General entry requirements

A level:

• AAA to include Chemistry and one of the following: Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Geology, Statistics or Computer Science
• You must also achieve a pass in the science practical assessment (if applicable).

IB:

• 38 to include 6 in Higher Level Chemistry and 5 in a second science subject at Higher Level (either Biology, Physics, Mathematics ‘Analysis and Approaches’, Mathematics ‘Applications and Interpretation’, or Computer Science)

BTEC:

• We welcome applications from students taking BTECs alongside A level Chemistry

Additional requirements:

You will also need to meet our English Language requirements.

International Students

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

Find out more about international entry requirements.

Contextual data and differential offers

Warwick may make differential offers to students in a number of circumstances. These include students participating in the Realising Opportunities programme, or who meet two of the contextual data criteria. Differential offers will be one or two grades below Warwick’s standard offer (to a minimum of BBB).

Warwick International Foundation Programme (IFP)

All students who successfully complete the Warwick IFP and apply to Warwick through UCAS will receive a guaranteed conditional offer for a related undergraduate programme (selected courses only).

Find out more about standard offers and conditions for the IFP.

Taking a gap year

Applications for deferred entry welcomed.

Interviews

We do not typically interview applicants. Offers are made based on your UCAS form which includes predicted and actual grades, your personal statement and school reference.

Year One

Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry

You will begin your studies by gaining a solid understanding of chemical bonding and interatomic interactions, and how they determine the structure and reactivity of inorganic compounds. You will later apply your understanding to the chemistry of transition metal complexes, Bronsted and Lewis acidity, and the redox properties of main group compounds. You will examine fundamental aspects of crystal field theory and develop your practical skills in using the models studied in light of their industrial applications and use in materials science.

Introduction to Organic Chemistry

You will start this foundation module by acquiring a sure grasp of the structures, properties and reactions of organic molecules. You will expand your knowledge of different types of compounds, discover methods for creating molecules, and be able to describe bonding in organic compounds to predict the reactivity of molecules. You will apply your understanding to the synthesis and chemistry of key functional groups and to the structure, properties and reactivities of biologically important molecules and organic macromolecules.

Introduction to Physical Chemistry

You will develop your understanding of core concepts in physical chemistry: quantum mechanics, kinetics, thermodynamics and spectroscopy. You will learn how the laws of quantum mechanics can be used to predict the properties of atoms and molecules, how the kinetic rate laws of multistep chemical processes emerge from elementary reaction steps, how thermodynamics can be used to predict the properties of gases, and how light interacts with matter.

Practical and Professional Chemistry Skills I

You can study the theory of chemistry, but the laboratory is where science comes alive. You will put your chemistry knowledge to work with experiments that familiarise you with scientific instrumentation and data collection, and conduct analyses using databases and software. Later, you will use these techniques to create compounds, investigate concepts and prove theories. You will also have opportunities to combine established techniques, equipping you with the understanding and practical competence needed to develop your own research methods and problem-solving techniques.

Year Two

Practical and Professional Chemistry Skills II

In this module, you will experience more hands-on investigation, synthesis and analysis as the skills you have developed allow you to conduct more complicated multistep syntheses, learn advanced techniques and take more control and ownership of your work. By the end, you will be able to plan experiments, set up and monitor instrumentation and record your results, and characterise and assess reactions using spectroscopy alongside other sophisticated techniques. You will also learn to process and present your results in statistical, graphical and written form.

Selective Organic Synthesis

Having already developed a foundation understanding of organic chemistry you will now broaden your knowledge of the range of synthetic routes available to design molecules. You will examine a variety of methods for forming different bond types and functional groups and consider the factors influencing the choice of reagents and reaction conditions. You will use your knowledge to form your own strategies to design organic synthesis routes to target molecules.

Mechanistic and Biological Chemistry

In this module you will look at the features of organic molecules that affect the reactions that they can undergo. You will develop the ability to use structures and information about rates to predict reactions and identify the mechanisms of organic reactions. You will use your knowledge of the structures and reactivity of small molecules and apply these to the Chemistry of carbohydrates, proteins and enzymes. During the module you will also gain an understanding of the drug discovery process.

Transition Metal Chemistry

You will develop a formal understanding of bonding in transition metal complexes, as a platform for understanding the reactivity and spectroscopy of such complexes, and acquire a systematic knowledge of organometallic chemistry through exploring some of the conceptual links between organic and inorganic. You will be able to analyse the successes and limitations of different methods and demonstrate your understanding of the eighteen electron rule and its exceptions.

Materials and Polymers

Materials and Polymers are used in all applications from functional to structural applications. They turn molecules into useful devices and items, or are extended arrays of connected atoms that have unique properties as solids. This module will give you an understanding of how materials can be made and how they can be characterised. This will let you appreciate how materials can be designed for use in energy, healthcare, electronics, personal care and other applications.

Electrons in Molecules and Solids

You will develop in-depth knowledge of symmetry and group theory and its role in molecular structure and bonding, and interpretation of electronic and vibrational spectra. You will develop an understanding of how photo-excited molecules undergo relaxation through radiative and non-radiative decay processes. You will be introduced to the fundamental concepts of solid state chemistry that relates to crystal structure, chemical bonding in solids and the electronic properties of solids. This will enable you to determine how quantum and statistical mechanics applied to solid materials can be used to derive various condensed matter properties, including electrical conduction and opto-electronic characteristics.

Statistical Mechanics and Electrochemistry

In this module you will study and then bring together concepts from electrochemistry and statistical mechanics. You will be able to make connections between these two fields, thus unravelling why things in chemistry are the way they are - with important reverberations across biochemistry (e.g. nerve signalling, vision) and materials science (e.g. design of novel materials, such as nanowires and nanoparticles). You will be able to apply the theoretical foundations of the physical chemistry to systems of practical relevance such as ionic species in aqueous solutions (think table salt dissolved in water!).

Year Three

Advanced Organic Chemistry and Laboratory

You will gain the necessary advanced knowledge to allow you to understand and apply empirical rules and models related to the reactions of organic molecules, complex pericyclic reactions, intramolecular cyclisation processes, rearrangement reactions of reactive intermediates, and reactions creating new stereogenic centres by either substrate, reagent or catalyst control.

Advanced Inorganic Chemistry and Laboratory

This advanced module will provide the background required to understand the issues affecting industrial catalytic reactions. You will study the application of organometallic chemistry and physical chemistry (particularly kinetics), drawing together aspects of this work developed in year two and extending your understanding to the types of reactions and catalysis used widely in chemical industries, such as those concerned with petrochemicals, polymers, fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Advanced Physical Chemistry and Laboratory

You will be given an introduction to two advanced topics in physical chemistry: interfacial chemistry and molecular modelling. You will study a range of surface and interfacial processes, including both solid and liquid interfaces, and learn about advanced experimental methods for characterising them. You will learn the basic concepts in molecular dynamics simulations, including periodic boundaries, integration algorithms and thermodynamic ensembles. A significant aspect of this module is to demonstrate the importance of surface processes in chemistry and the borders of chemical engineering, biomedical science, materials science and physics. As well as standard lectures, these aims will be supported by experimental laboratory sessions which have an emphasis on designing and implementing experiments.

Advanced Analytical Chemistry

You will focus on the theoretical and practical aspects of instrumental analytical techniques, including data generation, acquisition, interpretation, instrumentation and state-of-the-art applications. You will consider the specific techniques of chromatography, mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in both lecture and workshop environments. As part of your studies, you will learn to test hypotheses, use databases and software independently, analyse your findings and improve your ability to communicate these in written form.

Molecular Pharmacology

Through the presentation of case studies by major pharmaceutical companies, you will learn to understand and articulate current advances in drug design, development and discovery, including the techniques used to support each of these. You will gain important transferable skills, including effective teamwork and the presentation of a topic related to drug discovery in oral and written form.

Extended Laboratory

You will build on your previous practical chemistry work by choosing two further optional practical modules. Your studies will see you using a range of resources to design synthetic and measurement experiments, and performing advanced synthetic techniques such as column chromatography, manipulation of air-sensitive compounds and emulsion polymerisation. You will complete this module with a poster presentation on a piece of published research work.

Year Four

Advanced Medicinal and Biological Chemistry

You will deepen your understanding of current research in medicinal chemistry, and develop your ability to evaluate published literature, using your knowledge of organic, mechanistic and medicinal chemistry. You will be encouraged to be original in applying your knowledge to the solution of research problems. You will learn to communicate your findings in discussion, presentation and writing, and have substantial opportunities to work independently on a specific research topic, such as molecular mechanisms of action, of drugs targeting ribosomal machinery, cholesterol biosynthesis, or the principles and methods of drug discovery.

Research Project and Methodology

You will carry out an extended research project under the supervision of an academic in an area reflecting your interests. You will become competent in original research practice, including evaluating literature, designing practical or computational experiments, analysing and assessing your results and drawing conclusions to set against the current field. You will learn to present your findings in discussion and debate, and to complete report-writing to a high standard.

Examples of Year Three/Four optional modules/options for current students:

• Extended Lab
• Molecular Structure and Dynamics
• Bioorganic Chemistry
• Polymer and Colloid Science
• Energy
• Advanced Coordination and Bio-Inorganic Chemistry
• Secondary School Teaching
• Innovation 101

Tuition fees

Find out more about fees and funding

Additional course costs

There may be costs associated with other items or services such as academic texts, course notes, and trips associated with your course. Students who choose to complete a work placement or study abroad will pay reduced tuition fees for their third year.

Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship 2021

We believe there should be no barrier to talent. That's why we are committed to offering a scholarship that makes it easier for gifted, ambitious international learners to pursue their academic interests at one of the UK's most prestigious universities. This new scheme will offer international fee-paying students 250 tuition fee discounts ranging from full fees to awards of £13,000 to £2,000 for the full duration of your Undergraduate degree course.

Find out more about the Warwick Undergraduate Global Excellence Scholarship 2021

Your career

Graduates from these courses have gone on to work for employers including:

• Amazon
• Deloitte
• HMRC
• Ovo Energy
• Public Health England
• Royal Society of Chemistry
• Unilever
• Vertex Pharmaceuticals

They have pursued roles such as:

• Business and financial project management professionals
• Chemical scientists
• Laboratory technicians
• Management consultants and business analysts
• Researchers
• Sales accounts
• Business development managers

Helping you find the right career

Our department has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant to support you. They offer impartial advice and guidance, together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:

• Careers in Science
• Career Options with Chemistry
• Warwick careers fairs throughout the year
• Graduate Jobs and Further Study Options - Making decisions for Chemistry students
• Finding experience to boost your CV for Chemistry students
• Synthesise Your Career Year One Employability Module
• SME Careers Events – e.g. British Coatings Federation Careers Evening
• Career Options with Chemistry Presentation and Networking Evening

Find out more about careers support at Warwick.