Materials Chemistry MChem (Hons) 2021 entry
The MChem (Hons) in Materials Chemistry seeks to understand the interrelationships between the composition, structure, microstructure and properties of matter in order to design and develop new materials. Examples may include: semiconductor processing and fabrication; materials for energy and IT; biomaterials; catalyst materials; ‘smart coatings’; and nanotechnology.
The MChem allows you to study the subject at great depth with a significant emphasis on research, combined in a single five-year programme, graduating with a Masters degree. The course is designed to give you the best possible training for a career in chemistry and is tailored for those intending to enter the professional chemical sector or to carry out postgraduate study.
Students can also take Materials Chemistry as a standard four-year BSc degree.
Accreditation
All Single Honours Chemistry degree programmes are accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Key information
UCAS code
F200 (MChem), F113 (MChem with external placement)
Course type
Master in Chemistry (Integrated Masters degree)
Course duration
Five years full time
- Start date: 6 September 2021
- End date: 30 June 2026
Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.
Entry requirements
These grades are the overall standards required to consider you for entry. Find out more about Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.
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- Standard entry grades: AAAAB, including A in Chemistry and an A in one other subject from the following:
- Biology (or Human Biology)
- Computing Science
- Economics
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Physics.
- Minimum entry grades: AABB, including A in Chemistry and an A in one other subject from the following:
- Biology (or Human Biology)
- Computing Science
- Economics
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Physics.
- Gateway entry grades: BBBB
- Standard entry grades: AAAAB, including A in Chemistry and an A in one other subject from the following:
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- Standard entry grades: AAA, including A in Chemistry.
- Minimum entry grades: ABB, including A in Chemistry.
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- Standard entry grades: 38 (HL 6,6,6), including HL6 in Chemistry and HL6 in one of the following subjects:
- Biology
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Physics.
- Minimum entry grades: 36 (HL 6,5,5), including HL6 in Chemistry and HL5 in one of the following subjects:
- Biology
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Physics.
- Standard entry grades: 38 (HL 6,6,6), including HL6 in Chemistry and HL6 in one of the following subjects:
We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes, please see our entry requirements for more information.
Direct entry to second year
Well-qualified school leavers may be able to apply for admission directly into the second year of this course.
International applicants
If English is not your first language you will need an overall IELTS score of 6.5, with a minimum score of 6.0 in each component (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking), or an equivalent English language qualification.
How to applyDo I need to have studied this subject before?
Applicants must have studied Chemistry at SQA Higher, GCE A-Level, or equivalent. Preference may be given to candidates offering strong science qualifications.
General entry requirements
All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.
SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing science
- Geography
- Lifeskills Mathematics (A grade)
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology.
GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computing Science
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology.
Other qualifications
More information on how to apply via other entry routes or accreditation of prior learning and experience can be found on the University’s entry requirements web page.
Reputation
The School of Chemistry was ranked first in Scotland by the Guardian University Guide 2021 and was ranked first in Scotland and third in the UK by the Complete University Guide 2020.
The School of Chemistry is determined to actively support equality and fairness irrespective of race, disability, age, faith, gender or sexual orientation and is taking active steps to stamp out any explicit or implicit discrimination of staff and students on the basis of these differences.
The University of St Andrews as a whole was voted top in the UK for student academic experience in The National Student Survey 2020 as 92.7% of St Andrews final-year students gave the University top marks for the quality of the learning and teaching experience.
The University has secured a TEF Gold Award for the quality of teaching and the undergraduate experience.
In the UK Research Excellence Framework 2014, chemistry research at St Andrews was ranked top in Scotland with 95% of its overall research activity rated as world leading or internationally excellent.
Find out more about studying chemistry at St Andrews.
Course information
The MChem in Materials Chemistry is a five-year course run by the School of Chemistry. During the course, you will develop an awareness and appreciation of the latest advances in materials chemistry in addition to the fundamentals of the subject. In addition, you will receive a high level of general intellectual and scientific training which allows many graduates to enter challenging careers in areas not directly related to chemistry.
In the first two years, you will take modules in organic, inorganic and physical chemistry.
Alongside materials chemistry, in the first year of your studies you will be required to study an additional two subjects. In the second year, you will usually carry on at least one of these subjects, sometimes two. Find out more about how academic years are organised.
The knowledge and skills in research and analysis that you gain during the sub-honours years will prepare you to undertake more advanced and specialist modules during your final three (honours) years. These specialist subjects include (but are not limited to):
- energy conversion and storage
- functional materials
- materials analysis
- materials processing.
In your fourth year, you will have the opportunity to apply for an external placement in a leading industrial laboratory either in the UK or overseas. The School of Chemistry will assist you in applying for a placement.
During your final year, you will also carry out a research project in one of the School’s highly rated research groups on a topic chosen in consultation with staff.
The University of St Andrews operates on a flexible modular degree system by which degrees are obtained through the accumulation of credits. More information on the structure of the modules system can be found on the flexible degree structure web page.
Well-qualified school leavers may be able to apply for admission directly into the second year of this course.
Students can also take Materials Chemistry as a standard four-year BSc degree.
Modules
In the first two years of your degree (sub-honours level) you will take the required modules in chemistry alongside modules in at least one other subject.
Typically, you will take one or two chemistry modules per semester during your first two years, and four to six per semester during your third, fourth and fifth years (Honours level). Find out more about the modular Scottish degree system.
Students will take the following compulsory first-year modules:
- Introductory Inorganic and Physical Chemistry: covers origin of the elements and the periodic table, atomic structure, shapes and properties of molecules, chemistry of the elements, properties of solutions, thermochemistry, thermodynamics and kinetics, and mathematical tools for chemistry.
- Inorganic and Physical Chemistry 1: covers bonding in simple molecules, inorganic solids, chemistry of the first-row transition metals, properties of solids, states of matter, and introductory spectroscopy.
- Organic and Biological Chemistry 1: covers the structure and nomenclature of simple organic compounds, basic stereochemistry, fundamental organic reaction mechanisms, organic functional groups and their reactions, introductory bioorganic chemistry, and organic spectroscopy.
Each of the compulsory sub-honours modules in chemistry involve a mixture of lecture-based and practical teaching.
Students will take the following compulsory second-year modules:
- Inorganic Chemistry 2: covers metal complexes and organometallics, descriptive transition-metal chemistry, atmospheric chemistry, solid-state chemistry, and descriptive main-group chemistry.
- Organic Chemistry 2: covers methods for carbon-carbon bond formation and interconversion of functional groups, aromatic and heteroaromatic reactivity, retrosynthetic analysis, mechanistic biological chemistry, and organic spectroscopy.
- Physical Chemistry 2: covers quantum mechanics, thermodynamics and electrochemistry, chemical kinetics, molecular spectroscopy and diffraction, and mathematical tools for chemistry.
Each of the compulsory sub-honours modules in chemistry involve a mixture of lecture-based and practical teaching.
If you decide to take materials chemistry in your third year, you choose from a wide variety of advanced options, including modules ranging from physical inorganic chemistry to quantum theory of atoms, molecules and solids.
Here is a sample of Honours modules that have been offered in previous years:
- Chemistry of Materials
- Introduction to Analysis of Materials
- Quantum Theory of Atoms, Molecules and Solids
- Statistical Mechanics and Computational Chemistry.
During fourth year, you will have the opportunity to work on a placement outside St Andrews for up to 12 montyhs. This is a great chance to gain experience in industry and to add value to your CV at the same time.
Typically, you may join a research and development group within a leading research laboratory and receive a salary for the duration of your placement. It is also possible for the placement to be carried out in an overseas academic institution.
The School has links with many large and small companies and will assist students in CV preparation, interview technique and making placement applications. Some of the companies that students from St Andrews have completed placements with recently include:
- Agfa (Mortsel, Belgium)
- AkzoNobel (Sassenheim, The Netherlands)
- AstraZeneca (UK)
- BASF (Ludwigshafen, Germany)
- BP (UK)
- DSM (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
- GlaxoSmithKline (UK)
- Johnson Matthey (UK)
- Roche (Basel, Switzerland)
- Rolls Royce (UK)
- SINTEF (Norway).
Alternatively, you have the choice to complete the MChem without doing an external placement, and will take lectures and practical modules during your fourth year Honours programme at St Andrews instead.
During fifth year, you will take advanced research-led modules in your chosen specialist area. Advanced modules offered in the past include:
- Chemical Applications of Electronic Structure Calculations
- Energy Conversion and Storage
- Nanostructured Materials
- Processing of Materials
- Surface Chemistry and Heterogeneous Catalysis.
Students will also undertake a substantial research project in their final year on a topic chosen in consultation with academic staff. The project aims to develop your skills in experimental design and problem-solving, the evaluation and interpretation of data, independent working, and communications skills.
The compulsory modules listed here must be taken in order to graduate in this subject. However, most students at St Andrews take additional modules, either in their primary subject or from other subjects they are interested in. For Honours level, students choose from a range of Honours modules, some of which are listed above. A full list of all modules available for the current academic year can be found in the module catalogue.
Teaching
Teaching format
Chemistry is taught through a combination of lectures (80 to 200 students) and labs (20 to 50 students), which are supplemented by small group tutorials (5 to 10 students). Class sizes decrease significantly at Honours level.
All lecture courses have online support materials, and additional teaching support is given for selected topics, such as mathematics.
When not attending lectures, tutorials and labs, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve:
- working on individual and group projects
- undertaking research in a laboratory
- undertaking research in the library
- preparing coursework assignments and presentations
- preparing for examinations.
You will be taught by an experienced teaching team of world-leading academics and specialists in materials chemistry. Postgraduate research students who have undertaken training may also contribute to the teaching of practical classes under the supervision of the module leader.
You can find contact information for all chemistry staff on the School of Chemistry website.
In addition to your studies in the School of Chemistry, optional academic support is available through practical study skills courses and workshops hosted within the University.
The University’s Student Services team can help students with additional needs resulting from disabilities, long term medical conditions or learning disabilities. More information can be found on the students with disabilities web page.
Assessment
All sub-honours modules are assessed by 60% to 70% written examinations combined with 30% to 40% coursework covering laboratories, tutorials and transferable skills exercises.
For Honours modules, assessment is either by written examination for lecture-based modules, or by coursework (including written reports, oral presentations and oral examinations) for laboratory, workshop and research project modules.
Examinations are held at the end of each semester during a dedicated exam diet with revision time provided beforehand.
The School aims to provide feedback on assessments and coursework within three weeks to help you improve on future assessments.
Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements. Please note that some Schools offer qualified entry to Honours, and this will be clearly specified in the programme requirements. To find out the classification equivalent of points, please see the common reporting scale.
Fees
Tuition fees for 2021 entry
| Home-funded | £1,820 |
|---|---|
| Rest of the UK | £9,250 |
| EU and overseas | £25,100 |
For overseas students, tuition fees will be fixed at this level for the duration of your programme.
More information on tuition fees can be found on the undergraduate fees and funding page.
Accommodation fees
Find out about accommodation fees for University accommodation.
Additional Costs
There are no additional fees for labs in the School. However, the School expects that students provide their own lab coat and, in line with University policy, to purchase a number of textbooks as part of their study.
Funding and scholarships
The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to undergraduate students each year.
Your future
Careers
St Andrews chemistry graduates have an employment rate of over 95% and are in demand by large multinational and grassroots companies alike. Chemistry degrees provide a range of highly desirable skills that are prized by employersacross numerous sectors, including:
- problem-solving
- numeracy
- data handling
- teamwork
- oral and written communication.
St Andrews chemistry graduates move into a wide range of employment both in the materials, chemical and allied industries, as well as sectors outside physical sciences. Many MChem graduates continue on to PhD-level degrees both in the UK and overseas.
The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.
Study abroad
Chemistry students may participate in the University-wide St Andrews Abroad programme. Chemistry students are only able to study abroad for the full academic year (semester placements are not available). For information about study abroad options, please see the study abroad site.
Working abroad
Completing a work placement abroad is a good opportunity to gain work experience in another culture or language and to enhance valuable skill sets. As part of specific degree programmes in chemistry, you may apply to undertake a work placement abroad for credit.
Student life
The School of Chemistry at the University of St Andrews offers a unique experience blending education in state-of-the-art science facilities while enjoying the traditions of an ancient university in a historic and picturesque setting.
The relatively small size of the School's undergraduate chemistry cohort results in a nurturing and nourishing environment where students have frequent contact with world-class academics. The School of Chemistry is ranked as one of the top chemistry departments in the UK, and is known for the personal and flexible nature of its undergraduate chemistry programmes.
The School is located in the Purdie Building in the North Haugh on the western edge of town. This building offers recently upgraded lecture theatres and seminar rooms, as well as state-of-the-art teaching laboratories for chemistry.
The town of St Andrews itself has lots to offer. As University buildings are located throughout the town, walking around you encounter ancient and modern buildings, parks and beaches, providing a rich, beautiful backdrop to learning. Find out more about the town of St Andrews.
Find out more about student life at the University of St Andrews.
“In my first year I found the amount of one-on-one time with the lecturers was amazing and having weekly tutorials was very helpful. The teaching laboratories allowed me to become proficient in not only my favourite branch of chemistry – organic - but also in computational, physical, and inorganic. If you want to go to a place where you can meet people from all around the world of different cultures and backgrounds, then you can find it here in St Andrews.”
Tommy (Missouri, USA)
Contact
School of Chemistry
University of St Andrews
North Haugh
St Andrews
KY16 9ST
Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 3800
Email: chemistry@st-andrews.ac.uk
Policies
Admission to the University of St Andrews is governed by our admissions policy.
Information about all programmes from previous years of entry can be found in the archive.
Curriculum development
As a research intensive institution, the University ensures that its teaching references the research interests of its staff, which may change from time to time. As a result, programmes are regularly reviewed with the aim of enhancing students' learning experience. Our approach to course revision is described online.
Tuition fees
The University will clarify compulsory fees and charges it requires any student to pay at the time of offer. The offer will also clarify conditions for any variation of fees. The University’s approach to fee setting is described online.
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