies, you’ll use purpose-built facilities in the Life Sciences Building, which have benefited from a recent £50m investment. Learn about research as it happens We’re a Russell Group university and Chemistry at Southampton is joint first in the UK for research intensity (Complete University Guide 2022). This means you’ll learn from staff who are changing the world through research. Our academics will share their expertise with you, bringing the most up-to-date knowledge to your seminars and lectures. In addition, the breadth of their research activities gives you plenty of choice for your third-year project topic. Your career There are many roles outside of scientific research where a strong scientific underpinning is beneficial. This bachelor’s level degree gives an excellent grounding in chemistry and its interface with biology. It is ideal for those who may not want to pursue research but see a place for science in their future career. You’ll be prepared to enter fields as diverse as: · drug discovery and development · public health · laboratory services · chemical science · programming and software development · project management · scientific journalism · scientific sales · teaching If you’re not sure what path to choose, career-focused activities in year two will help you understand the options and map them to your strengths and interests. These include talks from industry speakers, giving you an idea of different career paths. Students interested in teaching can enhance their CVs by volunteering in outreach or chemical education research. There will also be opportunities to get involved in research.