University of Reading
Chemistry (MChem) MChem (Hons)
University of Reading

Key Course Facts

Student Reviews

Overall student satisfaction
80 /100
40 total respondents

Primarily based on data from undergraduate degree students.

The NSS is commissioned by the Office for Students

Salary

Salary of Graduates in Chemistry

Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of Chemistry at the university. Due to data collection methodology, salary data is mainly based on data related to undergraduate students.

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £27000 £24500 £29000
25-75 percentile range £24000 - £28000 £21000 - £31000 £24000 - £36500


Salary of all UK Graduates of Chemistry

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £26087 £25084 £30411
25-75 percentile range £23037 - £30143 £20483 - £31674 £24333 - £37866

Course Description

Develop your knowledge and skills, enjoy our state-of-the-art facilities and take your first step towards becoming a professional scientist on this MChem Chemistry programme.

This MChem Chemistry degree provides excellent training if you are considering a career as a professional chemist in industry, research 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.

If you would like to spend a year gaining work experience, our MChem with a Year in Industry/Research course gives you the opportunity to spend 12 months working in the chemical or pharmaceutical industry, or at one of our partner universities abroad.

In your third and final years of this course you can choose from a range of advanced options allowing you to specialise in topics such as atmospheric chemistry, polymers and advanced materials, contemporary organic synthesis, catalysis, industrial chemistry, biomolecular modelling and many more. You will also take an advanced laboratory class to learn specialist techniques preparing you for your extended project in the final year.

Much of your final year is dedicated to your own research project; it's an opportunity to think independently, develop your own ideas and gain first-hand experience in a stimulating research environment.

This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).

Placement

We have a dedicated placements officer who is able to advise on career options, CVs and letters of application, as well as help you find a placement. 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.

Accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry for fully meeting the academic criteria for Chartered Chemist (CChem).

Jobs & Career Perspectives

15 months after graduation, graduates of this course were asked about what they do and, if they are working, about their current job and their perspectives.

Current jobs

Required skill level of job after 15 months

Jobs of graduates of this course (15 months after graduation)

Example below based on all graduates of Chemistry (MChem) MChem (Hons) at University of Reading

25% Business and public service associate professionals
15% Teaching Professionals
15% Medical Practitioners
15% Media Professionals
10% Natural and social science professionals
10% Business, Research and Administrative Professionals
10% Engineering professionals

Grading & Study Time

Entry Requirements / Admissions

UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for Chemistry

Qualification requirements

Including a relevant subject/science @ C or above (80 UCAS tariff points)

Contextual offers for this programme are typically two grades beneath our standard entry requirement, e.g. BBC including A level Chemistry at grade B.

English language requirements

test Grade Additional Details
IELTS (Academic) 6.5

We require a minimum score of 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).

TOEFL (iBT) 88

We require a minimum score of 88 overall with no less than 17 in Listening and Writing, 18 in Reading and 20 in Speaking.

Cambridge English Advanced

We require a grade B or a score of 176 overall with no element less than 162.

Cambridge English Proficiency

We require a grade C or a score of 176 overall with no element less than 162.

PTE Academic 69

We require a minimum score of 69 overall with at least 59 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).

Institution's Own Test

Test of English for Educational Purposes (TEEP). We require a minimum score of 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each element of the test (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing).

Trinity ISE

We require a Merit in each element from ISE II. If you take ISE III or ISE IV, we require a Pass in each element.

Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still study Chemistry (MChem), MChem (Hons), if you do not meet the minimum requirements in terms of UCAS score, A levels, or English language requirements.

Costs

Tuition Fees Chemistry (MChem) MChem (Hons)

England UK £9250 year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 year 1
Scotland £9250 year 1
Wales £9250 year 1
Channel Islands £9250 year 1
Ireland £9250 year 1
EU £24500 year 1
International £24500 year 1

Average student cost of living in the UK

Rent £518
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) £50
Supermarket shopping £81
Clothing £35
Eating out £33
Alcohol £27
Takeaways / food deliveries £30
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) £24
Holidays and weekend trips £78
Transport within city £17
Self-care / sports £20
Stationary / books £13
Mobile phone / internet £13
Cable TV / streaming £7
Insurance £51
Other £95
  
Average student cost of living £1092

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

How to apply

Application deadline:

January 1, 2025

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Possible Entry Points:

  • year 1 (Default entry point)

University Rankings

Positions of University of Reading in top UK and global rankings.

Rankings of University of Reading in related subject specific rankings.

Natural Sciences

    • #25 
    • #31 
    Chemistry
    The Guardian University League Tables by Subject
    [Published 09 September, 2023]
    • #31 
    • #40 
    Chemistry
    CUG The Complete University Guide - By Subject
    [Published 08 June, 2023]
    • #21 
    • #401 
    Chemistry
    QS World University Rankings By Subject
    [Published 22 March, 2023]

See all 29 university rankings of University of Reading

About University of Reading

The University of Reading is a publicly funded university in Reading, Berkshire, England. Reading has four major campuses; London Road and Whiteknights campus which are located in Reading itself, with Greenlands campus being found on the banks of the River Thames. The fourth campus is known as Iskandar Puteri, in Malaysia.

List of 375 Bachelor and Master Courses from University of Reading - Course Catalogue

Student composition of University of Reading

undergraduates:
11905
postgraduates:
3995
Total:
15900
  • Student Life at the University of Reading
  • Should you bother coming to a University Open Day?
  • What's it like to study Maths at the University of Reading?
  • 9 Things Nobody Tells You About Uni | University of Reading
  • Studying English Language and Linguistics with the University of Reading
  • Economics Master’s Degrees at the University of Reading

Where is this programme taught

Main Site
map marker Show on map

Similar courses

Program University Student satis­faction Unem­ployed Drop­out Tuition (UK) Tuition (Inter­national) UCAS Tariff City
Chemistry with Industrial Experience MChem University of Huddersfield 88% 10% 10% £9250 £17600 135 Huddersfield On campus Full-time
Chemistry (4 years) MChem (Hons) Durham University 93% 0% 2% £9250 £29500 212 Durham On campus Full-time
Chemistry with Computing MChem (Hons) Loughborough University of Technology - 5% 2% £9250 £27250 161 Loughborough On campus Full-time
Chemistry with Research Abroad Msci (Hons) Imperial College of Science 88% 10% 0% £9250 £41650 187 London On campus Full-time
MChem Chemistry MChem University of Greenwich 81% 0% 0% £9250 £16150 £17000 105 London On campus Full-time
Chemistry with a Year in Industry MChem (Hons) University of East Anglia 82% 0% 0% £9250 £26100 136 Norwich On campus Full-time
Chemistry, the Atmosphere and the Environment with a year in industry MChem (Hons) The University of York - 1% 2% £9250 £28800 175 York On campus Full-time
Chemistry with Study Abroad MChem (Hons) Queen's University of Belfast 71% 0% 10% £9250 £25300 163 Belfast On campus Full-time
Chemistry (International) MChem (Hons) Durham University 85% 0% 0% £9250 £29500 185 Durham On campus Full-time
Chemistry Msci (Hons) The University of Nottingham 77% 3% 0% £9250 £28600 147 Nottingham On campus Full-time