Course summary

Chemistry is central to solving humanity's most pressing problems - climate change, renewable energy, sustainable materials, and eliminating hunger and disease. Our chemistry degrees help develop the practical, analytical, numerical, and logical reasoning skills you need to help solve these global challenges – and also offer an exciting route into a wide range of future career paths. In this course, you can satisfy your curiosity for medicinal chemistry with tailored modules later in the course, providing insights into the drug discovery and pharmaceutical pipeline. In contrast to our three-year BSc degrees, the MChem degree takes place over four years; the fourth year builds on the experience of the BSc degree by enabling students to undertake a significant research project, working with an academic group to help solve important real-world problems drawn from the wide spectrum of the chemical sciences. This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry, subject to passing required modules. Through Chemistry we can tackle the energy crisis, discover new medicines or develop new materials for 21st century needs, from polymers for drug delivery to more efficient batteries. Our flexible undergraduate Chemistry degree is delivered by one of the UK's top Chemistry departments, which is ranked highly for both teaching and research. It provides a comprehensive programme of study to prepare you for a lab-based scientific career – but also helps build the practical, numeracy, logical and analytical skills that are valued by top graduate recruiters. Years One and Two will set you up with a solid foundation in state-of-the-art chemistry. Here, you will build the experimental skills and theoretical knowledge across the core branches of modern Chemistry, and learn how chemical scientists understand and shape the material world around us. By branching into Medicinal Chemistry you will apply your chemical knowledge to the discovery, design, and synthesis of new drugs for clinical use. Our four-year Medicinal Chemistry degree combines a solid foundation in Chemistry with specialist knowledge in advanced Medicinal Chemistry/Biochemistry. Specialist modules explore the process of medicinal drug discovery, from the initial concept of a new product to the discovery stage, clinical trials, scale-up, and production. You can explore the biochemistry of these processes, and how this leads to medical breakthroughs. In addition to research-led teaching from top academics, you will benefit from external lectures given by pharmaceutical industry leaders. You will also complete a final-year research project. In Year Four you will complete an individual investigative project on a topic that reflects your passion. You can also select optional modules to support your research or broaden your knowledge. We offer the distinctive opportunity to transfer across degree programmes, dependent on good academic progress, to include study abroad or industrial placements in the UK and beyond.