Copy of Content blocks for course page

Edit the course information

#

0

Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry MChem (F125)

0a

Discover more about our Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry MChem at Warwick

0c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5fkxT-thSs

0-revisions

Page updates

We have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history.

2a

F125

2b

Master of Chemistry (MChem)

2c

4 years full-time

2d

26 September 2022

2e

Department of Chemistry

2f

University of Warwick

2g

This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry, subject to passing required modules.

3a

Chemistry is central to solving some of the most pressing problems facing humanity, including climate change, renewable energy, and eliminating hunger and disease. Satisfy your curiosity for medicinal chemistry with tailored modules later in the course, providing insight into drug development and pharmaceuticals.

This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry, subject to passing required modules.

3b

By branching into medicinal chemistry you will apply your chemical knowledge to the discovery, design, and synthesis of new drugs for clinical use. Our four-year Medicinal Chemistry degree combines a solid foundation in chemistry with specialist knowledge in advanced medicinal chemistry/biochemistry.

Specialist modules explore the process of medicinal drug discovery, from the initial concept of a new product to the discovery stage, clinical trials, scale-up, and production. You can explore the biochemistry of these processes, and how this leads to medical breakthroughs. In addition to research-led teaching from top academics, you will benefit from external lectures given by pharmaceutical industry leaders. You will also complete a final-year research project.

3c

We offer a high degree of flexibility, allowing you to transfer between Chemistry degree course at any time in the first two years as you develop your interests and future plans. (Please note, all course transfers are subject to academic performance and, for overseas students, are subject to UK visa regulations.)

You will study a range of core modules in Years One and Two which provide a solid foundation in Organic, inorganic and physical chemistry. These modules will be the same as those studied in our standard BSc course, providing you with a solid foundation in chemistry before specialising in medicinal chemistry in Years Three and Four.

In Year Three there are four core modules across all aspects of Chemistry, and extended laboratory work, giving you a broad and deep understanding of the subject. You will also use your experience of the themes and topics from Years One and Two to choose optional modules to tailor your degree to suit your interests. At this stage, you will begin to explore medicinal chemistry in more detail, for example through the Molecular Pharmacology module, which focuses on learning about the pharmaceutical industry through a series of case studies.

In Year Four you will complete an individual investigative project on a topic that reflects your passion (worth 50% of the year's mark) in collaboration with one of our academics, and you can select optional modules to support your research or broaden your knowledge. You can expect to be working on drug discovery of novel antibiotic, anticancer or anti-inflammatory compounds through organic synthesis or natural product isolation.

Once you are here, you can apply to transfer onto a variant of this degree, either with industrial placement or with international placement.

RSC accreditation is subject to the appropriate choice of options in Years Two to Four.

3d

You will be taught using a combination of:

Weekly lectures
Workshops
Tutorials

Lectures give an introduction and expand your knowledge on a topic to help prepare you for discussion, workshops, and a deeper analysis of each area of study.

Workshops typically run in groups of 20-40 students and allow you to work with your peers to problem-solve with on-hand assistance from academic and teaching staff. Practical classes in our modern teaching labs are an integral part of any Chemistry student's life-giving you the opportunity to put theory into practice.

You will have a personal tutor who you can speak to about any questions you may have, and in Years One and Two, regular tutorial small group work where you will build your community of peer support. There are also regular revision sessions and opportunities to speak to module directors and seminar tutors.

3e

Year One and Two tutorial and lab groups: generally between 5 to 7 students
Workshops: generally between 20 to 40 students
Lectures: sizes vary

3f

There are between 12 to 20 hours of classroom contact available per week, of which 5 to 10 hours will be supervised practical work (mainly laboratory and computing). Your study is also supplemented with:

Group work
One-to-one advice
Question and answer sessions
The use of web-based materials.

For each hour of lecture materials, you should expect to put in a further one to two hours of private study, as well as preparation for the diverse set of assessments you will receive.

3g

You will be assessed via a combination of examinations and coursework such as laboratory reports, presentations, posters and essays to monitor your progress and provide you with regular feedback.

A minimum of 25% of each year's grade is generated from coursework. Your research project will contribute 50% towards your final year grade and will be appraised by a combination of assessments which may include a dissertation, presentation and viva.

The final degree classification is determined by:

Year One (5%)
Year Two (20%)
Year Three (30%)
Year Four (45%)

3h

Study abroad

Our programmes offer a range of options to work or study abroad for three, six or 12 months, for example at a pharmaceutical company or at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

3i

Placements and work experience

Students in Chemistry are also supported through our Department of Student Opportunity to gain experience during vacation periods in other industry sectors including teaching, finance, data science, law, consultancy, marketing and IT and technology.

Undergraduate research

We also have an Undergraduate Research Support Scheme which allows undergraduate students to work on an academic research project in Chemistry or another department during the summer vacation.

Industrial Placement

Three to six months may be taken in industry between April and September in Year Three (subject to availability). Should you choose this option there will be the usual lectures, tutorials and workshops at Warwick during the first two terms, and you will sit your exams in March. The placement replaces the laboratory classes that the students at Warwick take during the summer term. As a further option, a 12-month industrial placement with integrated distance learning (via transfer to MChem with Industrial Placement) can replace Year Three of study and aims to provide students in developing a range of interactive skills, as well as gaining professional experience in an industrial environment.

The actual day-to-day running of the placement will be defined by the industrial supervisor but will be designed to be of maximum benefit to both you and the company, ensuring that your professional development will encompass as wide a variety of experience as possible in the context of the placement. During the placement, you will follow our core Year Three modules studied by distance learning.

You must also complete project work that is assessed by a written literature review, and an oral presentation about your project, followed by an interview during the first term of Year Four. The industrial supervisor will write a report assessing you on your attendance, enthusiasm, and commitment. These components make up the final grade for the placement, worth 75% of the year, which counts towards the final degree result. The words 'with Industrial Training' are added to the degree title.

It is also possible to carry out a 12-month industrial placement via an ‘Intercalated Year’. The placement should involve working for a company, institution, or organisation related to chemistry, allowing students to gain valuable professional experience, without formally counting towards the final degree result. The words ‘with Intercalated Year’ are added to the degree title.

4a

A level typical offer

AAA to include Chemistry and one of the following: Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Geology, Statistics or Computer Science.

A level additional information

You must also achieve a pass in the science practical assessment (if applicable)

A level contextual offer

We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level. The typical contextual offer is ABB including BB in Chemistry and either Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Geology, Statistics or Computer Science. See if you’re eligible.

General GCSE requirements

Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept. We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.

4b

IB typical offer

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).

IB contextual offer

We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level. The typical contextual offer is 34 including 6 in Higher Level Chemistry and 5 in Higher Level Mathematics, Physics, Biology or Computer Science. See if you’re eligible.

General GCSE requirements

4c

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

5a

Important information

We are planning to make some changes to our Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry (MChem) degree for 2022 entry. Changes to core and optional modules go through the University's rigorous academic processes. As changes are confirmed, we will update the course information on this webpage. It is therefore very important that you check this webpage for the latest information before you apply and prior to accepting an offer. Sign up to receive updates on our new modules.

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.

5b

Optional modules

Optional modules can vary from year to year. Examples of Year Three or Four optional modules may include:

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

top