BSc Chemistry

3 years full-time

UCAS Code: F100

Typical offer level
A Level: BBB-ABB
BTEC National Diploma: DDD in relevant National Diploma
IB: 32 points (including Chemistry at Higher Level)

Specific subject requirements
A Level: Chemistry
General Studies accepted
GCSE: Maths Grade C and English Grade C
A suitable combination of two A Level and two AS Level subjects may be accepted

Tuition fees: £9,000 (£1,000 during placement year) for UK/EU students. (2013).  More on fees

Applicants receiving offers are invited to an open day.

Information on visas for international students

Countless consumer and industrial products, medicines and pharmaceuticals are produced on processes developed from the fundamental principles of chemistry.

Our courses emphasise the commercial as well as industrial application of chemistry. They aim to expand your fundamental chemical knowledge, refine your professional, scientific and technical skills and to develop your personal, communication and management skills.

Ultimately you will be equipped for a successful career in chemistry, the chemical industries or a vast range of alternative scientific, business and professional occupations such as teaching.

Subject Guide & Modules:

We cater for the needs of ‘pure’ chemists whilst providing the opportunity to explore the industrial, pharmaceutical, technological and commercial dimensions of chemistry. Business and other specialist topics are built into our courses enabling you to develop valuable management skills. You share your first year with chemical engineers, to gain a deeper insight into industrial processes.

You will study subjects such as process design, health and safety, biological chemistry, biomaterials, inorganic materials and polymer synthesis. The innovative and relevant nature of our courses will also help you to discover new and exciting areas of chemistry, including bio-compatibility, medicinal drug delivery systems, the Buckminster-Fullerenes and cluster compounds, liquid crystals, non-metallic conductors and superconductors.

Year 1

• Basic Mathematics
• Introduction to Separation Processes
• Design
• Process and Product Design
• Introduction to Transfer Processes
• Health, Safety and the Environment
• Molecular Structure
• Kinetics
• Molecular Transformations
• States of Matter
• Introduction to Biological Chemistry
• General and Introductory Chemistry
• Transistion Mathematics for Engineers

Year 2

• Reaction Kinetics
• Chemical Engineering Laboratory
• Chemical Analysis
• Organic Synthesis
• Biological Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry II
• Polymer Science I
• Polymer Science II
• Inorganic Chemistry - Metals
• Introduction to Business Management

Final Year

• Physical and Analytical Chemistry
• Literature Research Project
• Biomaterials
• Modern Synthetic Methods
• Polymer Science III
• Polymer Science IV
• Advances in Lipid Chemistry
• Advanced NMR Spectroscopy
• Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

Our courses incorporate lectures, tutorials, plant visits and lab work. You will also be involved in project work; developing essential problem solving skills with specialist supervision from staff and industrial consultants. This hands-on experience will involve learning a wide range of techniques. Assessment is by a combination of exams, project, lab and coursework. Your final degree classification is determined by your performance in all years after the first year.

For further information, see the programme specification (PDF).

Your broad grounding in the principles of chemistry will prepare you to enter research, development or production in the chemical industry or to undertake postgraduate research or teaching certificates. Alternatively you may pursue a career in areas as diverse as commerce, administration, accounting, banking or the civil service. The study of chemistry is a springboard to your future, whether or not you enter a directly related career and is a highly stimulating and rewarding choice. For students taking the Biological Chemistry course there are also opportunities in a wide variety of modern exciting industries including pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, biotechnology, environmental control, water, renewable energy and materials.

Prof S Al-Malaika 
Prof  Al-Malaika's researches are in the areas of oxidation, stabilisation and modification of polymers. Current interests include studies on the oxidation and stabilisation of metallocene polyolefins, the antioxidant mechanisms and performance of biological antioxidant in polymers, synthesis of reactive compatibilisers for polymer blends, upgrading properties of polymers by reactive processing techniques, free radical grafting reactions on polymer melts and photo-bio-degradability of polymers.

Prof A V Bridgwater
Professor Bridgwater established the Bioenergy Research Group (BERG) in 1986. Since then it has grown to 25 members with an aggregated research income of over £13m. BERG specialises in the fast pyrolysis of biomass and solid wastes for production of liquid bio-fuels and chemicals. The group also researches advanced gasification and bioenergy system analysis, design and evaluation including economic assessment. Professor Bridgwater leads the SuperGen Biomass and Bioenergy Consortium supported by EPSRC. He also leads Thermalnet, an EU-forum on the thermal conversion of biomass, sponsored by the EC and IEA Bioenergy.

Prof B J Tighe
Professor Tighe's research focuses on the design, synthesis and applications of biomedical polymers, a significant proportion of which are hydrogels, a term frequently used to describe polymers swollen with water. Current interests include novel materials for ophthalmic applications, drug delivery systems, bioadhesive polymers, synthetic materials for articular cartilage, lung surfactant and cornea. The research is interdisciplinary and involves strong interactive connections with relevant industrial companies.

EAS Undergraduate Admissions Office
+44 (0)121 204 3400
engineering@aston.ac.uk