Studying Chemistry in the UK

Chemistry is about the very essence of life, the quality of life and its continuous improvement…

In the words of the eminent chemist Sir Jack Baldwin: “Chemistry is about making forms of matter that have never existed before”. These new forms of matter, from plastics and detergents to contraceptives and anticancer drugs, have an extraordinary impact on the lives of us all. We now take so many of these products for granted it is easy to forget that without chemical knowledge they would not exist.

Chemistry is about the very essence of life, the quality of life and its continuous improvement. A chemistry degree can take you anywhere. It can open windows of opportunity from marine chemistry to chemical engineering; food chemistry to neurochemistry; environmental chemistry to biological chemistry; pharmaceutical chemistry and beyond. With a chemistry qualification you could be part of a team working to discover solutions to create a healthier environment, analysing paints to produce equivalent materials to restore famous artwork, or investigating and detecting crimes as a forensic scientist, the diversity is endless.

Many employers recognise the value of training in logical thought, numerical and communications skills. What you learn and the skills you develop while studying for a higher education qualification in chemistry will give you a firm foundation for a successful career. Major employers of chemists include pharmaceutical companies, agrochemical companies, oil companies, and the makers of detergents, paints, dyes, cosmetics and explosives. Of course opportunities for chemists are not confined to the commercial or production sector, opportunities are available to work in government, journalism, the health services, museums and many more seemingly diverse organisations.

Why Study in the UK
Universities in the UK offer the opportunity to study a wide range of chemical subject areas. Many national and international leading researchers in chemistry operate from UK university chemistry departments, and a strong collaboration between university chemistry departments and chemical industries provides an opportunity for some students to take the option of spending a portion of their study within industry. This placement may be for a full year for some undergraduate courses or a six-month placement in a sponsoring company during postgraduate study. Mr Vincent Humblot is a French postgraduate student, he chose to study for a PhD in the UK, “..it is easier to find a PhD bursary in England than in France due to the close links between universities and industry.”

As the nature of the requirement for chemists in industry evolves, so does the variation in chemistry courses and research projects available in UK universities. Many industrial opportunities are in speciality chemicals and polymers, advanced materials and pharmaceuticals, specialist coating, electronics, biochemicals and clean technology. These often involve working at the interface of chemistry and other areas of science, requiring multidisciplinary and collaborative capabilities. Many universities in Britain offer chemistry degrees and research projects that combine chemistry itself with other disciplines that naturally interface with chemistry, for example: Chemistry and Material Science, Chemistry and Pharmacology, Chemistry and Environmental studies as well as combining courses such as; Chemistry with a European Language and Chemistry with Management studies.

Many international students choose the UK to study chemistry due to its reputation for the quality of research and teaching. Many UK universities are centres of excellence in a variety of fields, and are highly respected for the research and teaching that occurs in these specialist areas. Mr Luqian Chen is a postgraduate student at the Leverhulme Centre for Innovative Catalysis at the University of Liverpool, “ the main reason I chose to study in the UK is that there are some universities of outstanding international reputation for the quality of research and teaching. Studying in the UK will no doubt improve my academic level and research ability, an overall great experience!”

What are the Opportunities
Undergraduate chemistry degrees in UK universities include the Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree which is typically three years except for BSc courses which include a year in industry or a year long placement in a European university chemistry department, in these circumstances the BSc degree takes four years to complete. The BSc course in chemistry is typically defined in terms of a core syllabus, embracing organic, inorganic and physical chemistry. In varying degrees, students are allowed to choose from a range of course options or modules, these course options may change from one university to the next.

There are also four year enhanced first degree courses (MChem) which are intended for able and motivated chemistry students who see their future being based primarily on the knowledge and direct application of advanced chemistry. An enhanced chemistry degree course is designed to prepare the student for direct entry into professional practice or to provide a sound basis for their progression to a research degree. The science of chemistry advances primarily through research, a substantial project, involving a literature survey, practical work and report writing is therefore a key element in the latter stages of the MChem. This formal training in research methodology is excellent preparation for the ‘world of work’ or continuing research in academia.

Universities in the UK have an outstanding record of achievement in chemical research and research training. The essential purpose of PhD training is a period of ‘apprenticeship’ in research with the graduate student working, to begin with, closely with an experienced supervisor and gradually becoming more self-reliant and eventually being able to write a thesis independently which is based on the students own work. The second purpose of PhD training is that students should acquire many personal and professional skills, which are necessary not only for their research, but also to form the basis for the development of their future careers.

Chemistry PhD programmes in the UK prove to be a very good preparation for further research, and the chemical and pharmaceutical industry both in the UK and abroad continues to be extremely supportive of UK university chemistry departments.

Dr Kristy MacDonald, The Royal Society of Chemistry

For further information contact:
The Royal Society of Chemistry
Education Department
Burlington House
Piccadilly
London W1J 0BA

e-mail education@rsc.org
website www.rsc.org