Chemistry (with Industrial Placement) MChem Hons

Chemists are great problem solvers and analytical thinkers; they have been instrumental in developing our modern world. Studying our Chemistry (Industrial Placement) degree will not only provide you with a multi-disciplinary skill set, it will also give you the opportunity to experience the environment of a real chemistry workplace and allow you to apply the theoretical knowledge you’ve gained.

The industrial placement takes place in Year 4 to give you several advantages:

• You will have a greater degree of maturity
• Your knowledge, practical work and research experience will be more advanced
• You have a greater chance of being offered a job after the placement because you will have completed your degree

The Industrial Placement Programme Officer, who will also be in touch with you during the placement, will guide you on how to identify and apply for a placement from Year 2 and how to prepare for competitive interviews during Year 3.

In Years 1 to 3 you will explore a range of core topics, including chemical synthesis and materials, chemical physics and analysis, chemical computation and theory, and chemical biology. Our modern approach combines the traditionally segregated subjects of organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, and teaches chemistry in logical stages. As part of the degree, you will receive an expansive introduction to the foundations of chemistry, from the fundamentals of atoms and molecules, to chemical reaction kinetics. Later years build on these foundations, and develop advanced knowledge and skills in modern chemical theory and contemporary practical techniques.

In your first year you will study the core chemistry modules - comprising two-thirds of the year - along with optional modules that can be selected from a range of subject areas taught in the University. You will develop your practical skills in our brand-new, research-grade labs, with access to an impressive range of equipment. Alongside the technical knowledge, you will gain excellent transferable skills in communication, research, data analysis, mathematics and computation, and analytic and logical thinking; all of which can be applied to many different career paths.

Your second year builds upon the broad fundamentals of first year, and you will cover some familiar topics in more detail, such as organic synthesis, spectroscopy and kinetics, while new, more advanced topics are introduced, such as d-metal chemistry, soft-matter chemistry and quantum chemistry. In your third year, you will study a range of advanced topics, as well as a research skills module, which will prepare you for you final year project undertaken during your industrial placement. You will also have the opportunity to choose from a variety of optional modules in more specialised areas of chemistry.

During your fourth and final year, whilst at your industrial placement, you will apply your skills by undertaking a major research project. The topic of the proposed research project will be agreed with your employer in advance of the placement and will be broken down into a series of components including a literature review, a project interview, a final dissertation and a final oral presentation. In addition, you will complete a module assessing reflection on the contribution to the host organisation, the experiential learning and enhanced skill set the placement has provided. You are also expected to undertake two modules as distance taught courses from a list of available Year 4 modules in advance topics in chemistry.

Lancaster University nor the Chemistry Department can guarantee a placement with a company. Any student unable to secure a placement would typically be transferred onto the standard MChem degree programme.

We are a modern and inclusive department committed to small group teaching which we believe fosters a highly supportive and productive learning environment.

Alternative Programmes

The MChem programme is also offered with an integrated Study Abroad year, where you can expand your horizons in locations such as North America, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. As the degree shares a common first- and second-year with the BSc and other MChem programmes, there is flexibility to switch between programmes once you are in Lancaster (subject to academic requirements).