Course Overview
This professionally accredited BSc degree includes an industrial placement year to boost your skills and employability.
At a Glance
UCAS Code
F122
UCAS Institution Name and Code
NEWC, N21
Degree Awarded
BSc Honours
Course Duration
4 Years
Entry Requirements
A Level: ABB
IB: 34 points
Opportunities
Professionally accredited
Work placement
Download course PDF
It equips you with a thorough understanding of all the main areas of chemistry, alongside in-depth knowledge of those aspects of chemistry that are important to the pharmaceutical industry.
Your specialist medicinal chemistry topics include:
- cancer chemotherapy
- enzymology
- toxicology
In Stage 3 you take a paid year in industry. It is a great opportunity for you to gain first-hand experience in the chemical sector and some host companies offer their placement students a job after they graduate.
We have some of the highest specification teaching laboratories in the country and our research-active staff mean you'll study at the cutting edge of this life-changing field.
Highlights of this degree
Quality and ranking
Quality and rankingThe quality of the chemistry study experience at Newcastle is recognised with an overall satisfaction score of 94% in the National Student Survey 2016.
Professional accreditation
Professional accreditationAccreditation
This degree is professionally accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Studying an RSC-accredited degree satisfies the academic requirements for the award of Chartered Chemist (CChem) and leads, upon application, to full membership of the RSC on graduation.
Find out more on the Royal Society of Chemistry's website.
BSc or MChem?
All of our degrees satisfy the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) requirements for professional accreditation.
Students who are planning for a career in chemical research in industry or academia, or who may wish to study for a higher qualification such as a PhD, are encouraged to apply for an MChem degree.
Our MChem degrees last four years and provide a more in-depth study of chemistry than our BSc degrees. They also include a research project in the fourth year, which gives you experience of working in a research environment.
What you will study
What you will studyShared first year
All of our chemistry degrees share the same first year, building on your existing knowledge. The high level of shared content means transfer between our degrees is usually possible if you want to (depending on academic performance).
During the first year you'll cover:
- general chemistry
- organic chemistry
- physical chemistry
- inorganic chemistry
- biological and medicinal chemistry
- analytical chemistry
Second and third year
You continue to build on your knowledge of organic chemistry, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and structural chemistry. You take a group assignment module and create a learning pack, developing your transferable skills. An advanced laboratory course develops your skills to professional level. You undertake an independent research literature project.
You study a range of specialist topics related to medicinal chemistry, such as:
- cancer chemotherapy
- practical medicinal chemistry
- toxicology
- enzymology
Fourth year (MChem only)
The optional fourth year includes an extended research project, developing your professional level research skills.
You also take a range of advanced modules in medicinal chemistry, including advanced methods in drug discovery - see the Course Details.
Industrial training year
Industrial training yearAll of our industrial training degrees last four years, with the placement in year three.
Studying a chemistry degree with a paid industrial training year is a great opportunity to gain first-hand experience of working in the chemical industry. If you impress your host company, it could even result in a job offer on graduation.
You'll develop valuable skills such as teamwork, communication and project management.
MChem students
The placement is an assessed part of the degree for MChem students, who also complete a research project and distance learning modules in advanced organic and inorganic chemistry.
BSc students
For BSc students the placement year is not assessed but it's a good opportunity to gain valuable work experience in the industry, and you write a report on your placement.
Support with finding a placement
The School of Chemistry will give you extensive support to find a suitable placement, including help to write your CV to send out to our wide range of industrial contacts.
In the past students have found placements throughout the UK and, occasionally, overseas with companies including:
- Akzo Nobel
- AstraZeneca
- Corus
- GlaxoSmithKline
- P&G
Facilities and support
You will be part of the School of Chemistry, which is based in the Bedson Building.
Facilities
We have some of the highest specification laboratory facilities in the country, including:
- a state-of-the-art £2.8m synthetic teaching laboratory
- £1.9m chemistry research laboratory
- £750,000 refurbishment of the physical chemistry teaching laboratory
- specialist computer facilities and refurbished lecture theatres
Take a virtual tour of our facilities.
Support
You'll receive a welcome pack worth about £200 to help you get started, including textbooks, calculator, lab coat, chemical drawing software and a molecular modelling kit.
You'll be supported by a personal tutor throughout your degree
