Undergraduate study

Chemistry at Oxford is a four-year, integrated Masters course leading to an MChem (with honours). The course provides a high-level education in the subject, with sufficient flexibility to enable students to specialise in the areas of greatest interest to them and also to venture into overlapping scientific disciplines.

For the first three years of the course, students are taught through practical work, lectures, and small group classes and tutorials. The fourth year consists entirely of research, with students working on a project in one of the department’s research groups – these cover a wide range of research themes, including both pure and applied Chemistry.

Course structure

1st year

The first year of the course covers the traditional areas of Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry, together with Mathematics for Chemistry. These are broadly based, and include topics such as Biological Chemistry and Physics, which are presented in a chemical context.

Students are taught through practical work, lectures and small group classes and tutorials.

Students must pass the Preliminary Examination in all four subjects at the end of the first year. The level of the examinations is set so that with reasonable commitment the vast majority of students pass, and there is a resit opportunity in September.

2nd year

During the second year of the course, students build up their understanding of the subject and cover most of the core material in the degree. Examples of some of the topics included are: Theoretical chemistry, Biological chemistry, Molecular spectroscopy, and Synthetic chemistry.

Students are taught through practical work, lectures and small group classes and tutorials.

Students take the Part IA Examination at the end of the second year, which comprises three papers – one each in Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry – covering the material from the first and second years and counting 15% towards the overall degree classification.

3rd year

The third year begins by completing the core material, followed by a range of Options courses. Approximately fifteen different Options topics are offered each year, some of which relate to research interests in the department.

Students are taught through practical work, lectures and small group classes and tutorials.

Students take the Part IB Examination at the end of the third year, which comprises seven papers in total – six synoptic general papers and one paper on the Options topics, in which students are asked to answer questions on three topics of their choice. These examinations count 50% towards the overall degree classification.

4th year

The fourth year is spent exclusively on research, providing students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in a significant project in one of the world’s premier research departments. A wide range of research themes are available, and there are also opportunities to work in related sciences in other departments. Students are supervised by a member of academic staff and have full access to the research facilities of their host laboratory. The year’s work results in the Part II thesis, the assessment of which counts 25% towards the overall degree classification.

Students generally enjoy the fourth year greatly, and it is very rare for a student to exercise the option of leaving after three years with an unclassified BA honours degree.

Practical course

The practical course spans the first three years of the degree, and aims to train students to solve problems practically, accurately, safely and efficiently so that by the end of the course they are ready to work as a professional chemist in a research laboratory.

Practical chemistry is taught in the purpose-built Chemistry Teaching Laboratory, which opened in 2018. The practical course teaches the essential experimental skills, form the synthesis and characterisation of compounds to the operation of spectrometers and other instruments for physiochemical and analytical measurements. Computer applications and chemistry software packages, such as structure drawing, molecular modelling and computer coding, are also covered in the practical course. It also makes tangible much of the material covered in the lectures, classes and tutorials.

Students must pass the first year of the practical course as part of the Preliminary Examination, in order to progress to the second year of the degree. The second and third years of the practical course count 10% towards the final degree classification.

We are currently reviewing the structure and content of the MChem course, therefore there may be some changes in future years. Any significant changes that are introduced will be described on this page, before the relevant application deadline.

Admissions

This page covers key admissions details specific to Chemistry. The University Undergraduate Admissions website contains a large amount of information and advice on the Oxford Admissions process, including a timeline for the current cycle.

Overview

UCAS code F100

Entrance requirements A*A*A (with both A*s in science subjects and/or Maths)

Subject requirements Chemistry and Maths (another science or Further Maths is recommended but not essential)

Admissions test(s) None

Written work None

Criteria

Academic ability

Reasoning ability; aptitude for analysing and solving problems using logical and critical approaches
Mathematical ability
Capacity to absorb new ideas and to apply familiar ideas to unfamiliar situations
Spirit of enquiry: desire to understand the reasons for observations; enthusiasm and curiosity in science
An understanding of the chemical concepts covered in courses taken so far

Interest in Chemistry

Including an appreciation of some aspects of it outside the confines of the A level syllabus (or equivalent)

Motivation and perseverance

An enthusiasm for chemistry and the motivation to pursue an academically demanding four-year course

Independent working and communication

Ability to work independently; willingness and ability to express ideas clearly and effectively orally, in writing and numerically; ability to listen

Educational achievement

GCE: Good grades at GCSE are expected, especially in science and mathematics. Three A-levels are required, which must include Chemistry and Mathematics. The standard conditional offer at present is A*A*A. Both A* should be in science subjects and/or Maths. If a practical component forms part of any of your science A-levels, we expect you to pass it.
SCE: Five Highers plus Advanced Highers (or CSYS) are required. These must include Chemistry. The typical offer at Advanced Higher is AAB or AA.
International Baccalaureate: 40 (including core points). For applicants offering HL Mathematics: 766 at HL with 7 in HL Chemistry and 6 in HL Mathematics. For applicants offering SL Mathematics: 776 at HL with 7 in both HL Chemistry and a second HL science subject, and 7 in SL Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches.

Applications are welcomed from those studying for qualifications other than those listed above. The standard minimum entrance requirements do not specify that A-levels, Advanced Highers, IB HL subjects, or equivalents should all have been obtained in the same examination period. However, based on our consideration of all relevant information available to us, such a requirement may form part of a conditional offer for an individual candidate.

The selectors will assess each candidate against the above criteria on the basis of the following information, taking into account the educational background of students and the level of their existing knowledge and experience:

UCAS application, including references and personal statement
Examination results
Interview
Deferred Entry

Applications for deferred entry are welcome, and candidates so applying will not be made conditional offers more demanding than candidates for immediate entry. While successful applicants commonly need academic records that are somewhat more distinguished than candidates at the borderline for selection, there has in practice been no significant difference between their success rate and that of candidates not seeking a deferred place.

Candidates (or their referees) will also have the opportunity to present any mitigating circumstances that may have adversely affected their attainment so far.

Shortlisting

Shortlisting for interviews takes place in order to provide time, during the interview window, to guarantee that all shortlisted applicants receive at least two interviews. Shortlisting is done by College tutors and the Chemistry Admissions Coordinators, in accordance with the stated admissions criteria and based on all available and relevant data.

All Colleges are given an opportunity to review the proposed list of all applicants not to be shortlisted and to request to interview applicants rejected by other Colleges.

After shortlisting is completed, some candidates may be reallocated by the Admissions Coordinator to a different College from the one to which they applied. The purpose of reallocation is to even out the competition for places across Colleges.