MChem Chemistry

The MChem degree programme covers topics in all areas of the field, from the basics to the most advanced understanding and applications.

In the early years of your degree, you will study core courses in chemistry and mathematics.

There is also a flexible curriculum to suit your personal interests. This means you can combine courses in other sciences, arts or humanities with your core chemistry content. This flexibility allows you to potentially switch to a different degree programme in science or engineering at the end of Year 1.

You will have scope to specialise, especially during the senior honours years, through your optional courses and research project topic. For example, in materials or environmental chemistry.

You will develop greater leadership and organisational skills through group-based learning and open-ended projects.

In your final year, you will gain hands-on experience of research and carry out an in-depth individual research project with a choice of location and context.

Year 1

You will spend about a third of Year 1 in:

• chemistry lectures
• laboratory classes in the recently completed Nucleus building
• tutorials with a high staff-to-student ratio

You will also take a mathematics course.

You can choose the remainder of your curriculum from a broad range of courses from across the University.

Year 2

You will continue with your chemistry courses. You will also take the course Data Driven Chemistry, which highlights the importance of computational chemistry.

You will choose additional courses. Frequently taken additional courses are:

• Biological Chemistry 2
• Environmental Chemistry
• Chemical Pharmacology

There are many more options, allowing a wide choice of subjects in Year 2.

The range of option courses available over the first two years provides lots of flexibility. This means you can select options to potentially transfer between different programmes in the College of Science and Engineering.

Year 3

You will study two lecture-based chemistry courses that provide a foundation for the remaining honours years.

You will also take a laboratory course providing you with a high level of practical skills.

Year 4

In your penultimate year, you will take five lecture courses chosen from a number of advanced topics on offer.

You will also take a laboratory-based research training course in preparation for your final year project.

Year 5

In your final year, you can choose to do one of the following:

• work on a project in one of our cutting-edge research groups

• join a research group in one of our partner universities around the world

• apply to take a paid industrial placement at one of our industrial partner companies

Programme structure

Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.

To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme structure (2024/25)

Our facilities

You will have access to:

• research laboratories
• the University's libraries
• computer facilities

All teaching and labs are based at the King's Buildings campus with 1st year chemistry labs taking place in the new Nucleus building.

Tour of the Nucleus building

Find out more about the Nucleus Building

The King's Buildings campus is around 15 minutes from central Edinburgh by bus.

Take a virtual tour

You can take a closer look at the School of Chemistry and explore our facilities and campus on the University's Virtual Visit site.

Take a virtual tour of the School of Chemistry

Placements

You can include a full year paid placement in industry or take a research project with one of our partner universities around the world as part of your MChem programme.

Your placement will form the final year of your programme.

Placements may be in the UK or overseas and include research institutes or companies such as:

• Unilever
• Akzo Nobel
• Glaxo Smith Kline
• Astra Zeneca
• Procter and Gamble

Each year, around 75% of MChem students take one of these industrial or year abroad placements.

If you do not take one of these options, you will complete a final year research project with one of our cutting-edge research groups in Edinburgh.

Study abroad

You can include an academic year-long placement with one of our partner chemistry departments at a range of universities overseas.

Year abroad destinations include:

• USA
• Australia
• Singapore
• Hong Kong
• Taiwan
• South Korea
• many European countries

What are my options for going abroad?

How will I learn?

You will be taught through a combination of:

• lectures
• laboratory classes
• problem-solving workshops
• tutorials with a high staff-to-student ratio

How long should I study?

In your first 2 years, you will have 20 hours per week of timetabled study.

You should also dedicate an extra 15 hours to prepare for:

• tutorials
• writing lab reports
• private study

In later years, you will experience more practical learning and research project work.

What skills will I gain?

All our programmes include:

• training, practice, and feedback in communication skills
• teamwork and collaboration
• exposure to the latest technology of scientific information retrieval and organisation

As you produce posters, reports and a final year thesis you will develop skills in:

• written communication
• report writing
• IT
• oral presentation skills (from formal presentations)

You will also develop practical skills and an awareness of the safety aspects of laboratory work and risk-assessment throughout the programme.

You will build these skills further through a research project in the final year, carried out in either an academic or industrial context.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed through a combination of:

• coursework
• reports on laboratory practicals
• presentations
• exams
• your final year research project

Most of our chemistry graduates find careers in chemical or pharmaceutical companies.

They also use their numerical, problem-solving and analytical skills in sectors such as:

• business
• banking
• accountancy
• marketing
• advertising
• the IT sector

Standard entry requirement

The standard entry requirement is:

• SQA Highers: AAAB by end of S5 or AAAA by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
• A Levels: AAA - ABB in one set of exams.
• IB: 37 points with 666 at HL - 32 points with 655 at HL.

Minimum entry requirement

The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:

• SQA Highers: AABB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
• A Levels: ABB.
• IB: 32 points with 655 at HL.

More information for widening access applicants

Required subjects

The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:

• SQA: Highers: Mathematics at A and Chemistry at B. Higher Applications of Mathematics is not accepted in place of Higher Mathematics. Advanced Higher Mathematics and Chemistry are recommended. National 5s: English at C.
• A Levels: Chemistry and Mathematics at B. GCSEs: English at C or 4.
• IB: HL: Chemistry and Mathematics (Analysis and approaches only) at 5. SL: English at 5 and Mathematics (Analysis and approaches only) at 6 (if not at HL).

Find out more about entry requirements

International applicants

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.

Entry requirements by country

Mature applicants

We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.

Mature applicant qualifications

For direct entry to second year the standard requirements must be exceeded, including the following:

• SQA Advanced Highers: AAB to include Chemistry and Mathematics; or AA in Chemistry and Mathematics, plus at least BB in two further Highers.
• A Levels: A*AA in one set of exams to include Chemistry and Mathematics, or AAA in one set of exams to include Chemistry and Mathematics and one of Further Mathematics, Physics, Biology, and Geology.
• IB: 38 points with 766 at HL to include Chemistry and Mathematics (Analysis and approaches only).

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies..

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

• SQA National 5 at C
• GCSE at C or 4
• Level 2 Certificate at C
• IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 162 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 54 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 5 in each component.*

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the degree you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT, or Trinity ISE test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins, regardless of your nationality.

English language requirements

(*Revised 24 May 2024 to change PTE Academic requirement from total 62 with at least 54 in each component, and to clarify that we do not accept PTE Academic online. Revised 29 August 2024 to add Oxford ELLT requirements.)

Selection

We normally make offers to the highest qualified applicants. If competition for places is high this may mean that offers will only be made to applicants who are predicted, or who have achieved, above the single set of grades or the upper grade level in a range. Any conditional offer made may require you to achieve grades above the upper grade level. Therefore, achieving the top of our standard entry requirements does not guarantee a place on the relevant degree.

This information is part of a government initiative to enhance the material that higher education institutions provide about their degree programmes.

It is one of many sources of information which will enable you to make an informed decision on what and where to study.

Please note that some programmes do not have Discover Uni data available.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for MChem Chemistry

Additional costs

You will need a white lab coat, which cost £15 in 2023.

You should also buy three core textbooks in Year 1, which cost around £150 in 2023.

If you are on placement you might have to spend money on travel. However, you could receive a salary or stipend from the host company on an industrial placement.

Funding

For more information on how much it will cost to study with us and the financial support available see our fees and funding information.

Fees and funding

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