Core modules
We offer a high degree of flexibility, allowing you to transfer between Chemistry degree courses as you develop your interests and future plans. (Please note, all course transfers are subject to meeting academic requirements and, for overseas students, are subject to UK visa regulations.)
In Years One and Two, you will study a range of key topics across inorganic, organic and physical chemistry to provide a solid foundation across the main areas of chemistry. You will also be supported in developing essential skills, including practical laboratory skills, coding and digital skills, intercultural communication to enhance your global employability, and research skills to spark your intellectual curiosity for the subject.
In Year Three, you will build on your experiences from Years One and Two, choosing optional modules that tailor your degree to suit your own interests. For example, in 2021/22, our students have taken options to expand their expertise in how Chemistry is tackling the energy crisis, scientific writing, teaching Chemistry, examining case studies in drug discovery, and the use of polymer synthesis in drug delivery system design.
In this medicinal chemistry course, Year Three allows students the chance to delve deeper into the modern drug discovery process, learning about the pharmaceutical development pipeline and the roles that chemists play in this.
You can further enrich your course, and gain valuable professional experience, by extending its duration by transferring to include a year in industry; alternatively, you might opt for a 3-6 month international placement in Year Three, undertaking research at an overseas university (replacing your core lab time at Warwick).
This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry if you pass the relevant modules in Years Two and Three.
Important information
We are planning to make some changes to our Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry (BSc) degree for 2024 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.
Year One
Atoms and Molecules
This module is a self-contained and integrated introduction to models of chemical bonding. Beginning with the origins and history of chemistry, moving forwards through time to discuss contemporary chemical bonding models based on atomic and molecular orbital theory, this module will give students the fundamental tools to discuss structure and bonding across a wide variety of molecules.
Read more about the Atoms and Molecules module Link opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
Chemical Change
The rate (kinetics) and energetics (thermodynamics) of chemical reactions are of central importance in all aspects of chemistry. By considering the energetics of a system it tells us if a process can happen, whilst the kinetics tell us how quickly. Many industrial processes rely on a thorough understanding of chemical change. This module will introduce the student to the fundamentals of chemical change at a level suitable for a Year 1 student.
Read more about the Chemical Change module, including methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study)
Molecules and Materials Across the Periodic Table
This module applies fundamental concepts on structure and bonding to molecules and more complex structures in the form of real-world materials. Spanning solid-state materials, transition-metal complexes, macromolecules and soft materials, this module gives students the necessary tools to understand the structure and properties of molecules as a function of atomic properties, bonding and geometry.
Read more about the Molecules and Materials Across the Periodic Table module, including methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study)
Carbon and the Chemistry of Life
This module describes the fundamentals of the chemistry of carbon and how it applies to chemical biology as part of the chemistry of life. The module expands student knowledge of chemical bonding, structure, reactivity, mechanism, and the names of simple functional groups. New concepts within the module apply an understanding of organic chemistry to the synthesis and chemistry of a variety of functional groups, how this can be monitored by key analytical techniques, and how this applies in a biological context as part of the chemistry of life.
Read more about the Carbon and the Chemistry of Life module, including methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study)
Beyond Science: Collaborative Student-Led Challenges (CSLC) [Optional Module]
This module equips students with essential skills and guidance to select and collaboratively tackle real-world research challenges. Developed in partnership with current students, A-level students, and secondary school teachers, and informed by data from the Royal Society of Chemistry, students will delve into research principles and tools while fostering a growth mindset with mentors from across the University. Throughout the course, they will actively engage in creating, completing, presenting, and reflecting upon their group project, enhancing their teamwork, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills.
Read more about the Beyond Science module, including methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study)
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 build your expertise in using scientific instrumentation, data collection, and data analysis. You will use new techniques and lab skills to synthesise chemical compounds, investigate key concepts and experimentally verify some of the chemical theories introduced in lectures. 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.
Read more about the Practical and Professional Chemistry Skills I moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
Year Two
Practical and Professional Chemistry Skills II
In this module, you will experience more hands-on laboratory investigations as the skills you have developed allow you to conduct more complicated multistep syntheses, learn advanced lab and instrumentation techniques, and take more control and ownership of your work. By the end of this module, you will be able to plan new experiments, set up and monitor instrumentation to 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.
Read more about the Practical and Professional Chemistry Skills II moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
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 new 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.
Read more about the Selective Organic Synthesis moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
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 develop understanding of the drug discovery process and its challenges.
Read more about the Mechanistic and Biological Chemistry moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
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 chemistry.
Read more about the Transition Metal Chemistry moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
Materials and Polymers
Materials and Polymers are used across an enormous range of functional and structural chemical 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 polymers and 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.
Read more about the Materials and Polymers moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
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 study how photo-excited molecules undergo relaxation through radiative and non-radiative decay processes, and how these processes can be harnessed in useful applications. 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, and how these used to derive various condensed matter properties, including electrical conduction and opto-electronic characteristics.
Read more about the Electrons in Molecules and Solids moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
Statistical Mechanics and Electrochemistry
In this module you will study concepts from across electrochemistry and statistical mechanics. Here, you will learn about fundamental electrochemical processes, such as nerve signalling and the function of nanowires and nanoparticles; through statistical mechanics, you will also develop a better understanding of how properties at the atomic scale connect to the macroscopic world around us.
Read more about the Statistical Mechanics and Electrochemistry moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
External module
Furthermore, Year Two BSc students have the option of taking an external module to replace 15 CATS of laboratory work.
BSc students may take an external optional module to replace 15 CATs of laboratory work in Year Two - however, this means that the resulting degree would no longer be RSC accredited.
Year Three
Advanced Organic Chemistry and Laboratory
Here, you will gain the 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.
Read more about the Advanced Organic Chemistry and Laboratory moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
Advanced Inorganic Chemistry and Laboratory
This advanced module will help you 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.
Read more about the Advanced Inorganic Chemistry and Laboratory moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
Advanced Physical Chemistry and Laboratory
Here, you will meet 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 key 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.
Read more about the Advanced Physical Chemistry and Laboratory moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
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 techniques of chromatography, mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in both lecture and workshops. 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.
Read more about the Advanced Analytical Chemistry moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
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.
Read more about the Molecular Pharmacology moduleLink opens in a new window, including the methods of teaching and assessment (content applies to 2023/24 year of study).
Optional modules
Optional modules can vary from year to year. Examples of Year Three optional modules may include:
- Extended Lab
- Molecular Structure and Dynamics
- Bioorganic Chemistry
- Polymer and Colloid Science
- Energy
- Advanced Coordination and Bio-Inorganic Chemistry
- Secondary School Teaching
