MChem Chemistry with a Year in Industry or Research

University of Reading

United Kingdom, Reading

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Home/United Kingdom/Reading /University of Reading/MChem Chemistry with a Year in Industry or Research

University of Reading

United Kingdom , Reading

Key Facts

Program Level

Master by Course Work

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Course Code

F105

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 29,950 / year

Next Intake September-2026

MChem Chemistry with a Year in Industry or Research

About

MChem Chemistry with a Year in Industry or Research is a four-year course provides you with the exciting option of spending a year in research at one of our partner universities abroad or a paid year in industry before you graduate on your way to becoming a professional scientist.

This MChem Chemistry with a Year in Industry or Research degree provides excellent training if you are considering a career as a professional chemist either in industry or higher education.

In your first two years you will gain a thorough grounding in the core areas of chemistry. As you progress, you will choose from a range of specialist options on topics such as polymers, organic synthesis, catalysis and biomolecular modelling.

You will then spend your third year on placement, either working for a major chemical or pharmaceutical company, in the UK or overseas, or by studying at one of our partner universities abroad. This placement year is one of the best ways to prepare for a career in chemistry. The Department currently has excellent links with companies in the Reading area, across the UK and overseas.

Whilst on placement you will be visited by your tutor, and continue to study core chemistry units from the third year of your degree. This distance learning ensures your fundamental knowledge of chemistry continues to develop.

Upon your return to the University you will join the final year of the MChem course, which includes a range of Masters-level topics and an extended research project. This project is a major feature of your final year and gives you a realistic introduction to the triumphs and trials of research.

All our chemistry courses are very flexible and, depending on your grades, you can transfer between them at the end of your first or second year. This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).

For more information, please visit the Department of Chemistry website.

Placement

We have a dedicated placements officer who is able to advise on career options, CVs and letters of application. Students are responsible for finding their own placements but can receive help from the placements officer with deciding which companies to approach.

We have previously sent students to companies such as Coty (Rimmel), Dow Corning and GSK. Students have also been placed at foreign research institutions such as the University of Zaragoza, Aarhus University, the University of South Australia and NASA. All students will be visited a number of times by a member of the teaching staff, ensuring the placement is going well.

For more information about securing and completing a placement for your placement year, please visit our Important Information page.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.

Our typical offers are expressed in terms of A level, BTEC and International Baccalaureate requirements. However, we also accept many other qualifications.

Typical offer

ABB, including grade B in A level Chemistry.

International Baccalaureate

32 points overall, including 5 in high level Chemistry.

Extended Project Qualification

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.

BTEC Extended Diploma

DDD including comparable science modules.

GCSE

Maths at grade B (6)

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5

For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.

Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students

For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international or EU student and do not meet the requirements for direct entry to your chosen degree you can join the University of Reading’s International Foundation Programme. Successful completion of this 1 year programme guarantees you a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. English language requirements start as low as IELTS 4.5 depending on progression degree and start date.

Learn more about our International Foundation programme

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

English Program Requirements

IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5

Career

We incorporate skills development into each year of your degree, giving you a better chance of securing work when you leave university. Upon graduation you will have developed a range of skills which are essential for chemists but also make you highly desirable in all areas of employment. These include skills such as planning and organisation, handling information, communication, scientific and practical skills, ICT, problem solving, critical analysis, time management and business awareness. The Department also holds a careers fair at which University alumni discuss their careers and advise you on the different options available. Overall, 92% of graduates from Chemistry are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation; of those in full-time employment (Based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2024, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22; includes First Degree Chemistry responders).

Our graduates go into a range of professions, across numerous sectors including science, the environment, health and safety, forensics, food technology, pharmaceuticals and water analysis.

Past UG graduates from the department of Chemistry at Reading have gone on to work for employers such as AstraZeneca, Campden BRI, Grant Thirton, Unilever, Deloitte, Pfize, PwC, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Thames Water, FDM Group, and RSSL (Based on HESA data © HESA 2020 - 2024, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017/18 - 2021/22; includes department of Chemistry responders).

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

GBP 29,950

Application Fee

GBP

How to Apply

1. Check our entry requirements

Please see our postgraduate subject finder for minimum entry requirements for the programme you are interested in; entry requirements can vary from one programme to another. International students can consult our country-specific pages for information and guidance on alternative qualification equivalencies for master’s study.

If English is not your first language, you will also need to meet our English language requirements. You can find the IELTS requirements on each course page. We also accept a range of alternative English language qualifications.

If your English ability is not at the required standard, you can choose to apply for one of our Pre-sessional English programmes. The programmes will equip you with the study skills and preparation needed for academic study in English. The length of your Pre-sessional English programme is determined by your current level of English against the English language requirements of your chosen master’s programme.

2. Application and funding deadlines

Although most master’s programmes do not formally close for applications, some programmes do have application deadlines; if your programme has a deadline it will be specified on the course page under the ‘Entry requirements’ section. For programmes that do not have a specific application deadline, places may be limited and programmes may become full. We recommend that you apply as early as possible (particularly if you are an international student) to allow time not only for us to process your application, but for you to ensure that you can meet any offer conditions, arrange your accommodation and, importantly, funding for your studies. For admission in September, we do recommend that you apply by 1 August (if you are a UK applicant) and 1 July (if you are an international applicant requiring a visa to come to the UK) however, we are happy to still consider applications after these dates.

International applicants should also see our advice and guidance on visas and immigration.

Funding deadlines

We require an offer of study for many of our master’s scholarships and bursaries. You should check deadlines for applications carefully, and each scholarship or bursary will have specific application instructions. We may add scholarships throughout the year, so it is a good idea to re-visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

3. Submit your application

You can apply for master’s programmes directly through our online application system, RISIS. For our PGCE/Teacher Training programmes, applications must be made via the Department of Education's Find Postgraduate Teacher Training portal. Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automatic confirmation.

Various documents are needed to make your application. You should electronically upload:

full transcripts of all degree programmes taken. If these are not in English, a certified translation into English is required. Please do not mail original copies; we only require PDF copies via electronic upload,
an English language certificate (for example IELTS or TOEFL), if English is not your first language (this can also be provided after you submit your application),
contact details for two academic/professional references. Your references will automatically be invited via email to upload their reference directly once you have submitted your application. Please remind your references to check their junk/spam filters for the email and let them know that the link to the form is only valid for 20 days,
statement of purpose. Your personal statement should outline your academic performance, interest in applying to master’s study, any relevant work experience and skills gained,
a copy of your passport (for international students).

Application fee

We do not charge an application fee to apply for our master’s programmes.

4. Track your application

You can track the progress of your application using our applicant portal, Me@Reading, a personalised resource including information about your programme of study, student stories and what's happening here at Reading. It has everything you need to know, all in one place. When we have made a decision on your application, we will contact you via email. If we are able to make you an offer for a place to study, your offer will contain information about what to do next, including how to accept your offer, pay a deposit (if applicable), and any conditions you must meet to study with us.