Chemistry with an Industrial Placement Year

Explore topics at the cutting edge of chemistry and apply your knowledge with our accredited MChem Chemistry with an Industrial Placement Year course. Gain fundamental knowledge, work at a leading organisation in the chemical industry and complete a research project in one of our world-class research groups.

This four-year accredited MChem Chemistry with an Industrial Placement Year course will give you the industry level experience and research skills you’ll need for a successful career.

In your first two years, you’ll focus on fundamental concepts in chemistry across organic, inorganic, physical and analytical chemistry. You’ll gain hands-on experience from the start of your degree, learning laboratory skills and techniques in our specialist teaching labs.

You’ll have regular tutorials to delve deeper into the complex topics covered in lectures. These small group teaching sessions are led by your personal tutor in first year and subject experts in later years.

In your second year, you’ll have the opportunity to specialise by choosing optional modules that cover topics like sustainable chemistry, and biological and medicinal chemistry.

The whole of your third year will be spent working at a leading organisation in the science industry on an industrial placement. Our students have secured placements with a range of organisations including Unilever, AstraZeneca, Reckitt, GSK and EDF Energy.

During your industrial placement year, you’ll gain experience of applying your knowledge of chemistry in a commercial environment. You’ll have distance learning material to work through, be assessed by your industry supervisor and produce a final report at the end of your placement. You’ll develop new skills and build up your CV, and some students even come back with the offer of a job when they graduate.

When you return to Sheffield in your fourth year, you’ll tailor your degree to your interests and career goals through more in-depth optional modules, exploring topics such as materials chemistry, catalysis and chemistry of light.

You’ll also have the opportunity to develop your research skills, spending most of your final year working on your own research project as part of a team of research scientists. Working on a real scientific problem, you’ll conduct experiments in our state of the art research labs, learning from academic researchers who are experts in your chosen area of research.

Accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry for fully meeting the academic criteria for Chartered Chemist (CChem).

Why study this course?

• Top 20 in the UK for chemistry: The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026

• Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) accredited course: This course is accredited by the RSC for fully meeting the academic criteria for Chartered Chemist (CChem).

• Build connections and a career: Our students have secured placements with a range of organisations including Unilever, AstraZeneca, Reckitt, GSK and EDF Energy.

• Summer research placement: Gain research experience through the Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) scheme.