Chemical Research (Taught)

Our MRes Chemical Research is ideal if you wish to further your research career or update your training in this field. It provides you with up-to-date knowledge and extensive practical experience in analytical approaches to chemical research.

Why choose this course?

• It offers you the opportunity to be involved in topical, leading-edge research with teachers who have achieved international recognition.

• This course has a strong focus on laboratory work, providing you with hands-on training and expertise in a wide range of wet lab, computational and data analysis skills that are highly valued by employers.

• You will learn in a research-active environment, alongside students from all age groups and a variety of science-based disciplines and academic or professional backgrounds.

• You will also benefit from participation in group activities and attending advanced lectures on the theoretical and technical background to your chosen research area.

What you will learn

You will learn about a wide range of techniques and analytical methods used in the chemical and biochemical sciences in detail, including how to study a range of different sample types using modern experimental and computational methods.

By the end of the course you will have acquired a firm grasp of recent advances in the field of study and be able to formulate a research or method development plan alongside the appropriate literature and data searches.

You will also learn to apply a critical and professional approach to data quality, carry out chemical manipulations, operate advanced equipment, and work safely and efficiently in a laboratory including carrying out risk assessments where appropriate.

How you will learn

You will spend the majority of time working on your individual research project in your chosen area of chemical or biochemical science. You will also select two taught modules to complement your project work.

This course is available to study full- or part-time and follows a daytime timetable. Each module includes a mixture of theory and practical classes based either in the laboratory or a workstation room.

Highlights

• This course offers you the possibility of collaborating with industry.

• Birkbeck also offers you state-of-the-art instrumental and computing facilities.

• In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), in a joint submission with UCL, Biological Sciences at Birkbeck were ranked 11th in the UK, with a research environment supporting world-leading and internationally excellent research.

Careers and employability

On successfully graduating from this MRes Chemical Research you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:

• analytical skills

• working safely, efficiently and independently in a chemical and/or biochemical laboratory setting, using a range of equipment and instrumentation

• independent problem-solving

• scientific reporting

• time organisation and completing projects to deadlines.

It will prepare you to work in a wide range of jobs and for advanced study at PhD level across the chemical and biochemical science sector. Possible fields and professions include:

• research scientist in a university or chemical industry setting

• scientific sales

• science writer or work in scientific communication

• employment in the education sector.

Graduates from this course have gone on to be employed at organisations such as Autolus Therapeutics, Ethypharm, Richmond Pharmacology and Comindex.

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.