Chemistry with a Placement Year Abroad (MChem)

Why study this course

Take your research worldwide to gain an advanced degree in chemistry and significant research experience on this four-year degree programme.

Graduate privileges

Graduates are eligible for full membership to the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC), and may apply for the title of Chartered Chemist.

Acclaimed researchers involved in course design and teaching

99% of our research is world-leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021) and we're 12th in the UK for research impact.

Emphasis on research

Gain a solid grounding in the fundamentals of chemistry with an emphasis on research through an extended research project in your fourth year.

94% employment

94% of our graduates are employed, in further study or doing other activities such as travelling, 15 months after their course (Graduate Outcomes survey 2020/21).

Accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)

This course partially fulfils the academic requirements for Chartered Chemist (CChem).

This course includes a 9-12 month overseas placement during year three. Studying and working abroad allows you to experience a different culture, expand your network and develop your employability skills. This practical overseas experience will be a valuable addition to your CV when seeking graduate employment.

You will develop a solid understanding of the main areas of chemistry before focusing on and area that is interesting or important to you through a substantial research project worth half of the credits of your final year. Plus, you will spend many hours in our labs gaining hands-on experience and developing your research, mathematical and computational skills.

With more of an emphasis on research than our BSc degrees, backed up with analysis, interpretation and problem solving together with significant opportunities to develop transferrable professional skills, you can acquire all the attributes needed to be a self-sufficient working chemist.

The school is currently going through the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) re-accreditation process.

Accreditations

• Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)

Careers and placements

Career prospects

Chemists play a vital role in tackling society’s most urgent challenges – from biofuels and clean water to developing new pharmaceuticals. A degree in chemistry opens the door to a wide range of careers both inside and outside the lab, with the MChem providing excellent grounding for future research scientists.

Our graduates are sought after by a wide range of employers looking for excellent communication skills, experience in a lab environment, advanced IT skills and confidence in analysing varied information. With a chemistry degree, you can pursue a range of exciting research careers in areas such as the discovery of new medicines and vaccines, improving understanding of environmental issues and the development of new chemical products and materials using greener processes.

The logical and practical training you’ll gain on your course is also highly valued in fields such as marketing, sales, management or finance. Scientific journalism, publishing and teaching are also potential career routes. Previous graduates have gone on to work as development chemists, technical graduates, patent analysts, accountants, and quality control scientists.

Graduate careers

• Research Scientist
• Laboratory Technician
• Formulation Scientist
• Quality Control Analyst

Placements

All students on this course will undertake a two semester research project within a Cardiff Chemistry research laboratory in their fourth year.

Students will take a 9-12 month overseas placement during year 3. The School will help you to find a placement related to your interests and strengths. Students who do not secure a placement will transfer to an alternative MChem or BSc Chemistry programme at the end of year 2.

Finally, there are a variety of opportunities to undertake summer research projects in Cardiff under academic staff supervision.