University of Southampton
Chemistry with Medicinal Sciences MChem (Hons)
University of Southampton

Key Course Facts

Student Reviews

Overall student satisfaction
96 /100
20 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 £26000 £27500 £34000
25-75 percentile range £25000 - £28000 £22500 - £32500 £28000 - £40500


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

Combine your passion for chemistry with the study of biology and prepare to play a role in the discovery of life-saving medical treatments. You’ll learn about every aspect of the drug development cycle: the design of molecules with the potential to treat disease, understanding how they will interact with the body, and testing the effectiveness and safety of new treatments.

The degree includes a six-month placement which could see you undertaking a research project at a pharmaceutical company, or at a university overseas. A university placement could take you to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, Singapore or almost anywhere in the world. Most placements within industry are paid, and whichever type you choose you’ll gain specialist experience and transferable skills which will impress employers.

You’ll study in recently refurbished labs and learn from inspiring academics. In the recent Guardian University Guide (2023) Chemistry placed 1st in the Russell Group for satisfaction with teaching. This demonstrates our commitment to providing an excellent learning experience.

You’ll be well placed to take advantage of the many career opportunities in the pharmaceutical sector. This course is also excellent preparation for a PhD, which is the next step for over 40 per cent of our chemistry graduates. It is also a pathway for graduate entry into medicine.

Supporting your studies

You’ll be part of a supportive Chemistry community, with a personal academic tutor to provide any extra help you need, both academically and personally. During the first two years we limit small group tutorials to a maximum of five students, so you’ll have plenty of time and attention from your tutors.

Between classes, the Chemistry department will be your ‘home’ on campus, where you can grab a coffee in the common room, catch up with friends and talk to staff.

CV and interview skills workshops will help you secure your placement and future employment after your degree, and we’ll support you with regular catch-ups throughout the six months that you’re on your placement.

Outstanding undergraduate laboratories

Study in recently refurbished laboratories, which opened in 2019 as part of a £12m investment in Chemistry’s facilities. In this spacious, bright and modern environment you’ll gain hands-on practical experience with equipment such as NMR and IR spectrometers and X-ray diffractometers. There are also laptops for each student to record their practical work.

It’s the same high-tech equipment you’ll find in industry or academic labs, and you’ll learn to make and analyse your own samples, with full support and training – all excellent preparation for your placement and future career.

For your biology studies, you’ll use purpose-built facilities in the Life Sciences Building, which have benefited from a recent £50m investment.

Learn about research as it happens

We’re a Russell Group university and Chemistry at Southampton is joint first in the UK for research intensity (Complete University Guide 2022). This means you’ll learn from staff who are changing the world through research – for example by designing new cancer drugs and developing synthetic DNA for use in COVID-19 testing.

Our academics will share their expertise with you, bringing the most up-to-date knowledge to your seminars and lectures. In addition, the breadth of their research activities gives you plenty of choice for your third-year project topic.

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 with Medicinal Sciences MChem (Hons) at University of Southampton

30% Managers, directors and senior officials
10% Engineering professionals
5% Artistic, literary and media occupations
5% Skilled trades occupations
5% Sales occupations
5% Media Professionals
5% Customer service occupations
5% Science, engineering and technology associate professionals
5% Elementary occupations
5% Artistic, literary and media occupations

Grading & Study Time

There are written examinations at the end of each semester to test your knowledge and understanding of material presented in the lectures and workshops. The practical work is continuously assessed primarily through written reports. Project work is assessed by dissertation and oral examination together with a report on your relevant skills from your supervisor. A written literature review related to the project is also assessed. Coursework exercises based on the lecture material are set each week and feedback is provided promptly. In some cases coursework marks are used in calculating your overall mark for the particular module of study. However in most cases coursework is simply to give you an indication of your progress. The research project will be assessed via a variety of means including review of your laboratory notebook, your assessments of the risks and hazards of your work, written reports, oral presentations, the production of a dissertation, and an oral examination.

Grading Distribution

Students of the course received the following grades

Entry Requirements / Admissions

UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for Chemistry

English language requirements

test Grade Additional Details
IELTS (Academic) 6.5

with no component below 6.0

Find out about equivalent entry requirements and qualifications for your country: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/uni-life/international/your-country.page
Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still study Chemistry with Medicinal Sciences, 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 with Medicinal Sciences MChem (Hons)

Ireland £9250 year 1
EU £27400 year 1
International £27400 year 1
England UK £9250 year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 year 1
Scotland £9250 year 1
Wales £9250 year 1
Channel Islands £9250 year 1

Additional fee information

**

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 Southampton in top UK and global rankings.

Rankings of University of Southampton in related subject specific rankings.

Natural Sciences

    • #3 
    • #4 
    Chemistry
    The Guardian University League Tables by Subject
    [Published 09 September, 2023]
    • #8 
    • #10 
    Chemistry
    CUG The Complete University Guide - By Subject
    [Published 08 June, 2023]
    • #13 
    • #126 
    Chemistry
    QS World University Rankings By Subject
    [Published 22 March, 2023]
    • #14 
    • #201 
    Chemistry
    GRAS Global Ranking of Academic Subjects - ShanghaiRanking
    [Published 19 July, 2022]

See all 34 university rankings of University of Southampton

About University of Southampton

The University of Southampton, often abbreviated to Soton, is a research university located in Southampton, England. Although the university was founded in 1862, it has only enjoyed full university status from 1952 onwards. The university has five campuses in total, with the main one based in the Highfield area of Southampton.

List of 379 Bachelor and Master Courses from University of Southampton - Course Catalogue

Student composition of University of Southampton

undergraduates:
14770
postgraduates:
8470
Total:
23240
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Where is this programme taught

Main Site - Highfield Campus
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