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).
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.
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Semester 3
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If you are interested in studying for advanced level skills in measuring and analysing different issues in the environment and assessing their risks to that environment the programme at Aberdeen allows you to cover core disciplines and allows you to specialise in specific areas of interest. You can convert from a range of science and engineering degrees which are especially relevant though you can apply with demonstrable competency to study at postgraduate level from any degree discipline.
There are many employment options with an environmental science degree which can include regulating the environment across industry areas at government and local level. At Aberdeen you can choose to specialise in Hydrocarbon Risk Assessments which are very relevant to the city's oil and gas industry and air pollution generally worldwide, you can study ecology and management plans in relation to development, catchment management in relation to waterways and you can look at how we protect soils and other essential resources related to the food chain and species protection.
You can work in policy, regulation, consultancy or private companies with social responsibility and regulatory concerns internationally. There is also opportunity to explore further research and new enterprise development, further specialisms within environmental sciences and regulatory areas over the course of your career.
The systematic approach of this MSc programme enables you to deal with all scales of the environment. Throughout your studies you will have various opportunities to participate in work outdoors and apply your classroom and field work knowledge to real life situations. You will also gain experience using a range of tools for biological, chemical and physical measurement as well as models and data handling methods. Most importantly, at Aberdeen you will be part of a community that will help improve your knowledge and awareness of environmental science.
Semester 1
Optional
Semester 2
Optional
Semester 3
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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.
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Semester 3
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This analytical chemistry masters is structured around a solid core comprised of the three main analytical techniques – Mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Each of these techniques contains a number of key common themes (data collection, analysis and management). Supporting modules feature further analytical techniques and serve to embed themes of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), facility management and enterprise into the programme. A group analytical project develops interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a team and will be the first opportunity for students to independently fully exercise some of the components of the course taught in the first semester. The integral research project provides an opportunity to explore any of the main themes directly or as part of a collaborative synthetic/analytical investigation.
Analytical Chemistry is the largest employment area for the chemical sciences. The Instrumental Analytical Chemistry MSc gives you a boost to your bachelor’s degree that significantly increases your employability. We offer an advanced, instrumentation-driven postgraduate education in modern analytical chemistry with some elements in combination with one or more specialist research areas such as synthesis or data science.
You will receive comprehensive, hands-on, training with state-of-the-art research-led instrumentation in the techniques and provision of Mass Spectrometry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction. This training will then be used in your research project, which focuses on the application of these techniques to most areas of mainstream chemistry.
The MSc masters in analytical chemistry programme will provide you with knowledge, understanding and strong practical skills in:
¹ Analytical science currently defined by the EPSRC as principally consisting of mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction
View the programme specification document for this course
With a masters in analytical chemistry you could find employment with:
We've very strong industrial links and an active Industrial Advisory Board which contributes to curriculum design and the overall student experience.
This one-year research-led MRes in geo-environmental engineering is suitable if you're looking for an alternative to an MSc or are interested in carrying out shorter research projects and wish to tailor your studies to suit your own research interests and career objectives. The MRes is suitable for students interested in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).
An MRes takes one year full-time or two years part-time to complete. Part-time study is only available to UK students.
This degree combines a number of subjects including:
You'll complete six taught modules. Four classes are compulsory and you then choose two optional.
You can choose from a wide range of topics. Supervisors will be chosen from one of our seven main research groups:
Our department’s £6M purpose-built and state-of-the-art research laboratories opened in June 2013. These facilities include:
The course is unique in Scotland and the UK, as you'll be taught by a group of professionally qualified civil engineers, chemists, microbiologists and geoscientists.
This course is delivered via a mixture or lectures, tutorial, practical laboratories and research seminars.
You'll be assessed via a mixture of written assignments, formal examinations, lab-based assessments, poster presentations and team projects.
The final MRes thesis is assessed orally in a viva voce examination.
An MRes will significantly enhance your CV and improve future employment prospects.
During your studies you'll develop a range of transferable skills that are relevant to careers in industry, academia and the public sector.
In addition, our MRes will develop your communication skills, critical analysis and presentation skills as well as giving you experience of conference attendance and working with large bodies of complex material. An MRes can also be used as a stepping stone for students wishing to continue to an MPhil or PhD, either as a precursor or initial component of the research.
The global challenges of climate and energy require new technologies for renewable energy sources, methods of energy storage, efficient energy use, new lightweight vehicular structures, techniques for carbon capture and storage and climate engineering. This is a broad-based MSc, designed for graduates who wish to acquire skills in energy and materials science in order to participate in the emerging challenges to meet climate change targets.
Students gain an advanced knowledge of materials science as it applies to energy and environmental technologies and research skills including information and literature retrieval, critical interpretation and analysis, and effective communication. They can benefit from modules in chemistry, physics, chemical engineering or mechanical engineering, thus offering future employers a wide-ranging skills base. Graduates will be well qualified to deal with the problems of energy decision-making and the implications for the environment.
Taught modules are delivered through a mixture of lectures, workshops and tutorials. These modules will enhance your subject knowledge in materials science, and chemistry as applied to the areas of energy, and environment, and also develop your transferrable and professional skills.
You will undertake modules to the value of 180 credits across a variety of key disciplines.
The programme consists of core literature (30 credits) and research project (60 credits) modules and also taught modules (90 credits).
An exit-level only Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) is available.
An exit-level only Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits) is available.
CORE MODULES
Students take all of the following, totalling 105 credits, and a 60-credit research dissertation.
OPTIONAL MODULES
Students take 15 credits drawn from the following:
DISSERTATION/REPORT
All MSc students undertake an independent research project which features a dissertation of approximately 7,000-10,000 words, an oral presentation and a viva voce examination (60 credits).
TEACHING AND LEARNING
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, self-study and research supervision. Assessment is through unseen written examination and coursework. The literature project is assessed by written dissertation and the research project is assessed by a written report and a viva voce examination.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Materials for Energy and Environment MSc
The UK has committed to 80% reduction in CO2 emissions on a 1990 baseline by 2050. CERES, the organisation that represents the largest institutional investors would like to see 90% reduction by 2050. National Systems of Innovation (NSI), which includes the universities, research centres and government departments working in conjunction with industry, will need to apprehend new opportunities and change direction, diverting personnel to energy and climate issues in response to changing markets and legislation. This MSc will contribute to the supply of personnel needed for the era of sustainability.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
This programme is designed for graduates from a wide range of science and engineering backgrounds who wish to broaden their knowledge and skills into materials science with an emphasis on the energy and climate change issues that will drive markets over the next century. It delivers courses from five departments across three faculties depending on options and includes a self-managed research project which is intended to introduce the challenges of original scientific research in a supportive environment.
Research activities span the whole spectrum of energy-related research from the development of batteries and fuel cells to the prediction of the structure of new water-splitting catalytic materials.
Students develop experience in scientific method, techniques for reporting science and in the many generic skills required for a future career.
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.
Applications
Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.
WHO CAN APPLY?
This MSc offers science and engineering graduates with a strong chemistry background the opportunity to expand into materials science and is suitable for materials graduates who intend to focus on energy and climate-related careers.
Students can be self-funded or find sponsorship from alternative sources, for instance via those shown on the UCL scholarships and funding pages
The MSc in Electrochemistry taught course builds upon our international reputation for excellence in research and education in Electrochemistry by offering an advanced, postgraduate education in Electrochemistry from the fundamental principles through to applications in Electrochemical Engineering. The course provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the identified areas.
Electrochemistry is central to processes with huge economic and societal impacts, e.g. electroplating, corrosion, chlorine, sodium hydroxide and aluminium production, electricity storage, sensing (blood glucose, pH). The MSc Electrochemistry will offer you a platform to develop your theoretical and practical skills and to undertake a challenging research project.
The modules offered will allow you to explore this fascinating interdisciplinary science and to specialise e.g. in batteries, fuel cells, electroanalytical techniques or electrochemical engineering.
The MSc in Electrochemistry 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.
Typical career destinations for the MSc in Electrochemistry include;
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
If you have an interest in the earth in relation to minerals extraction Geophysics has plenty of scope to get involved in the profession itself and expertise required to explore different types of terrain but in a newly evolving landscape of assistive technology companies offering the latest methods of discovering production and risk issues beneath the earths surface. You learn these latest methods of finding out data to understand risk and potential engineering issues in difficult to reach places. Signal processing uses the latest advances in sensor development to set up an alert system to monitor specific areas which are normally difficult to reach. Seismic processing looks at how the earth moves not only in times of earthquakes but natural movement from chemical reactions beneath the surface of the earth.
Borehole extraction is used in mineral extraction but also to determine if reserves are live or loading is safe and much and more. The skills you learn apply equally to current and future mineral extraction as they do to land and sea where extraction has historically taken place and where there is application for a different use from a remediated coal mine for example where loading can be critical to risk for future use. The programme equips you with skills in hydrocarbon, minerals and associated industries or research. You understand structure from near surface to deep interior learning from geophysical data analysis and interpretation.
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
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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).
If your environmental interests are concerned with pollution of any kind the Environmental Pollution and Remediation programme covers all you need to know to assess and analyse pollutants in our environment. You understand legislation and policies relating to pollution control, known environment risk assessment methods and regulation and regulators. In todays world there are many pollution issues not least of which is air pollution and its affect on our health and quality of life. Pollution control is essential in waterways and sea to ensure ecology and the food chain are not affected by major issues and soil can also be contaminated in many different ways over the longer term or in the short term.
Employment options include consultancy work to advise all types of organisations, sectors and business and support regulators at busy times. You can work as a regulator within central and local government and private business involved in operations that affect the environment, Sectors you are likely to work in cross energy, agriculture, fisheries, waterways, and specific polluting industrial areas. New technology is also becoming widely available to sense different pollutants in the environment with many different tools and options becoming available to experts in the area. Different countries require different levels of regulation but there is now a growing social need by major organisations devoted to health and quality of life such as UNEP to solve major pollution issues that put us as a species at risk.
You study environmental science related to pollution and remediation at UK and international level, studying hydrocarbon risk assessment and remediation, environmental analysis and EIA (environmental impact assessments). You look at legislation, risk and analysis.
Semester 1
Semester 2
Semester 3
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This programme is delivered online to allow you to study flexibly from remote locations and anywhere in the world with internet access. You can study this to fit around your lifestyle and study at University of Aberdeen in Aberdeen city, a university providing wide ranging programmes specifically for the oil and gas industry since the 1970s. You study with world renowned academics who have closely studied, consulted with and researched the oil and gas industry.
If you are interested in working in the oil and gas industry and you have a science or engineering background you might want to consider Oil and Gas Engineering at Master's degree level. This qualification takes you across the full life cycle of production and it contains quite a few employable elements and modules in themselves giving you a wide variety of skills and knowledge to take with you into employment. You will often work with other specialists on offshore drilling platforms and facilities recording information on drilling, researching the most productive areas, ensuring maintenance and health and safety and a constant flow from a well. You also oversee some of the decommissioning aspects to redundant equipment on site.
This is a highly skilled job with a lot of responsibility associated to it, and you receive excellent input from University of Aberdeen which has been teaching oil and gas related subjects since the inception of the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen since the 1970s. Aberdeen is known the world over for energy production out of Aberdeen city and academics have worked with industry to ensure that knowledge is relevant now and in the future. You study use of technology and management of energy innovation projects.
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
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