Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry

Chemistry is essential to successfully treat disease and on this three-year degree you’ll study every aspect of the drug development cycle and learn how chemists design and develop novel therapeutics, including:
· the design of molecules with the potential to treat disease
· understanding and predicting how medicines will interact with the body
· testing the effectiveness and safety of new treatments

You’ll learn from staff who are changing the world through research, including designing new cancer drugs and developing synthetic DNA for use in the testing of contagious diseases.

Outstanding undergraduate laboratories and equipment
Take advantage of our refurbished laboratories, which opened recently as part of a £12m investment in Chemistry’s facilities. In this spacious, bright and modern environment you’ll gain hands-on practical experience with equipment such as NMR and IR spectrometers and X-ray diffractometers. There are also laptops for each student to record their practical work.

It’s the same high-tech equipment you’ll find in industry or academic labs, and you’ll learn to make and analyse your own samples, with full support and training – all excellent preparation for your future career.

Learn about research as it happens
We’re a Russell Group University, this means you’ll learn from staff who are changing the world through research. Our academics will share their expertise with you, bringing the most up-to-date knowledge to your seminars and lectures. In addition, the breadth of their research activities gives you plenty of choice for your third-year advanced practicals.

Your career
There are many roles outside of scientific research where a strong scientific underpinning is beneficial. This bachelor’s level degree gives an excellent grounding in chemistry and its interface with biology. It is ideal for those who want to keep their future career options open. You’ll be prepared to enter fields as diverse as:
· drug discovery and development
· public health
· laboratory services
· chemical science
· programming and software development
· project management
· scientific journalism
· scientific sales
· teaching

If you’re not sure what path to choose, career-focused activities in year two will help you understand the options and map them to your strengths and interests. These include talks from industry speakers, giving you an idea of different career paths.

Students interested in teaching can enhance their CVs by volunteering in outreach or chemical education research. There will also be opportunities to get involved in research.

Supporting your studies
You’ll be part of a supportive Chemistry community, with a personal academic tutor throughout your studies to provide any extra help you need, both academically and personally. Tutorial groups are small, so you’ll have plenty of time and individual support from your tutors.

Between classes, the Chemistry department will be your ‘home’ on campus, where you can grab a coffee in the common room, catch up with friends and talk to staff.

Sustainability is a key theme in our chemistry courses – you’ll learn about new technologies that are making drug manufacturing more environmentally friendly, as well as using the latest ‘green’ practices in your own lab work.

Years one and two
You’ll gain a foundation in the fundamentals of organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, as well as practical lab techniques and medicinal chemistry fundamentals that form the basis for your advanced studies in year three.
Core modules in the first and second year are shared across most of our chemistry degrees. This makes it possible to transfer to the MChem programme.

Year three
Your core chemistry modules will be combined with specialist modules in medicinal chemistry and organics synthesis alongside an optional module that could include: Advanced analytical techniques, Sustainable chemistry, Principles of electrochemistry or Simulation methods in chemistry.

Practical research skills will be developed through a series of advanced practical projects and literature-based research on a medicinal chemistry topic.

There are written examinations at the end of each semester to test your knowledge and understanding of material presented in the lectures and workshops. Many modules also have coursework components that feed into module marks as well. The coursework can take on a variety of forms from analysing data, to working through problem sets. The practical work is continuously assessed primarily through written reports.

A written literature review related to a research area of interest is assessed. Alongside these summative assessments are several formative pieces of work where feedback can be provided to allow for continuous improvement of your chemistry skills.