Medicinal and Biological Chemistry MSc

How will I learn?

Lectures are given by leading researchers in the area of medicinal and biological chemistry.

The lecture courses are supported by tutorial sessions and assessed by coursework and examination.

The MSc programme provides experience and training in activities that are important to professional chemists and to the research process, such as:

• science communication
• data handling and statistics
• modern laboratory techniques in Chemistry
• relevant transferable skills

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

On completion of the programme, you should have developed a depth of comprehension and critique in the core elements of their subject area, including:

• critical analysis and management of data
• judging the relationship between theory and methodology
• assessment of the appropriate methods of data collection/analysis to address the research question
• assessment of relevance of previous studies
• critical thinking

Additionally, you will have enhanced your professional/practical skills through:

• experience of research design and management
• advanced instrumentation or techniques
• production of scientific reports

You will also have the opportunity to develop transferable skills such as:

• written, visual and oral delivery and dissemination of research findings
• interpersonal and communication skills
• computing proficiency
• organisation skills

The School of Chemistry actively supports and guides its students in their career aspirations. As a graduate, you will be well suited to take up roles in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, either in research and development or sales and marketing. You will gain valuable work experience in a real-life research environment.

Our courses also teach you the valuable skills you need to move into other areas outside chemistry. Careers in IT, management or finance are possibilities after completing your degree.

Alternatively, a masters degree is a precursor to a PhD degree.

Alumni Profiles

• See what jobs our alumni go on to

Chemistry Career profiles

• See the wide range of careers a Chemistry degree can lead to on the Royal Society of Chemistry website

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in chemistry, or a closely related discipline, with a strong chemistry component.

We may also consider a UK 2:2 honours degree, or its international equivalent, with relevant work experience and supportive references.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money
  • taking out a loan
  • family support
• personal savings
• income from work
• employer sponsorship
• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your residency status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

The Chemistry Tercentenary Masters Scholarship helps outstanding postgraduate taught masters students to study in the School of Chemistry by providing for some of the costs of their training.

Award

The scholarship will cover your full tuition fees (2024/25 Scotland/Rest of UK/International/EU tuition fees) and will be tenable for one academic session. This award cannot be held concurrently with fully-funded scholarships. It can, however, be combined with other partial funding.

Eligibility

The scholarship is offered to applicants starting a full-time MSc programme in the School of Chemistry in September 2024 in:

• MSc Analytical Chemistry
• MSc Medicinal & Biological Chemistry
• MSc Materials Chemistry

For further information on the scholarship opportunities available, please see our website:

• School of Chemistry Scholarship opportunities

• Search for Scholarship and funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding