Course overview
This three-year course will give you the knowledge and practical lab experience to understand how innovations lead to solutions of societal, commercial and global problems. You will learn how to apply the principles of sustainable chemistry and evaluate the impact of green practices in modern scientific environments.
You’ll take compulsory practical modules which introduce essential qualitative and quantitative laboratory skills which are required in inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. Optional modules allow you to tailor your degree to your own interests, learning to uncover the science behind how drugs are designed, how they interact with the body, and how chemistry helps treat disease.
Our Medicinal and Biological Chemistry programmes also benefit from a stream of newly developed modules with new specialist content. You will study modules in green and sustainable chemistry and become an effective communicator of scientific ideas to a variety of audiences, using a range of media. These new modules will help you understand how chemistry is being reimagined to reduce environmental impact and create safer, cleaner solutions as part of a core stream of sustainability topics featured throughout this course.
By the end of this course you’ll be a skilled practical chemist, able to collect, process and analyse scientific and numerical data. You will be able to work safely in the laboratory and apply problem solving and critical thinking to a range of challenges to draw rational conclusions. You’ll become an ethically aware chemist who maintains professional integrity and high standards in science.
Why choose this course?
Sustainability modules – Newly designed modules with sustainability focus
Internationally-recognised School of Chemistry, ranked 9th in the UK and top 100 in the World
Award-winning teaching – Study in a school recognised for innovation in practical chemistry education and research excellence.
Designed with you, for you – Our courses are co-created with students and industry to ensure they’re relevant, flexible, and future-focused.
Career-ready skills – Gain hands-on lab experience, work on real-world group projects, and develop transferable skills in communication, problem-solving, and data literacy.
Be inspired – Learn from leading academics, including those featured on the popular YouTube channel Periodic Videos, such as Sir Martyn Poliakoff.
Careers and employability
The University of Nottingham is the third-most targeted university in the UK by leading employers (High Fliers' Graduate Market in 2025). A degree in chemistry will prepare you for a wide range of careers and you’ll develop the necessary academic and practical skills for working in industry.
You will also develop your written and oral communication skills, and gain transferable skills such as problem-solving, numeracy, and data analysis. A significant proportion of our students go onto postgraduate study.
Important information
This online prospectus has been drafted in advance of the academic year to which it applies. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate at the time of publishing, but changes (for example to course content) are likely to occur given the interval between publishing and commencement of the course. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply for the course where there has been an interval between you reading this website and applying.
