LONDON'S GLOBAL UNIVERSITY
Chemical Physics BSc
UCAS code: F320
www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectus/chemistry
Chemical Physics BSc
Chemical physics is an area of modern
chemistry that will fascinate students who enjoy
the science common to physics and chemistry.
You will gain a fundamental understanding of
the origins of chemical behaviour, while
exploring exciting developments at the interface
of chemistry with the other physical sciences.
Degree summary
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Consistently regarded as one of the best chemistry departments in
the UK, we offer you an excellent education with high standards of
teaching.
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You will benefit from our outstanding research profile as you are
taught by lecturers who are experts in a wide range of
chemistry-related fields.
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The department has a rich history at the intersection of chemistry and
physics, and is home to UCL's Centre for Computational Chemistry
and the Centre for Cosmic Chemistry and Physics.
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We offer access to state-of-the-art facilities, enhanced by our strong
affiliation to other centres of excellence such as the London Centre
for Nanotechnology.
Chemical Physics is offered either as a three-year BSc programme or as
a four-year MSci. Courses are identical for the first two years of study, so
you can defer which to opt for until the end of your second year. We
advise you, however, to select the four-year MSci programme initially as
this gives you the most control over your plans.
Although the Chemical Physics BSc is based on core chemistry courses,
there is more scope to develop skills in physics and theoretical aspects of
chemistry, and either inorganic chemistry or organic chemistry is omitted
after the first year in favour of mathematics, physics and specialist
chemical physics courses.
In year one all courses are compulsory, and in year two you will take a
combination of compulsory courses together with a number of optional
chemistry courses and further optional courses from outside the
department.
In the third year you take further compulsory and optional courses
including a literature project and extended laboratory classes.
Your learning
Your learning will combine lectures, practical classes and group
workshops. In addition you will attend tutorials in groups of four to six
students which provide specialised support for the core courses.
Each course will usually involve at least two methods of assessment.
These may include coursework (problem sheets, essays or poster
presentations), an examination, or laboratory classes. We believe in
providing feedback to students, such as face-to-face marking in
laboratories. Your third-year project will be assessed through a written
report.
Your career
As a UCL Chemistry graduate you will have developed both
discipline-based and highly sought after analytical skills, for example in
logical thought and numeracy.
On completion of your degree you will have the obvious option of
pursuing a career within the chemical industry. This is recognised as one
of the most exciting and successful contributors to the UK economy, for
example in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and nanotechnology
sectors.
Many recent graduates have continued as researchers at universities
including PhDs at UCL, Imperial, Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol, Edinburgh,
Harvard, Manchester and NUS Singapore.
Our graduates are in great demand in many other fields such as
management, the financial sector, information technology, scientific
journalism, patent law, the scientific civil service, and in education.
First career destinations of recent graduates (2010-2013) of UCL
Chemistry programmes include:
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Full-time student, PhD in Drug Discovery at UCL
Technical Consultant, IBM
Researcher, GlaxoSmithKline
Investment Banking Analyst, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Deployment Chemist, Shell Infineum
Degree structure
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual courses,
normally valued at 0.5 or 1.0 credits, adding up to a total of 4.0 credits for
the year. Courses are assessed in the academic year in which they are
taken. The balance of compulsory and optional courses varies from
programme to programme and year to year. A 1.0 credit is considered
equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
Year One
Compulsory courses
Basic Inorganic Chemistry
Basic Organic Chemistry
Basic Physical Chemistry
Introduction to Chemical Principles
Mathematics for Science 1
Mathematics for Science 2
Physics of the Universe
Optional courses
All first year courses are compulsory.
Year Two
Compulsory courses
Chemical Dynamics
Introductory Classical Mechanics
Mathematical Methods In Chemistry
Principles of Physical Chemistry
Optional courses
You will select 1.0 credit of either inorganic chemistry or organic chemistry
options, plus 0.5 credits from further Physics or Mathematics options.
Final Year
Compulsory courses
Advanced Practical Chemistry
Advanced Topics in Physical Chemistry
Optional courses
Either:
Advanced Topics in Inorganic Chemistry
Or:
Principles and Methods of Organic Synthesis
Plus either:
Concepts in Computational and Experimental Chemistry
Or:
Numerical Methods in Chemistry
You will also select a further 1.5 credits of Mathematics, Physics or
Chemistry options and 0.5 credits from all approved undergraduate
options.
Entry requirements
A levels
A level grades
AAA
A level subjects
Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics required.
AS levels
For UK-based students a pass in a further subject
at AS level or equivalent is required.
GCSE
English Language at grade C plus Mathematics
at grade B. For UK-based students, a grade C or
equivalent in a foreign language (other than
Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew or Latin) is
required. UCL provides opportunities to meet the
foreign language requirement following
enrolment, further details at:
www.ucl.ac.uk/ug-reqs
IB diploma
UK-based applicants who demonstrate their potential to meet our
academic requirements will be invited to visit UCL for a day. The day will
include talks, the opportunity to meet current students and a tour of the
department and UCL. You will also attend a university-level lecture.
Fees
UK/EU fee
£9,000 (2016/17)
Overseas fee
£21,320 (2016/17)
Notes
Details about financial support are available at:
www.ucl.ac.uk/study/ug-finance
UCL Chemistry offers a number of
scholarships, including the Bader Bursaries,
GSK Bursary, UCL Chemistry Entrance
Scholarships and the Kathleen Lonsdale
Bursary.
Contacts
IB points
38
Subjects
A total of 18 points in three higher level subjects
including Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics,
with no score below 5.
Other qualifications
Full lists of all degree programmes and other entry requirements can be
found on our website at: www.ucl.ac.uk/otherquals
Contact
Dr Dejan-Krešimir Bu?ar
Admissions Tutor
Email
admissions.chem@ucl.ac.uk
Telephone
+44 (0)20 7679 4551
Prospectus entry
www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectus/chemistry
Key facts
Undergraduate Preparatory
Certificates
REF
94% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3*
(‘internationally excellent’)
Department
Chemistry
UCL's Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPCs) are intensive
one-year foundation courses for international students of high academic
potential, who are aiming to gain access to undergraduate degree
programmes at UCL and other top UK universities.
Faculty
Mathematical & Physical Sciences
For more information see our website: www.ucl.ac.uk/upc
Your application
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the
Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at
school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however,
applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United
Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
Together with essential academic requirements, we are looking for strong
evidence in your personal statement of your interest in the subject and
your understanding of it. These requirements may be evidenced by
examples of project work, relevant work experience or, perhaps, through
your knowledge of current events involving chemistry. We also look for
your ability to communicate clearly in English.
PDF Updated: May 26, 2016
Information correct at time of going to press. See website (www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectus/chemistry) for latest information