Technology Enhanced Chemical Synthesis, PhD

Our alternative to the traditional PhD includes a unique training period (TATE) before the start of your synthesis research project which will:

• enhance your research skills in a variety of areas of chemical synthesis;
• enable you to choose your own PhD project;
• introduce you to state-of-the-art automation and reaction technology;
• introduce you to new methods of computational chemistry, including AI;
• build personal confidence;
• grow your employability and transferable skills;
• foster a teamwork ethos through cohort-driven research;
• include entrepreneurship training to introduce you to the start-up culture;
• create links with industry while working on real-world problems;
• allow you to interact with internationally renowned research groups.

We are seeking applications from students covering the whole breadth of the synthetic chemistry spectrum. We encourage applications from students whose interests include:

• Metal catalysed transformations
• New scaffolds for medicines and agrochemicals
• Designer ligands for catalysis
• Computational modelling and automation
• Design and synthesis of new bioactive and functional molecules
• Main group chemistry: from molecules to materials
• Development of expedient new synthetic methodologies
• Chemistry, synthesis and activity of natural products
• Cleaner synthesis and reactor technology.

Applications are welcomed from students with or expecting to gain a first or upper-second class honours MSci/MChem (or equivalent). This is one of the CDTs hosted by the School of Chemistry offering training in a number of different disciplines.

Postgraduate applicants

You should apply online for all our postgraduate programmes.

Entry requirements vary for each programme. Please check our postgraduate programme listings for details of specific requirements.

Applicants will need to meet the English language requirements for their chosen course. Different courses need different levels of language skills, referred to as ‘profiles’. The required profile will be shown on the course page. Find out more about our English language profiles.

To be considered for admission to a master's degree programme at the University of Bristol, the minimum requirement for entry is an undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree that is equivalent to a UK upper second-class degree (also known as a 2:1).

You need to achieve required levels of English to qualify for a place on your chosen course/programme.

Different courses/programmes need different levels of language skills. We refer to these skill levels as ‘profiles’. The profile for your chosen course/ programme is shown on the course/programme page.

The tests and levels you need to achieve to meet the requirements are on each profile page.

English language proficiency tests should have been obtained within two years of the start date of your programme/course.

If you are from, or have studied in, an English-speaking country, you may be exempt from the need to provide additional evidence of your English language ability.

Applying

You do not need to have reached the required level before you apply.

We will look at your academic qualifications and decide what offer we will make you. If you haven’t yet reached the required English level, we will give you a target grade to meet as part of your offer.

What you need to do

If you have the required level

If you have the required level, you must include it in your application. You do not need to do anything else. If you are from an English-speaking country as defined by UK Visas and Immigration, then you are considered to have the required level.

If you have started but not completed the required level

If you haven’t reached the required level in English language for your course/programme, you will be given a target grade in your offer.

You will need to provide a valid English language qualification showing you have met the required target grade.

If you don’t have the required level

If you don’t have the required level you could try one of the following:

• Taking a pre-sessional language course offered by the University
• Taking an IELTS Academic test
• Taking a different course in your home country which qualifies (see the list under the profile)
• Re-sitting the language tests in your home country to reach the required level