This one-year taught programme offers the opportunity to study Chemistry at an advanced level, covering both the traditional core areas of chemistry, as well as more specialist courses aligned to the research groupings of the department. The course provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate advanced knowledge, understanding, and practical/research skills.
Would you like to upgrade your bachelor’s degree to a master’s and gain access to a chemistry career in industry or research? Join the MSc Chemistry and develop your lab and theoretical skills. Specialise in inorganic and materials, organic or physical chemistry, or maintain a broad portfolio, for a more detailed description of the available pathways, click the Pathways tab. Courses are available in synthesis, advanced structural, analytical and spectroscopic techniques, materials chemistry, modelling, biological and medicinal chemistry, and electrochemistry.
The MSc Chemistry course combines the opportunity for students to take modules from a wide range of cutting-edge fields in chemistry with sessions on practical, technical skills, and scientific writing, communication and presentation and a three month summer project supervised by one of Southampton’s expert academics. The course aims to:
Find out more about the course visit the programme specification
A Chemistry masters degree will give students valuable insight into postgraduate research skills. Independent project work will support students to develop transferable skills in areas such as time management, communication and presentation skills that are key for career success in a wide range of areas such as industry, analysis, policymaking and scientific communication. Completing an MSc qualification will help individuals tackle the challenges of an advanced research degree at PhD level and prepare them for a career in academia.
The following information summarises the typical pathways offered when choosing the MSc Chemistry degree programme:
Organic Chemistry
This area focuses on synthetic organic chemistry, total synthesis, synthetic methodology, reaction mechanism, organocatalysis, organofluorine chemistry, photochemistry and carbohydrate chemistry, both towards the synthesis of bioactive compounds and organic materials, and includes the study of organic reactions under flow conditions. This pathway offers the opportunity to specialise in the following areas
This pathway consists of advanced postgraduate courses in synthetic reaction mechanisms and is best suited to students who already have a thorough BSc level grounding in aspects of nomenclature, stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms.
Inorganic chemistry and materials
This area focuses on the synthesis of functional inorganic, solid-state and supramolecular materials and assemblies to address key challenges in energy, sustainability, healthcare and diagnostics and the deposition of nanostructured materials. This pathway will give you the opportunity to specialise in the following areas
This pathway is best suited to students who already have a thorough BSc level grounding in the fundamentals and applications of inorganic chemisry.
Physical chemistry
This pathway is best suited to students who already have a thorough BSc level grounding in the fundamentals and applications of inorganic chemistry. This area covers a wide range of fundamental and applied topics. This pathway will give you the opportunity to specialise in the following areas
This pathway is best suited to students who already have a thorough BSc level grounding in the fundamentals and applications of physical chemistry, in particular quantum chemistry, spectroscopy, thermodynamics and kinetics
General chemistry
You can choose to further your knowledge across a blend of advanced courses from organic, inorganic and/or physical chemistry (any combination). This pathway is suited to those wishing to develop an interdisciplinary expertise. If you choose this pathway you should already have a sound BSc-level grounding in the areas of chemistry in which you intend to choose modules (see other boxes).
Chemistry research at Swansea University is vibrant and covers a wide range of research areas and interests, and will be growing at a fast pace over the next 2-3 years. It is focused on 4 themes: Energy, Health, New and Advanced Molecules and Materials, and Water and the Environment. These research initiatives transcend the traditional discipline boundaries, integrate the core areas of inorganic, organic, physical and analytical chemistries and intersect with other scientific disciplines, engineering and medicine.
The new Department of Chemistry has excellent, purpose-built modern laboratories and has access to a diverse type of laboratories research infrastructures to develop its research. For example, high-quality, high-impact chemistry research is already taking place in World Class Centres based in Swansea such as The Centre for NanoHealth, The Institute of Mass Spectrometry, The Institute of Life Sciences, The Energy Safety Research Institute, Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre, The Centre for Water Advanced Technologies and Environmental Research and The Materials Research Centre. The integration of the new Chemistry Department with Engineering, the Medical School and other departments in the College of Science provides an environment of research excellence and allows our chemistry students and research staff to invent, innovate and develop products in a way that is best suited to research in the 21st century and the need to generate disruptive, step-change advances with impact on current global challenges.
Energy: One of the key areas where advances in chemistry will be needed is in providing solutions to the global energy challenge. Chemistry research in Swansea University is participating in fundamental and applied research initiatives focused on:
Health: Chemistry research provides new routes to more effective, cheaper and less toxic therapies and to non-invasive disease detection and diagnosis tools – a requirement to transform the entire landscape of drug discovery, development and healthcare, which is unaffordable and needs to benefit more patients. The chemistry research laboratories for this theme are adjacent to Swansea Medical School – which ranked 1st in the UK for research environment, and 2nd for overall research quality in the REF 2014.
Current chemistry research includes:
New and Advanced Molecules and Materials: There is major interest in synthesing, designing and controllling molecular and macromolecular assemblies at multiple length scales. In Swansea this research involves use of:
Water and the Environment: Chemistry at Swansea university has a strong profile in the development of analytical tools for measuring environmental impact, environmental impact assessment of polymer-based materials through their lifetime (including the effects of recycling and biopolymers), technologies for the efficient removal of environmentally harmful materials (and thus reduced emissions per output of discharge), membrane technologies and new methodologies for desalination, and for dewatering and killing pathogens for sanitation applications and the use of new molecules and materials for photocatalytic water splitting and development of self-propelled micro and nanomotor systems for environmental remediation. In collaboration with the Biocontrol and Natural Products (BANP) group in the Department of Biosciences, there is also growing research interest around the characterisation and application of natural products, in particular those derived from fungi and microalgae, to provide therapeutics and nutraceuticals and to act as agents for biocontrol and bioremediation.
Our new state-of-the-art teaching laboratories are being built as part of a multi-million pound investment to create a chemistry hub for the high quality Chemical Sciences research being carried out across the Colleges of Science, Engineering and Medicine.
A chemistry qualification opens the door to a wide range of careers options, both in and out of the lab. There are endless interesting and rewarding science-based jobs available – these can be in research, outdoors or in other industries you might not have thought of. Please visit the Royal Society of Chemistry website for details.
Find out more about the huge range of jobs in chemistry by exploring the job profiles on the Royal Society of Chemistry website (eg Cancer Researcher, Flavourist & Innovation Director, Chief Chemist, Sustainability Manager, Fragrance Chemist, Household Goods Senior Scientist, Analytical Scientist, and many more).
Analytical chemistry underpins many important commercial enterprises from jet engine development to food production, and is also applied to many other academic disciplines such as Earth sciences, medicine, archaeology, pharmacy and forensics. This MSc seeks to train the next generation of analytical scientists in state-of-the-art methods and skills to tackle the challenges of this broad range of applications.
This programme is designed to provide comprehensive training in analytical chemistry and its implementation. A thorough understanding of error analysis, data processing and data presentation will be at the foundation of this programme.
The programme will contain minimum formal instruction, but emphasise self-learning and originality of thought. Students will develop and demonstrate self-direction and originality, and the independence required for continuing professional development.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of four core modules (90 credits), two optional modules (30 credits) and a report (60 credits).
Core modules
Students take the following core modules (105 credits) and submit a research dissertation (60 credits).
*Students take these core modules in term one and only proceed to term two and select the research project if they have achieved 50% or greater in all three of the taught core modules.
Optional modules
Students choose one of the following options:
Dissertation/report
All students undertake a substantial research project selected from a range (60 credits).
Teaching and learning
This degree emphasises self-learning and is delivered through individual and team-based tasks. The programme will focus on developing students’ knowledge of analytical methodology, philosophy and design.
Assessment is by presentations, vivas, and problem-solving coursework. Only optional modules are presented more formally with lectures and written examinations.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Applied Analytical Chemistry MSc
Graduates will be equipped for varied employment in industry and the public sector: analytical science techniques have a very broad range of applications in many sectors, ranging from forensics to global climate change and medicine to the automotive industry.
Employability
The programme includes a module on project management offered by the UCL School of Management which will prepare students for careers in research or in analytical sciences. There are also modules on mastering entrepreneurship, and new technology ventures which will help students transform ideas into commercial entities.
Using a non-traditional approach this programme will prioritise independent learning and research. Students also participate in peer-review assessment of posters and talks. Peer assessment is an important transferable skill that is used widely in industrial and academic environments.
Emphasis will be on designing appropriate analytical methodologies and the relevant underpinning data handling, analysis and interpretation. The physics and chemistry behind state-of-the-art measurement technologies, their methods and application limitations will also be prioritised.
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: Chemistry
94% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
Chemists have always been in demand worldwide with pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, fine chemicals, and within research laboratories across the globe. The programme at Aberdeen is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Aberdeen is noted for Nobel prizes within Chemistry which include the invention of modern chromatography (Synge 1952) and the discovery of a new element - protactinium (Soddy 1921). Teaching at Aberdeen is informed by world class research within food security. Class sizes are kept small to enable you to have strong teaching interaction and support in your studies. You will be taught by many staff in the environment group (TESLA) and (MBC)
The programme focuses on specialised modern analytical methodology. The range of industries or institutes where these skills are asked for includes the pharmaceutical industry, environmental institutions, research institutes and also the oil & gas industry. There are many new innovations which require chemists with advanced skills to analyse and test new methods of providing health via IOT devices, smart phones and small sensors deployed throughout the body to quickly provide analysis and customised recommendations.
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
Find out about fees:
Find out more from the programme page
*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page and the latest postgraduate opportunities
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
You might be interested in:
Do you have an undergraduate degree in Chemistry or a substantive element within the subject and are you wondering what to study next to get into a specialised field? An oil and gas chemist is a highly skilled, highly paid professional with a vital impact on the world's energy industry production both now and in the future. You would not only look at the production side of energy exploration but you are looking at bioremediation, analysis, flow risk, natural gas and in depth analysis to ensure that energy producers supply the correct quality constantly.
You also get involved in corrosion prevention in terms of facilities and development of a new supply of chemical products to ensure improved production and remediation techniques are applied. This is a highly skilled profession with international applications across global facilities often working within interdisciplinary teams. The programme draws on expertise at Aberdeen which has been known for its energy production since the 1970s. This has allowed for both strong academic rigour and industry input to develop a consistently high standard of industry relevant vocational advanced degrees specifically for the oil and gas industry. Programmes are run from the university or online from Aberdeen where it is possible to do this. Aberdeen, Scotland is located at the heart of the European oil and gas industry and on a par with Houston, Texas in terms of knowledge and skills in the city.
The programme addresses a growing need for environmental responsibility looking at production and refining materials, energetics and environmental impact remediation in a constantly evolving oil and gas environment and within a constantly changing regulatory environment internationally.
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
Find out about fees:
Find out more from the programme page
*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page and the latest postgraduate opportunities
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
You may be interested in:
The Southampton Electrochemistry Group has a leading international reputation for both research and education. The group is spread across Chemistry in the Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Sciences in the Faculty of Engineering and the Environment. Research spans the breadth of modern electrochemistry from fundamental studies of electrode surfaces and reactions through to applications in sensors, batteries, and fuel cells. The group has been active in education in Electrochemistry for over 40 years, hosting an annual summer school attended by 20 to 40 delegates per year from across the world.
This taught MSc builds upon our international reputation for excellence in research and education in Electrochemistry by offering an advanced, postgraduate education in Electrochemistry and Battery Technologies from the fundamental principles through to applications in energy storage, energy conversion and Electrochemical Engineering. The programme provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in these areas..
The MSc Electrochemistry and Battery Technologies programme aims to:
• to instil an enthusiasm for electrochemistry and battery science, an appreciation of their applications in different contexts and to involve you in an intellectually stimulating and satisfying experience of learning and studying;
• to establish an appreciation of the importance and sustainability of the chemical sciences in an industrial, academic, economic, environmental and social context;
• to develop, through an education in chemistry, a range of appropriate generic skills, of value in chemical and non-chemical employment;
• to extend your comprehension of key chemical concepts as applied to Electrochemistry and battery processes and so provide you with an in-depth understanding of this specialised area of chemistry;
• to provide you with the ability to plan and carry out experiments independently and assess the significance of outcomes;
• to develop your ability to adapt and apply methodology to the solution of unfamiliar types of problems;
• to instil a critical awareness of advances at the forefront of Electrochemistry and Battery Technologies;
Employability is about more than just getting a job. We believe in helping our students gain the necessary experience for a future career, along with the skills to identify opportunities and make the most of them. It is reassuring to know that Chemistry degrees are third only behind Medicine and Dentistry as the degree which offers the highest financial return over the term of the graduate's career, but the rewards of a Chemistry degree lie at a deeper personal level and not just in terms of financial return.
During your year here you will have the opportunity to broaden your options by meeting employers, getting involved in volunteering activities, work placements and much more.
A significant proportion of our graduates decide to go into research by taking a PhD qualification, most of them staying in Southampton. But careers in industry and commerce are available even in the toughest economic times.
There are also research and teaching opportunities and the options to branch out into other fields such as medicine, pharmaceuticals, even finance, and the law and science journalism. This is because chemistry gives you the confidence to take on so many varied challenges in life.
With a Chemistry degree from the University of Southampton your career path will be limited only by the level of your commitment and determination
The MSc in Forensic Science is the UK’s longest established forensic science degree course, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2016/2017.
You’ll join a global network of Strathclyde forensic science graduates in highly respected positions all over the world.
In addition to preparing you for life as a forensic scientist, you’ll also graduate with a wide range of practical skills, problem solving and investigative thinking relevant to a wide range of careers.
Following a general introduction to forensic science in semester 1, you can choose to specialise in either forensic biology or forensic chemistry. As a forensic biologist you’ll study a range of topics including:
If you choose to specialise in forensic chemistry, you’ll develop expertise in:
The focal point of the course is our major crime scene exercise, in which you are expected to investigate your own mock outdoor crime scene, collect and analyse the evidence, and present this in Glasgow Sheriff Court in conjunction with students training in Strathclyde Law School.
In semester 3, MSc students undertake a three-month project, culminating in the production of a dissertation.
Students may be given the opportunity to complete their project in an operational forensic science provider either in the UK or overseas (subject to visa requirements). Alternatively, students may complete their project within the Centre for Forensic Science itself, under the supervision of our team of academics.
Examples of institutions that previous Strathclyde students have been placed in to undertake their project include:
The MSc in Forensic Science runs for 12 months, commencing in September.
Teaching takes place in the Centre for Forensic Science. It’s a modern purpose-built laboratory for practical forensic training, equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for analysis of a wide range of evidence types. This includes a microscopy suite, DNA profiling laboratory, analytical chemistry laboratory, blood pattern analysis room, and a suite for setting up mock crime scenes.
The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences is a professional body with members in over 60 countries and is one of the oldest and largest forensic science associations in the world.
Our MSc in Forensic Science is accredited by the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences, demonstrating our commitment to meeting their high educational standards for forensic science tuition.
Assessment consists of written coursework, practical work assessments, oral presentations and formal written examinations. Practical work is continually assessed and counts towards the award of the degree. The project is assessed through the completion of a dissertation.
The award of MSc is based upon 180 credits.
Most forensic scientists in Scotland are employed by the Scottish Police Authority.
In the rest of the UK, forensic scientists are employed by individual police forces, private forensic science providers such as LGC Forensics and Cellmark Forensic Services, or government bodies such as the Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) and the Defence Science Technology Laboratory (DSTL).
Outside of the UK, forensic scientists may be employed by police forces, government bodies or private companies.
Forensic scientists can specialise in specific areas such as crime scene examination, DNA analysis, drug analysis, and fire investigation.
Most of the work is laboratory-based but experienced forensic scientists may have to attend crime scenes and give evidence in court.
Where are they now?
Many of our graduates are in work or further study.**
Job titles include:
Employers include:
*information is intended only as a guide.
**Based on the results of the National Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey (2010/11 and 2011/12).
This multidisciplinary course covers the fundamentals of modern imaging methodologies, including their techniques and application, along with the chemistry behind imaging agents and biomarkers.
Bioimaging sciences have played a vital role in improving human life. A wide range of imaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), ultrasound and optical imaging, are now important tools for the early detection of disease, understanding basic molecular aspects of living organisms and the evaluation of medical treatment.
This one-year MRes course covers the fundamentals of modern imaging methodologies, including their techniques and application within medicine and the pharmaceutical industry, along with the chemistry behind imaging agents and biomarkers.
Imperial's research strength in imaging sciences is recognised both nationally and internationally, as exemplified by the creation of the Imaging Sciences Centre (ISC).
The course will progress interdisciplinary development in imaging sciences and create a multidisciplinary team involving chemists, immunologists, radiologists, image scientists, physicists, biomedical scientists and computer scientists.
Our MRes in Bioimaging Sciences places graduates in an excellent position to begin a PhD or pursue an industrial career in imaging science.
You will have developed the ability to carry out research within multidisciplinary teams, and possess knowledge of basic and advanced concepts in bioimaging sciences.
The course aims to produce highly trained and motivated scientists who will be ideal candidates for research (industrial and academic) positions within imaging science.
With the current world-wide lack of well-trained imaging scientists we are confident that MRes in Bioimaging Sciences graduates will have exceptional career prospects.
For full information on this course, including how to apply, see: http://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/chemistry/bioimaging-sciences/
If you have any enquiries you can contact our team at: [email protected]
This MRes Advanced Materials Engineering course will provide you with the advanced knowledge, skills and attributes required for a career in analytical chemistry and its sub-disciplines, or act as a base for entry to PhD studies.
This course enables you to develop and further your knowledge of materials with a carefully put together range of core modules. You can expand your interests further by selecting a materials research project within one of the diverse range of internationally recognised material engineering research groups (alongside PhD students and post doctoral research fellows).
We have links with scientists from AstraZeneca and Vectura who deliver some of the module content relevant to their workplace. Other guest lecturers from a variety of other companies and universities also present their research.
Visit us on campus throughout the year, find and register for our next open event on http://www.ntu.ac.uk/pgevents.
The course is a part of the School of Science and Technology which has first-class facilities.
This masters in chemistry by research is a one year course beginning in October each year and is intended for participants with high quality first degrees in chemistry or a closely related subject.
Would you like to carry out an extensive piece of research whilst developing your theoretical skills? Our most research-intensive MSc programme includes a year-long research project embedded into one of our leading research groups and with access to our state of the art facilities.
Theory modules can be selected from topics in synthesis, advanced structural, analytical and spectroscopic techniques, materials chemistry, modelling, biological and medicinal chemistry, and electrochemistry.
You can specialise in a research area of your choice, within one of our main six research groups:
This programme provides training in chemical research and involves both lecture based units and a one year research project that constitutes 66 per cent of the assessment. In addition to units to enhance knowledge in chemistry, participants are offered training with regard to safety in the laboratory and to improve their professional skills, such as data analysis and presentation and oral presentations for example.
View the programme specification document for this course
