Chemistry / Chemistry (Professional Practice), MSc

About Chemistry / Chemistry (Professional Practice), MSc - at Nottingham Trent University (NTU)

Study diverse topical chemical subjects such as nano-composites, chemotherapeutics and drug detection whilst benefiting from working on a research project within one of our internationally recognised research groups.

You can take this accredited MSc Chemistry degree as a one year full-time study option, or alternatively you can undertake this course as a one year full-time study with a year long work placement for the MSc Chemistry (Professional Practice) route.

Your satisfaction is very important to us so we make sure you're taught by experts - the Chemistry team is comprised of academic and support staff that are subject experts in organic, inorganic, physical and analytical chemistry, who have won awards and recognition for this aspect of their work.

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Module content is delivered by scientists from AstraZeneca and Vectura, as well as other guest lecturers

Postgraduate open events: We hold postgraduate open events throughout the year. Find out more and book a place.

Contact details: Email us
Telephone: +44 (0)115 848 8351

What you'll study

You will be taught four core modules, two optional modules and you will conduct a research project. If you are a part-time student, you will continue to study the second year from the modules listed below.

Scientists from Vectura deliver some of the module content. Other guest lecturers will also present their research to you from a variety of other companies and universities.

• Modules

  Core modules

  • Organic Synthesis and Characterisation of Biologically Active Compounds (20 cp) - Develop knowledge in the synthesis of relatively complex organic molecules. Topics include: retrosynthetic analysis and total synthesis of biologically important molecules; the controlled formation of C-C bonds and functional group transformations; and structure elucidation of complex molecules
  • Physical Properties of Solid-state and Nano-composite Materials (20 cp) - This module covers the fields of solid-state and nanocomposite materials chemistry. You'll understand the functional roles, characteristics and synthesis of nanocomposites and inorganic materials.
  • Inorganic Chemistry Beyond the Molecule (20 cp) - Understand the use of the biomimetic and supramolecular approaches in materials chemistry. You'll learn the importance of interfaces in structure regulation and recognition in the generation of new materials including the recognition and incorporation of materials into the human body.
  • Research Methods and Independent Study (20 cp) - This module provides an underpinning in research skills relevant to the independent study. You will be introduced to the techniques required to formulate a research project and to carry out a literature review. You will be given practice in the use of the library and learning resources including relevant IT packages.
  • Research Project (60 cp) - You will work on laboratory-based research and will evaluate and review the scientific literature relevant to the topic. Design and conduct experimental work, and present the findings in the form of a presentation, poster and a written thesis. Examples of project titles can be found below.

  Optional modules

  Choose two modules to make up the 40 credit points to make up the MSc. Appropriate 20 credit point Master-level modules from across the School of Science and Technology may be considered to make up the 180 credit points required at Masters-level. Examples of possible option choices include:

  • Chemotherapeutics (20 cp) - This module covers drug action and synthesis including the underlying methodology applied to the synthesis of pharmaceuticals. Areas include: cancer therapies, antibacterial agents and synthetic methodology.
  • Drug Detection, Analysis and Screening (20 cp) - Study analysis methods including IR and NMR spectroscopic techniques, GC / HPLC, related hyphenated techniques, and immunoassays. Other areas include spectroscopy, chromatography, multivariate data processing, biophysics and related disciplines to the analytical chemistry of drugs and drug containing materials.
  • Clinical Chemistry (20 cp) - By distance learning and on-campus workshops, you'll study a variety of disorders. You'll cover clinical symptoms and biochemical / molecular defects, as well as diagnosis and treatment. Understanding the fundamental role of biochemical analysis in the achievement both of clinal diagnosis and disease management is central to this module.
  • Pharmacology (20 cp) - In this module, you'll see how genes can influence our physiology, and hence our pharmacological response to drugs used to treat pathological conditions. You'll develop the concept of tailoring therapeutic drugs as the future of drug design, enabling physicians to prescribe personalised medical treatments based on an individual's genome.

  Example of project titles

  • Hydrogen storage
  • Supramolecular materials
  • Liquid crystals
  • Organic superconductors
  • Drug delivery devices
  • MRI contrast agents
  • Metal phosphonates
  • Ionic liquids as solvents for materials synthesis
  • Layered metal halide perovskites
  • Peptide-mineral interactions
  • Biomineralisation
  • Super-hydrophobic / hydrophilic surfaces
  • Carbohydrate Chemistry
  • Asymmetric Synthesis of P-Chirogenic Phosphines
  • Small Molecule Approaches to the Elucidation of Protein Function
  • Multiplexing, Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging
  • Fluorescence Microscopy

• Learn a new language

  Alongside your study you also have the opportunity to learn a new language. The University Language Programme (ULP) is available to all students and gives you the option of learning a totally new language or improving the skills you already have.

  Learning a new language can:

  • Enhance your communication skills.
  • Enrich your experience when travelling abroad.
  • Boost your career prospects.

  Find out more about the ULP.

• Gain hands-on experience

  As well as working and studying under the direction of world-leading pharmaceutical and medicinal science staff, you will gain hands-on experience on a variety of modern instrumentation including:

  • multi-nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (NMR)
  • mass spectrometry
  • transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
  • scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
  • high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC)

• Key stats

  • 90% of our research activity achieved world-leading, internationally-excellent or internationally-recognised status (latest Research Excellence Framework 2014)
  • 95% of our postgraduates are in work or further study within just six months of finishing their degrees (latest Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey 2014-15)
  • 83% of NTU postgraduate taught students said that overall they were satisfied with the quality of their course (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2016)
  • Leading university in the UK for the number of postgraduate students taking professional qualifications (latest Higher Education Statistics 2014/15)

Course specification

View the full course specification
Please note that course specifications may be subject to change

How you're taught

This programme is delivered by a combination of traditional lectures, seminars and tutorials, together with laboratory classes and laboratory based research project.

If you are a full-time student, you will have the opportunity to carry out a research project in an a chemistry research group at Nottingham Trent University or with one of our industrial, academic or health sector partners. If you are a part-time student, you will normally conduct the research project in your own workplace.

You will be assessed on a variety of components:

• written exam
• verbal presentation
• assignment
• poster presentation
• research project.

Careers and employability

Our graduates have gone on to work in a wide variety of job markets including:

• pharmaceuticals
• petrochemicals
• polymers
• food and drinks
• liquid crystals
• advance materials engineering
• defence
• teaching
• finance and sales

Many graduates choose to undertake further study and this course provides a good basis for progressing onto a PhD.

Chemistry (Professional Practice)

This Chemistry postgraduate degree offers you the opportunity to take a one-year placement following completion of the taught modules (nine months). This study route with the placement will be in total two years full-time study.

The school of Science and Technology will work closely with you to help find a placement advisor and strengthen your CV and interview techniques. During the placement year, an academic member of staff will visit at least twice to check on your progress and offer any advice. On completion of the placement year students will submit a placement report and continue back at NTU for three months during which time they will complete their research project.

For students hoping to take a placement, comprehensive support and advice is also available from the School's Placement team. This is the ideal way to get your career off to a flying start. For further information please visit our placements website.

Notes about fees for this course

UK Fees

Tuition fees 2017

• Full-time study: £6,500
• Part-time study: £3,250 per year
• Placement year: £1,350

Tuition fees 2018

• Full-time study: £7,800
• Part-time study: £3,900 per year
• Placement year: £TBC

Please see our Fees and Funding page for details and scholarships.

International Fees

Tuition fees 2017

• Full-time study: £12,900
• Placement year: £1,380

Tuition fees 2018

• Full-time study: £13,900
• Placement year: £TBC

Please see our Fees and Funding page for details and scholarships.

Funding

We offer prestigious scholarships to new international students holding offers to study at the University.

• For more information on these and other opportunities for funding please visit our international scholarships page.
• For information on how to pay your fees to the University please visit our international fee payment page.

Entry requirements

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