Chemistry Applicants 2015

Original post by NishalC

Hi guys,
I have been looking at some chemistry with physics degrees at various places (nottingham , imperial , ucl and bristol) , but after further research it appears that only imperials course is accredited by the royal society of chemistry. Is accreditation important for going into jobs in the chemistry sector? I'm concerned that if i went for some of these that i would struggle to get a job and to be honest i want some level of certainty that i can get a job or something after the degree.

I don't think that accreditation is hugely important. It's just a 'seal of approval' from the RSC to say that the course is up to date and teaches the relevant topics. If you want 'Chartered Chemist' status though, you do need accreditation.

Of the universities you listed, all apart from the masters at Bristol and UCL are accredited.

http://www.rsc.org/education/courses-and-careers/accredited-courses/index.asp

I wouldn't put your university choice down to this, but it is a benefit.

EDIT: The MSci at Bristol and UCL are accredited, they're just in a different section.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 62

Original post by andyt8765

I don't think that accreditation is hugely important. It's just a 'seal of approval' from the RSC to say that the course is up to date and teaches the relevant topics. If you want 'Chartered Chemist' status though, you do need accreditation.

Of the universities you listed, all apart from the masters at Bristol and UCL are accredited.

http://www.rsc.org/education/courses-and-careers/accredited-courses/index.asp

I wouldn't put your university choice down to this, but it is a benefit.

The course at nottingham isnt accredited either though, so pretty much only imperials.
Are you doing any of these degrees? i would really like to talk to someone who has done or is doing it to get their opinion. If anyone is doing any of the chemistry with physics degrees message me or something.

Reply 63

Original post by NishalC

The course at nottingham isnt accredited either though, so pretty much only imperials.
Are you doing any of these degrees? i would really like to talk to someone who has done or is doing it to get their opinion. If anyone is doing any of the chemistry with physics degrees message me or something.

Both the BSc and the MSci courses are accredited at Nottingham, (EDIT: and at the other three you mentioned too): http://www.rsc.org/Education/courses-and-careers/accredited-courses/accredn.asp

No I'm not, sorry; I'm a potential applicant like yourself!

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 64

Original post by andyt8765

Both the BSc and the MSci courses are accredited at Nottingham, (EDIT: and at the other three you mentioned too): http://www.rsc.org/Education/courses-and-careers/accredited-courses/accredn.asp

No I'm not, sorry; I'm a potential applicant like yourself!

I genuinely cannot see chemistry with molecular physics under nottingham, the list shows , i wasnt super clear, im looking at chemical physics, and chemistry with molecular physics,if anyone is studying or is looking at them also and has researched more let me know, since im trying to decide if the courses are good.
http://imgur.com/UQvkwH0

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 65

Original post by NishalC

I genuinely cannot see chemistry with molecular physics under nottingham, the list shows , i wasnt super clear, im looking at chemical physics, and chemistry with molecular physics,if anyone is studying or is looking at them also and has researched more let me know, since im trying to decide if the courses are good.
http://imgur.com/UQvkwH0

Ah, sorry, I wasn't aware that was the course you were looking at; I thought you were interested in either straight chemistry or straight physics. In that case, those degrees will have a different accreditation.

The Institute of Physics has accreditation for those types of course:

http://www.iop.org/education/higher_education/accreditation/file_38818.pdf

Reply 66

Original post by andyt8765

Ah, sorry, I wasn't aware that was the course you were looking at; I thought you were interested in either straight chemistry or straight physics. In that case, those degrees will have a different accreditation.

The Institute of Physics has accreditation for those types of course:

http://www.iop.org/education/higher_education/accreditation/file_38818.pdf

Yeah im aware of most of them having physics accreditation but im more interested in chemistry as of now i think - i dont know if i would end up going for a physics job sort of thing yet.

Thank you for your help though..sort of XD

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 67

Original post by NishalC

Yeah im aware of most of them having physics accreditation but im more interested in chemistry as of now i think - i dont know if i would end up going for a physics job sort of thing yet.

Thank you for your help though..sort of XD

Yeah I think those courses are too physics-y so they don't qualify for RSC accreditation.

In my opinion, you should simply study what you are interested in. I don't think that accreditation from one institute or another will have very much significance in your future job applications, whatever you decide upon doing.

Glad to help, good luck with your application! :biggrin:

Reply 68

Ari Ben Canaan

16

Original post by NishalC

I genuinely cannot see chemistry with molecular physics under nottingham, the list shows , i wasnt super clear, im looking at chemical physics, and chemistry with molecular physics,if anyone is studying or is looking at them also and has researched more let me know, since im trying to decide if the courses are good.
http://imgur.com/UQvkwH0

Imperial College London offers a course called Chemistry with Molecular Physics. How does it differ from regular Chemistry courses ?

In you first and second year you have to choose an elective/ancillary subject. There's a choice between Medicinal Biology, Maths and Physics for Chemists (MPC), Chem. Eng. etc.

If you are on the Mol. Phys. course you are forced to choose MPC in years 1 and 2. In your 3rd year you have a choice of lecture modules.

As far as I understand, you are relegated to choosing certain Physical Chemistry courses that make up the bulk of your course.

Hence, as you can see you are being slotted out for the Physical Chemistry side of things.

Reply 69

caz_za

OP

Original post by lizz-ie

Hi, I made an applicants wiki, would you mind editing it into your first post so that more people see it? :smile:

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Chemistry_Applicants_2014

Oh and also, this might be useful to people http://www.rsc.org/Education/courses-and-careers/accredited-courses/

Thank's for letting me know! i will edit the original post now :smile:

Reply 70

Original post by Ari Ben Canaan

Imperial College London offers a course called Chemistry with Molecular Physics. How does it differ from regular Chemistry courses ?

In you first and second year you have to choose an elective/ancillary subject. There's a choice between Medicinal Biology, Maths and Physics for Chemists (MPC), Chem. Eng. etc.

If you are on the Mol. Phys. course you are forced to choose MPC in years 1 and 2. In your 3rd year you have a choice of lecture modules.

As far as I understand, you are relegated to choosing certain Physical Chemistry courses that make up the bulk of your course.

Hence, as you can see you are being slotted out for the Physical Chemistry side of things.

I think i sort of understand what you mean..does it mean its possible to pick chemistry and actually do the modules which chemistry with molecular physics students do?

Could you re-iterate what you mean by your last two sentences they really dont make sense to me, do you just mean that you have to do extra physical chemistry as options, instead of the other options?
Also, are you just looking at the course or do you do it?

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 71

Ari Ben Canaan

16

Original post by NishalC

I think i sort of understand what you mean..does it mean its possible to pick chemistry and actually do the modules which chemistry with molecular physics students do?

Could you re-iterate what you mean by your last two sentences they really dont make sense to me, do you just mean that you have to do extra physical chemistry as options, instead of the other options?
Also, are you just looking at the course or do you do it?

The following advice only applies to ICL :

If I were you, I would simply apply to do a MSci in Chemistry. Plain and simple. When you land up at ICL take a look at MPC (which involves differential equations, limits, series, collisons in different frames of references, wave interference, braggs law etc.) and Med. Bio. ( Biology stuff :P)

Pick the one you're comfortable with and then stick with it and the subsequent continuation in the second year.

Now, lets assume you chose MPC in Year 1 and year 2. To qualify for a MSci in Chem. with Mol. Phys. ( this is the important bit) you MUST choose certain Physical Chemistry modules in your third year. Hence, you will land up doing more physical chemistry labs rather than synthesis labs (which are org. and inorg. chem. based).

It is this that allows you to qualify for the Mol. Phys. degree.

That should answer your first question which in short is a yes.

Your second question : partly answered above but also : in your first and second year you have no choice on what you study except for the ancillary selection (MPC or Med. Bio.) It is in your third year that you choose what you are more interested in; inorg. org. or phys. chem.

Lastly, I'm going into second year of an MSci in Chemistry with a Year in Industry at Imperial :wink:

I personally chose MPC in year 1 and will do it again in year 2. However, I'm more interested in synthesis chemistry so I'll not be getting the mol. phys. qualification which would make my already long degree title even longer :P

Reply 72

Original post by Ari Ben Canaan

The following advice only applies to ICL :

If I were you, I would simply apply to do a MSci in Chemistry. Plain and simple. When you land up at ICL take a look at MPC (which involves differential equations, limits, series, collisons in different frames of references, wave interference, braggs law etc.) and Med. Bio. ( Biology stuff :P)

Pick the one you're comfortable with and then stick with it and the subsequent continuation in the second year.

Now, lets assume you chose MPC in Year 1 and year 2. To qualify for a MSci in Chem. with Mol. Phys. ( this is the important bit) you MUST choose certain Physical Chemistry modules in your third year. Hence, you will land up doing more physical chemistry labs rather than synthesis labs (which are org. and inorg. chem. based).

It is this that allows you to qualify for the Mol. Phys. degree.

That should answer your first question which in short is a yes.

Your second question : partly answered above but also : in your first and second year you have no choice on what you study except for the ancillary selection (MPC or Med. Bio.) It is in your third year that you choose what you are more interested in; inorg. org. or phys. chem.

Lastly, I'm going into second year of an MSci in Chemistry with a Year in Industry at Imperial :wink:

I personally chose MPC in year 1 and will do it again in year 2. However, I'm more interested in synthesis chemistry so I'll not be getting the mol. phys. qualification which would make my already long degree title even longer :P

Ah thanks for the info, seems like a much better idea to just apply for chemistry and then keep it sort of open...only thing is, im guessing mentioning physics in my personal statement might ruin my chances?

Since nowhere else really has the flexibility of chemistry into cmp, other than natural sciences (kinda). I need some other places to apply also, since i dont know if id get into imperial for sure XD. Thank you very much though , how are you finding imperial in general and the maths and physics ancillary course?

ps , do you know any other chemistry courses at other places which offer a similar programme where you can add physics and chemistry options (just if you know it off the top of your head, ill do further research today)

EDIT , never mind about the ps.. it appears that pretty much everywhere which does chemsitry has SO MANY optionals, i wasnt even aware! Its a little bit of a shock to me that only 80 credits of 120 in the first year are chemistry..the rest you can choose (this is the case at durham, manchester and bristol) even second year is around 100/120.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 73

Hey, just wanted to ask to anyone who has managed to see any of the top unis for chemistry, what did you think of them? Ive only managed to get to leciester and nottingham :/ and now every open day i look at is fully booked for chemistry -.- .

So yeah, anything from the list (imperial, bristol, bath, leeds, durhamm, birmingham , southhampton , sheffield, st andrews and even more) , just let me know of your experiences and which places had good new equipement etc.

Thanks!

Reply 74

lizz-ie

18

Original post by NishalC

Hey, just wanted to ask to anyone who has managed to see any of the top unis for chemistry, what did you think of them? Ive only managed to get to leciester and nottingham :/ and now every open day i look at is fully booked for chemistry -.- .

So yeah, anything from the list (imperial, bristol, bath, leeds, durhamm, birmingham , southhampton , sheffield, st andrews and even more) , just let me know of your experiences and which places had good new equipement etc.

Thanks!

Even if the open days are booked, it's worth calling up and seeing if you can go look around on another day. Out of the ones you listed, I've been to Sheffield and Birmingham and loved them both! Going to Leeds and York next week, I couldn't go to the York open day so they said I could go up next Saturday instead :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 75

Ari Ben Canaan

16

Original post by NishalC

Hey, just wanted to ask to anyone who has managed to see any of the top unis for chemistry, what did you think of them? Ive only managed to get to leciester and nottingham :/ and now every open day i look at is fully booked for chemistry -.- .

So yeah, anything from the list (imperial, bristol, bath, leeds, durhamm, birmingham , southhampton , sheffield, st andrews and even more) , just let me know of your experiences and which places had good new equipement etc.

Thanks!

I'm studying Chemistry at Imperial right now. The campus is smallish but too be honest that's a good thing especially for Chemistry. The Chemistry dept. which contains the lab areas in bang opposite the lecture theatres.

Labs and faculty are awesome. They work you hard; very hard. Equipment wise; everything is perfect. You have the full range of IR machines, colorimeters, UV-VIS, GC-MS etc. The 1st year labs even have a new NMR machine for undergrads that you'll get to use in the 1st year. Its a 10 MHz one I think.

Overall its been a great experience so far at Imperial.

Reply 76

Original post by lizz-ie

Even if the open days are booked, it's worth calling up and seeing if you can go look around on another day. Out of the ones you listed, I've been to Sheffield and Birmingham and loved them both! Going to Leeds and York next week, I couldn't go to the York open day so they said I could go up next Saturday instead :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

So do you literally just ring/email and request a day in which you can look around?

Do you literally end up getting a 1 to 1 tour of the department , or do they try and get several on the same day or something?

Reply 77

lizz-ie

18

Original post by NishalC

So do you literally just ring/email and request a day in which you can look around?

Do you literally end up getting a 1 to 1 tour of the department , or do they try and get several on the same day or something?

I emailed York's Chemistry department saying "I can't come to the open day, but I'm in the area on [insert date here]. Would it be possible for me to look round?" and they emailed back within a couple of days to say yes :smile:

so I'm going next week, pretty excited actually!

Reply 78