Chemistry

From human health to climate change, chemistry is critical to solving today’s biggest global challenges. On this degree you’ll gain the skills and knowledge you need to make a difference to our world and society.

Study topics that spark your curiosity in areas such as sustainable chemistry, chemical biology and the fast-growing field of computational chemistry – where chemistry and digital skills meet. You’ll learn from inspirational academics at a Russell Group university where extraordinary research advances feed into your degree.

You’ll be prepared for a role as a professional chemist or may choose to use your skills in another field. Our graduates have achieved success in sectors including finance, banking, accountancy, sales and marketing, management, patent law and teaching.

Outstanding undergraduate laboratories and equipment
You can take advantage of our refurbished labs, 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.

And your lab work will incorporate modern ‘green’ chemistry practices that are used in industry.

Learn about research as it happens
Part of a research-active Russell Group University, Chemistry at Southampton means you’ll be surrounded by trailblazing research, and you’ll be taught by the people who are doing it.

Our academics are advancing battery technology for cleaner energy, designing drugs for hard-to-treat cancers, and using digital modelling in the fight against contagious diseases, to name just a few examples. They will share their passion for their specialist areas with you, bringing the most up-to-date knowledge to your seminars and lectures. And you’ll have the opportunity to work with them during research groups and advanced practicals.

Supporting your studies
You’ll be part of a supportive Chemistry community, with a personal academic tutor throughout your studies, providing any extra help you need, both academically and personally.

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.

Core modules in the first and second year are shared across all of our chemistry degrees. This makes it possible to transfer if you decide you’d like to do the MChem or one of the placement degrees. Depending on your optional module choices or level of maths study, there’s also the possibility of moving to one of our specialist MChem courses.

The year one and two core modules cover the fundamentals of organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, as well as laboratory skills. In the first year you’ll also take a chemistry skills module that develops your mathematical and analytical chemistry skills.
In years two and three you can personalise your learning by choosing from a wide range of optional modules. Topics include:
• environmental chemistry
• programming
• biochemistry
• global sustainability
• cell biology and physiology

In year three you’ll choose advanced practical projects linked to real research being carried out by one of our academics. Our extensive research portfolio means you’ll have a wealth of topics to choose from.

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 research areas 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.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Chemistry, Royal Society of