Chemistry undergraduate brochure 2014 entry

Chemistry

www.manchester.ac.uk/chemistry

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Satisfaction rating of 92% in the 2012 National Student Survey

Rated in the top four in research powerin the latest ResearchAssessment Exercise

£35 millioninvestment over the past five years to build dedicated,advanced facilities

One of Britain’s largestand most respectedschools of Chemistry,with top ratings forboth teaching andresearch

Proud history since1825, with sevenchemistry Nobel prize winners

The facts

Introducing Manchester

Chemistry at Manchester

Course details

Research at Manchester

Find out more online

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Contents

The School of Chemistryhas excellent teaching staff and facilities, and is an outstanding research centre for mymasters degreeVictoria GreenMChem Chemistry with Industrial Experience

3Chemistrywww.manchester.ac.uk/chemistry

Our UniversityMaking things happen

Influential, forward-thinking and down-to-earth,we’ll give you an amazing university experience rooted in a rich academic heritage.We turn enthusiasm into achievement andgroundbreaking theory into practice.

We accomplish feats of global significance, fromsplitting the atom to giving the world graphene –the two-dimensional wonder material that is one atom thick but 200 times stronger than steel. With more Nobel laureates on our staff than anyother UK university, and strong links to industry and public services, we vitalise our undergraduatecourses with pioneering research.

Join us at the heart of Britain’s most popularstudent city.

Learn more about us:www.manchester.ac.uk

Our cityAlways moving forward

Manchester lives on the edge of tomorrow,ever a step ahead in science, industry, media,sport and the arts. The Mancunian character,exemplified by the city’s central role in theindustrial revolution, strives for excellence in all walks of life.

This is a city of many accents, having become a cosmopolitan magnet for students andprofessionals eager to experience its can-doattitude, independent spirit and cultural wealth.

Never content to live on past glories,Manchester has a passion for progress.

Discover what makes Manchester unique:www.manchester.ac.uk/cityofmanchester

Introducing

Manchester

4 ChemistryUndergraduate brochure 2014

Your experienceMore than just a degree

From the flexible, 24/7 learning environment of the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons tothe personal development opportunities andspecialist support services we offer, we willempower you to be your best.

We’re well underway with the biggestinvestment programme ever seen in UKhigher education, having invested £750million in our facilities since 2004, withanother £1 billion to follow. Away from yourstudies you’ll have access to the UK’s largeststudent union, almost 300 student societies,and excellent sports and fitness facilities.

The only thing you won’t experience is boredom.

Hear from some of our students, graduates and staff:www.manchester.ac.uk/ug/profiles

Your careerOn a course to success

We are one of the UK’s most targeteduniversities by employers – 92% of ourgraduates go straight into employment or further study.

We design our courses with youremployability in mind. Our problem-basedapproach to learning inspires you to thinkcritically, creatively, and independently. You’llalso be able to learn new skills throughvolunteering, personal developmentprogrammes and study abroad pathways.

We have the UK’s best careers service,providing advice and mentoring services, andconnecting you with employers who’ll putyou on a path to career success.

Take control of your career:www.manchester.ac.uk/careers


Study Chemistry at Manchester and you willmeet, work with and be taught by internationallyacclaimed chemists, in a facilities-rich buildingthat was recently boosted by a £35 millionrefurbishment programme.

Chemistry

at Manchester

Manchester’s Faculty of Engineering and PhysicalSciences is one of the highest rated in the country,packed with top-flight Schools across the full rangeof disciplines. This means that if you would like tobranch out from chemistry and take ancillary courseunits in other disciplines, you can be sure of the samehigh standard of education throughout your course.

Our University Library is one of the country’s leadingacademic libraries, boasting an extensive collection ofscience books and periodicals both in print andonline, and study facilities that are second-to-none.Opened in 2012, the Alan Gilbert Learning Commonsis another exciting learning resource, open tostudents 24/7 and combining the latest IT facilitiesand personal and group study spaces to encourageyou to take charge of your learning.

The expanding Manchester Science Park adjacent tothe campus reflects the range and vitality of sciencein the University.

Why study Chemistry?Chemistry can justly claim to be the foundationscience of modern civilisation.

We could live a tolerable life without computers,television, fast transport, microwave cookers, ornuclear power ... but what about surgery or dentistrywithout anaesthetics, or medicine without drugs? It ischemists who design and synthesise the ‘miracle’drugs that we now take for granted.

Modern chemistry takes you into all areas of modernscience: from physics to biology, mathematics andmaterials science. Whether looking at fundamentalreactions in living cells, the processes occurring ininterstellar space, nanotechnology and quantumdots, or DNA and the human genome – chemistry is at the heart of it. Both practically (in the laboratory)and computationally, chemists probe the fundamentalprocesses happening at a molecular level.

The ability of chemists to manipulate atoms andmolecules into complex shapes gives chemistry an artistic aspect almost unique among the sciences. This is chemistry today: a cornerstone of modern science.

If you are looking for a varied and interesting career,a degree in chemistry is an excellent stepping-stoneto a wide variety of opportunities.


An extension dedicated to undergraduate teaching, costing£14.1 million, sits alongside our state-of-the- art researchfacilities. The laboratories are used for undergraduateteaching and projects, and also for outreach work, serving the community.

Why Manchester?

• External links with industry and internalmultidisciplinary links that inform andimprove our undergraduate courses

• Internationally renowned researchcovering the full spectrum of chemicalactivity, ensuring taught courses basedon the latest knowledge

• Wide portfolio of degrees, includingoptions such as year-long industrialplacements and study in a mainlandEuropean university (or equivalentestablishment) or on a worldwideplacement

Welcome to our School Chemistry is a broad and exciting science thatunderpins one of the largest industrial sectors in theUK. Our School of Chemistry at Manchester iscontinuing its long and illustrious contribution to thesubject, and we are currently one of the largest andbest in the UK, with more than 60 members ofacademic staff, about 700 undergraduate students,250 postgraduates and 140 postdoctoral researchstaff. When you include support staff, there are well over 1,100 people involved in chemistry in the School.

Subdivision is the key to keeping our size manageableand our students happy. For discussions and problemsolving, we have small-group teaching, and yourpersonal tutor is there to check your progress and toprovide sympathetic and practical support for anydifficulties you may have.

We offer you great strengths in teaching andresearch, including: a comprehensive academiccoverage; excellence in all the core sub-disciplines ofchemistry; outstanding facilities; and a range ofcollaborations with life sciences, and with otherphysical and applied sciences.

We scored 92% in the 2012 National Student Survey(NSS), putting us in the top three Russell Groupchemistry departments for student satisfaction. Thelast Research Assessment Exercise (2008) placed us inthe top four for ‘research power’, with Oxford,Cambridge and Bristol, and the most recent HigherEducation Statistics Agency figures for income show Cambridge, Oxford, and Manchester as the top three earners.

We also have an impressive international standing:the 2012 Academic Ranking of World Universities,compiled by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, placesManchester as the top UK university outside‘Oxbridge’ and London. It’s a similar picture to the2012 Times Higher Education World Rankings, whereManchester is again the top English university outsideOxbridge and the capital.

Our staff are actively engaged in world-leadingresearch within chemistry and across manyinterdisciplinary areas. For instance, some staff work in the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology,the Photon Science Institute and the Dalton Cumbria Facility.

We have extensive links with industry, and facilitiesinclude the Knowledge Centre for MaterialsChemistry, the Centre for Nanoporous Materials, the Centre for Radiochemistry Research, the Organic Materials Innovation Centre, the DaltonNuclear Institute and the National Service for EPR Spectroscopy.



Chemistry at Manchesterhas a distinguished historyof achievement; a traditionmaintained today by ourwide-ranging researchactivities and by our

excellent teaching.

Professor Christopher Whitehead Head of the School of Chemistry

We administer our teaching through three sections:Inorganic, Organic and Physical, each led by a seniorprofessor. However, research is organised in themesthat overlap traditional boundaries: analytical andphysical methods, chemical biology, computation,materials chemistry, nuclear and radiochemistry, andsynthesis, enabling us to address current challengesin energy and environment, life and health, newtechnologies, and sustainibility.

Our recently refurbished synthetic chemistrylaboratories now rival the best on offer anywhere inthe UK, while our School’s three lecture theatres havealso been refurbished to the latest standards. Withthese, plus state-of-the-art teaching laboratories, and two computer clusters dedicated to Chemistrystudents that house more than 100 PCs for e-learningand general use, it’s little wonder that we scored92% for satisfaction with learning resources in the2012 National Student Survey.

We also have a thriving undergraduate ChemistrySociety (ChemSoc), which organises interestingseminars and a full social programme.

A history of innovationChemistry has a long and distinguished history inManchester. John Dalton founded modern chemistryhere in 1803 with his theory of atoms. Here, too,James Joule (yes, that unit is named after him) laidthe foundations for the science of thermodynamics in the 1840s. The UK’s first Professor of OrganicChemistry, Carl Schorlemmer, was appointed here in 1874.

Manchester has always been in the front line inchemistry, with seven chemistry Nobel Prize winners,including John Polanyi (1986) and Michael Smith(1993), both of whom studied for their BSc and PhDhere. Add to this the many Royal Society of Chemistrymedallists at present on the staff, and it forms anongoing tradition of which we are justifiably proud.

Of course, Chemistry does not have all the ‘firsts’;just to be fair, we should mention our sister disciplineof Physics at Manchester, which has ten prize-winners. These include Lord Rutherford – whoactually won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, and whofirst split the atom at Manchester – and ProfessorsAndre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, who won the Prize for Physics in 2010 for the discovery ofgraphene – also an active area of research in ourSchool of Chemistry.


Since starting inSeptember, I can’t think ofa single thing I would wantto change. Manchester is abrilliant place to studychemistry as well as other

subjects. The city is really lively and vibrantand there literally is something to do foreveryone. Everything I have studied I havefound genuinely interesting and thelecturers are all brilliant, funny andinspiring! Tutorials are also a great way oflearning and really great if you’re strugglingand need help with anything. I think theindustrial experience course is a great wayof both earning money and getting thecrucial experience needed after yourdegree and for starting work.

Alana Mcnulty, first-year studentMChem (Hons) Chemistry with Industrial Experience

Library facilitiesOur University Library is one of the best-resourcedacademic libraries in the UK, with more than 41,000electronic journals and 500,000 electronic books. Thisincludes many key chemistry journals, electroniccollections of science and technology referencebooks, and specialist data collections. In the 2012National Student Survey, our Chemistryundergraduates gave the library a 97% satisfaction rating.

Visit daysPromising applicants will be invited to attend one ofour visit days, which are held regularly betweenNovember and March. Starting with registration anda buffet lunch, these days give you the opportunity tosee our School and campus at first hand, to askquestions, and to meet members of staff and currentstudents. You will also have an informal 30-minuteinterview with a member of staff. The day is roundedoff with a 40-minute ‘flash bang’ show. This will helpus determine the most appropriate offer for you.

Your parents can also attend the visit day, and wearrange a separate programme for them.

International studentsYou will be sent an arrival guide prior to your journeyto the UK. This provides comprehensive details aboutliving and studying at Manchester and contains lotsof practical information for use both before and afteryour arrival in Manchester.

Shortly before and during Welcome Week, theUniversity offers you a free airport collection servicefrom Manchester Airport to your accommodation.You will be greeted by the friendly faces of ourInternational Advice Team (IAT) staff, who will help to ensure your arrival runs smoothly and without problems.

The University runs orientation activities throughoutthe year to help you make the most of the manyfacilities on offer. These sessions include bothpractical advice and social events. Orientationprovides a friendly start to life at Manchester andforms a good foundation for your future studies.

The IAT forms a part of the Student Services Centreand, following your enrolment, will be your centralpoint of contact for administrative and supportservices, including immigration advice. This team can also help you with issues relating to workpermits, finance and funding and academic orpersonal problems.



As a fan of ManchesterUnited, it was anautomatic thing for me toput down The Universityof Manchester as one ofmy choices, even though I

had never been to Manchester before.When I first came to the university on myvisit day, the place blew me away, and Icould straight away see myself spendingthe next four years of my life here. Theteaching facilities and the laboratories areextensive, and the staff are always veryfriendly and helpful, even form the first day.On top of that, the lecturers are in the topclass of their respective fields. With whatthe university has provided, there isnothing I could ask more for my experienceand learning. The city of Manchester itselfboasts so many different cultures andentertainment. I am from Indonesia, and Ifind Mancehster is a really friendly city forinternational students. With Rusholme andChinatown within walking distance, theinitial homesickness soon wore off.

Nadia Intanthird-year student MChem (Hons) Chemistry with Industrial Experience

FundingEntrance scholarshipWe are offering entrance scholarships of £1,000 toapplicants who achieve at least A*AA (or equivalent)from the A-levels making up our offer. The A* mustbe in Chemistry.

Industry-funded scholarships and bursariesOur School offers some funding awards sponsored by industry. For example, for the past few years wehave provided British Petroleum (BP) Scholarships for first and second-year students to the value of£2,000 each.

Find out more online:www.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/studentfinance/home-eu-2013/university-scholarships-and-bursaries/subject-awards

International scholarshipsInternational BSc and MChem students in the Schoolof Chemistry who achieve a First Class performancein their first and second years will receive £3,000 atthe start of Year 3. MChem students who obtain aFirst Class performance in Year 3 will receive another£3,000 in Year 4. These scholarships will be creditedtowards tuition fees in the relevant years.

International Excellence undergraduate scholarshipsOur Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciencesoffers up to ten scholarships of £2,000 per year forwell-qualified international undergraduate students.These awards take the form of a scholarship againstyour tuition fees. All international students who areholding an offer of a place within the Faculty will beautomatically considered for a scholarship.

Find out more online:www.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/studentfinance/internationalstudentsstartingin2013/subject-specificawards/#eps

All other scholarships and bursariesAs one of the country’s leading centres of researchand learning, our University is committed toattracting and supporting the very best students. Ifyou have the talent and ability, we want to make surethat you have the opportunity to study hereregardless of your financial circumstances. More thanone-third of our students will receive bursaries of upto £3,000 per year and many will be offered evenmore generous support.

www.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/studentfinance/home-eu-2013/university-scholarships-and-bursaries


Your future career prospectsThe final step in a successful undergraduate career is graduation, which takes place at a degreeceremony in the University’s Whitworth Hall in July.However, your degree in chemistry is not an end, but a beginning.

It’s a promising time to get a degree in chemistry. The British chemical industry, the sixth largest in theworld, is the UK’s number one export earner. It is the largest UK manufacturing sector, with a turnoverexceeding £50 billion, employing around 200,000people. Graduates in chemistry form the essentialnucleus that will keep it at the forefront of industry.International career prospects are also excellent as theindustry continues to grow.

Because our chemistry graduates are skilled inscientific methodology and are numerate, versatileand creative, they also follow many alternative careerpaths. Around half of our graduates get a first jobdirectly using their chemical knowledge; 25% goonto a further degree; and the remaining 25% optfor diverse careers in such areas as finance,management, computing and IT.

The University of Manchester currently tops the list ofthe annual poll of employers’ preferred sources ofgraduates, outperforming all other UK universities.Our School works closely with the University’s CareersService to help you gain further skills to complementyour degree, and to explore the job market.

If you are looking for a university with a world-classreputation for teaching and research, which is betterrespected by employers than any other, come and visit us to see that Manchester is the right choice for you.



I absolutely enjoy theChemistry course I amstudying at Manchester.The course structure is sowell suited to all studentsand the labs are very well

equipped. The amount of support receivedthrough lecturers, tutors and PASSmentors is commendable. So far I am reallyliking my time here in Manchester.

Jaskirit Randhawafirst-year studentMChem (Hons) Chemistry with Industrial Experience

Postgraduate studyThose students who gain a First or Upper SecondClass Honours degree can qualify for postgraduatestudentships to pursue further study and research forthe higher degrees of PhD and MPhil, whereas thosewho gain a Lower Second Class Honours degree areeligible for an MSc and MPhil course.

Professional accreditationWhether you stay on at the University or not, ourgraduates are eligible for membership of The RoyalSociety of Chemistry (RSC) – the professional societyfor chemists in Britain.

At BSc level, bachelor accreditation gives you accessto qualified membership of the RSC, and forms thebasis for satisfying the academic requirements forachieving Chartered Chemist (CChem) throughfurther study or continued professional development.

Graduation at the MChem level with First or SecondClass Honours provides you with access to qualifiedmembership of the RSC, and fully satisfies theacademic requirements for award of CharteredChemist (CChem) status.

Teaching and learningThe learning environment in secondary schools andcolleges is very different to that in higher education;university teaching methods are often different fromthose adopted in schools. To make your transition assmooth as possible, our course gradually encouragesyou to take charge of your learning in your first year, so you can become a more independent,confident student.

Our first semester, running until Christmas, has alighter lecturing load, allowing us to introduce you tomethods of learning that might be new to you, suchas computer-aided learning and group-working. Inthe four lectures you receive each week, you willbegin to learn the trends observed in physicalproperties of elements that lead to quantum theory.From there, we will use the theory to derive modelsfor bonding in simple compounds.

In two further time slots per week, we will use staff-supervised workshops and computer-aided learningmaterial to cover topics where the underlyingconcepts are simple and where practice is the bestlearning method. You will have covered many ofthese topics at A-level, and our workshops will revisethis material, bringing all students to the same level.

Topics will include:

• Organic and inorganic nomenclature

• Electron counting

• Recognising shapes and functional groups

• Drawing molecules

• Units

Two slots per week are dedicated to ‘communicatingchemistry’, where skills such as data retrieval, reportwriting and making effective presentations will bestrengthened in a chemical context. Much of this willinvolve group-working tasks, such as researching theliterature in a current area of chemistry.

Chemistry is a physical science, so we will also buildup your quantitative skills in mathematicalmanipulation and data analysis pertinent tochemistry. This makes use of extensive e-learning,online testing and drop-in clinics, allowing you toproceed at your own pace using our own computercluster. Seven hours per week are dedicated tolaboratory classes, where you will be taught the basicskills required for practical chemistry.

All first-year undergraduates are given a freeintroductory Chemistry textbook (Chemistry3 byBurrows et al), a laboratory coat and a molecularmodel kit.


Flexibility and choiceThe course at Manchester follows a core structure for the first two years (and part of the third year forfour-year courses), but also allows you considerableflexibility, especially in the third (and fourth) years,including a range of outside course units.

Your first semester includes a student-centred skillscourse unit covering basic mathematics, using printedand web-based material. The content is carefullytargeted to the requirements of the core course andyou may work through it at your own pace.

The course leaves room for a subsidiary subjectselected from a range of subjects, such asBiochemistry, Earth Sciences, Materials, Mathematics,Physics, a European language, and the History ofScience. You will also attend various skills courseunits, which teach a range of presentation, computerand information-retrieval, and report-writing skills.

We offer you the widest practicable choice of third-year course units. You will be required to take coreChemistry units, but will also have the opportunity toselect from a range of other units normally available.These include advanced Inorganic, Organic andPhysical Chemistry, as well as ones that cut across thetraditional divisions, such as Nuclear Chemistry(fourth-year unit) and Environmental Chemistry.

As alternatives to the Chemistry course units, someunits are available from other Schools, such as:History of Science, Technology and Medicine; and theManchester Leadership Programme. Our ‘Chemistrywith’ courses have specialist units provided by thepartner School.

A common coreBSc/MChem Chemistry offers you the choice of either a three-year BSc (Hons) Chemistry course, or afour- year MChem (Hons) course. The first two yearsof both courses follow a common core structure,which allows you greater flexibility in the third andfourth years. In fact, the core course is common to all our courses to ensure that everyone has the samethorough grounding in basic chemistry.

In the first two years, you cover topics in all the major branches of chemistry and learn how they areinterconnected. Laboratory classes in both years forman essential component of your training.

First-year topics include: Bonding in Molecules;Organic Reaction Mechanisms; Natural ProductChemistry; S, P, And D Block Chemistry;Thermodynamics; Kinetics; and Quantum Mechanics.You will also attend course units that cover a range ofpresentational skills, information-retrieval techniquesand IT skills.

Finally, you have the opportunity to study a subsidiarysubject from another School.

The second year continues developing the core andextends topics from your first year, introducing newareas such as molecular spectroscopy; bonding andreactivity; group theory and molecular symmetry;metal-ligand bonding; stereochemistry andheterocyclic chemistry; chromatography andseparations; main-group chemistry; computationalchemistry; and electrochemistry, plus additionaloption course units in Contemporary Themes inChemistry (including materials, digital media anddrug discovery), and Environmental and GreenChemistry. There is also an opportunity to take anoptional course from outside chemistry, through theUniversity College for Interdisciplinary Learning or theManchester Leadership Programme.




Course details

Chemistry BSc 3yrsUCAS Code F100

Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry BSc 3yrsUCAS Code F150

Chemistry MChem 4yrsUCAS Code F109

Chemistry with Industrial Experience MChem 4yrsUCAS Code F101

Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry MChem 4yrsUCAS Code F152

Chemistry with International Study MChem 4yrsUCAS Code F104

Chemistry with Forensic and AnalyticalChemistry MChem 4yrsUCAS Code F1F4

Typical offerA-level AAA - ABB IB 36 - 34 points

For full details of ourentry requirements, visit:www.chemistry.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses

Honours Chemistry CoursesHow you learnWe use a variety of teaching methods, providing youwith a sound theoretical understanding of chemistryand a broad knowledge of chemical reactionsthrough 10 to 12 hours of lectures per week.

Laboratory work develops your experimental skillsand gives you fuller understanding of lecture material.In the first two years, you will work in the teachinglaboratories for around 7 to 12 hours per week.

Finally, in addition to lectures and labs, you will haveweekly tutorials rotating through the three mainbranches of chemistry.

Student supportWhile the size of our School is important for theenhanced facilities and opportunities it brings, we arealso very aware of the need for the personal touch.

We take excellent care of our students and assignseveral tutors to oversee the process. As well as theDirector of Undergraduate Studies in overall charge,all students have three academic tutors in Physical,Inorganic and Organic Chemistry. You will also haveyour own personal tutor to oversee your personalwelfare; each member of staff has a small number ofpersonal tutees per year.

We are also proud of our innovative PASS (Peer-Assisted Study Sessions) scheme. The PASS schemehas one voluntary session each week that providesadditional support in the area of that week’s tutorial.In the session, third and fourth-year students helpfirst-years to tackle problems similar to those in thetutorial. The emphasis is on showing you how tothink about the problems and develop problem-solving skills, and how to get the most from oureducational resources.

FacilitiesTo help you make the most of your time at theUniversity, we have available for our students:

• Dedicated computer cluster, used as an integralpart of teaching

• £14.1 million teaching laboratories

• Regular small-group teaching in tutorials

• State-of-the-art synthetic labs for project work

• Electronic online access to scientific journals forstudy and project work


I think that Manchester is a great place to study andhave fun. The staff in theSchool of Chemistry arereally helpful andapproachable, which are

important factors for student success.One thing I love about Manchester is thatthere is always something going on, so I'm never stuck in my room with nothing to do.

Andy Yang, third-year student BSc (Hons) Chemistry

BSc (Hons) Chemistry (F100)

MChem (Hons) Chemistry (F109)Years 1 and 2For information on the first two years, see ‘Acommon core’, page 11.

At the end of your second year, you can choosewhether to study for a three-year BSc (Hons)Chemistry degree, or the four-year MChem (Hons)Chemistry course. Your eligibility for continuation onthe MChem course is assessed at the end of eachyear and is at the discretion of the School ofChemistry. The assessment is based on your generalperformance and end-of-year mark. If you have notreached the minimum threshold required for MChem,then you will be transferred to the BSc (Hons)Chemistry course. However, most of our students areeligible to continue their training through themaster’s year.

Year 3: BSc Chemistry (final year)You can choose from a wide range of course unitsmade up of core, advanced Chemistry and subsidiaryunits. These include advanced course units inInorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and PhysicalChemistry, as well as topics that cut across thetraditional divisions (eg, Nuclear Chemistry,Environmental Chemistry and Forensic Analysis).

As alternatives to the Chemistry course units, someunits are available from other courses/Schools, suchas the History of Science, Technology and Medicine,and the Manchester Enterprise Centre. The‘Chemistry with’ courses have specialist unitsprovided by the partner School.

Practical work this year consists of four short projectscovering synthetic chemistry, measurement,computational chemistry and literature analysis.

Year 3: MChem ChemistryYou study chemistry in greater depth and select agreater number of advanced Chemistry course units.You also undertake a group research project, whichyou will plan and design in collaboration with amember of academic staff.

Year 4: MChem Chemistry (final year)You carry out an extended individual projectassociated with one of the research groups in ourSchool of Chemistry. You will study course unitsrelated to the area of the project, take units fromother areas of chemistry and attend specialist lectureschosen in consultation with your project supervisor.


Chemistry

Now that I am in my finalyear, I can fully appreciatehow this course hasprepared me for a life afterundergraduate study. Notonly have the lecture

courses given me a broad knowledge ofthe subject, sparking my interest tocontinue studying, but the lab work has letme work with new and exciting techniques.It's great to see many of my friends havealready secured jobs or further study aftergraduation. Manchester itself is a vibrantcity and there's always something to do. I can't wait to continue my life here with a PhD in September.

Melissa Keogh, fourth-year studentMChem (Hons) Chemistry

BSc (Hons) Chemistry with Medical Chemistry F150)

MChem (Hons) Chemistry with Meidcal Chemistry (F152)Medicinal chemists contribute to finding out whathappens to drugs in the body and modifying drugs tomake them more effective. Natural extracts havebeen employed as medicines over several millennia(herbal remedies dating back to over 3000 BC havebeen recorded in China).

In modern times, we are increasingly able tounderstand the causes of diseases at the molecularlevel. Modern medicinal chemistry is central to thediscovery and development of new drugs. Drugdiscovery is one of the main contributors to thedramatic impact on health and wellbeing seenparticularly in the developed world over relatively few generations.

Of course, there is still much to do. In the developedworld, diseases of ageing are becoming key targetsfor study, along with other viral diseases, such ashepatitis C. In the developing world, malaria and HIV-1 remain all too prevalent. Perhaps more than in any other area, medicinal chemists are able tomake a significant impact on the lives of the wider community.

Our Medicinal Chemistry course is delivered bylecturers from our School of Chemistry, the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, thePaterson Institute for Cancer Research, AstraZenecaand the NHS.

Year 1You attend core chemistry lectures and course unitson biochemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Year 2You continue to develop the core chemistry; inaddition, you take course units on the fundamentalsof drug discovery and the ‘big killer’ diseases.

Year 3: BSc Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry (final year)Alongside core chemistry units, you take advancedChemistry course units in various aspects of medicinalchemistry and bio-organic chemistry, and units onadvanced drug discovery and synthesis for drugdiscovery and development. Practical work in thethird-year consists of four short projects coveringsynthetic chemistry, measurement, computationalchemistry and literature analysis.

Year 3: MChem Chemistry with Medicinal ChemistryAlongside core Chemistry units, you will takeadvanced course units in various aspects of medicinalchemistry and bio-organic chemistry and units onadvanced drug discovery and synthesis for drugdiscovery and development. Practical work in thethird year consists of a group research project, whichyou will plan and design in collaboration with amember of academic staff.

Year 4: MChem Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry (final year)You carry out an extended project inOrganic/Biological/Medicinal Chemistry (within theSchool/Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre, in thelabs of the research group supervising the project).

You study course units from various areas ofchemistry, biological chemistry and medicinalchemistry, including optional course units from theSchool of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,and may attend specialist lectures chosen inconsultation with your project supervisor.


Course details

MChem (Hons) Chemistry with Industrial Experience (F101)Students on this course spend a ‘sandwich’ year inindustry after their first two years of academic work.Sandwich students find significant advantages in thejob market, where employers value their skills,experience and initiative. At least 60 companies,including most of the major chemical companies inthe UK, employ our sandwich students. The work isfor 12 months and is paid generously.

We have a programme director, who acts as afacilitator between you and potential employers, andprovides pastoral care during your placements. Youwill have frequent contact with the programmedirector while applying for jobs and you will be visitedby him or by another member of academic staff atleast twice during your year in industry, to gainadvice, support and assessment.

Years 1 and 2For information on the first two years, see ‘A common core’, page 11.

At the end of your second year, you can electwhether to study for a three-year BSc (Hons)Chemistry degree, the four-year MChem (Hons)degree, or the four-year MChem (Hons) Chemistrywith Industrial Experience degree. However, eligibilityfor continuation on this MChem course is assessed atthe end of each year and is at the discretion of ourSchool of Chemistry. The assessment is based on your general performance and end-of-year mark.

Year 3You spend this year in industry. Our programmedirector will maintain contact with you and willarrange for academic tutors to visit you during yourplacement year.

Core Chemistry material is taught by distributedlearning units. You will also write a detailed report on the work that you have carried out during yourplacement year and you will give an oral presentationat the end of the year.

Year 4 (final year)You will carry out an extended project associatedwith one of the research groups in our School. Youwill study course units related to the area of theproject, take course units from other areas ofchemistry and attend specialist lectures chosen inconsultation with your project supervisor.


Chemistry

We have recently placed students with some of the largest firms in the country, including:

3M Healthcare Baker Petrolite

Amec Brunner Mond

AstraZeneca Bristol-Myers Squibb

Cadbury Johnson Matthey

Chemtura Kellogg’s

Cognis L'Oreal

Croda Chemicals Lubrizol

Domino Nalco

Eli Lilly Novartis

Fuji Film Pfizer

GlaxoSmithKline Pilkington

Imerys Reckitt Benckiser

Ineos Sanofi Aventis

Infineum Sun Chemical

Innovia Films Syngenta

Intertek ASG Unilever

MChem (Hons) Chemistry withInternational Study (F104)This Honours degree course was developed by ourSchool of Chemistry in collaboration with the Schoolof Languages, Linguistics and Cultures, responding toa growing need for science graduates who are fluentin more than one language and have exemplaryinterpersonal and communications skills.

It comprises four years of chemistry study combinedwith substantial study of a language, whereappropriate (French, German, Spanish, or Italian),with your third academic year spent at either amainland European university (or equivalentestablishment) or on a worldwide placement.

Since the total Chemistry content will be at leastequivalent to that of our existing courses, this degreesatisfies the requirements for professional recognitionby the RSC.

You will take the extramural year (around ninemonths in practice) after your second year atManchester. You choose which of our partneruniversities to attend:

In Europe:

• Valencia, Spain

• Göttingen or Freiburg, Germany

• ENSCM, Montpellier or Strasbourg, France

• Florence, Italy

Worldwide:

• Arizona State University

• University of California

• University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

• University of Missouri, Columbia

• University of Tennessee, Knoxville

• University of Massachusetts, Amherst

• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

• Rutgers, New Jersey

• University of Vancouver, British Columbia

• Queens University, Ontario

• McGill University, Montreal

• Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

(Please note: these locations are subject to change).

For your year abroad, you are aided in the choice ofthe course units you take while there and will receivehelp in the arrangement of your accommodation, etc.Essentially, you become a local student for the timeyou are there. Both your programme director and ourStudy Abroad Unit will be in contact via email withyou during your stay, providing help and supportwhen necessary.


Course details

Manchester is a great cityto live and learn in, andwith so many things goingon you will always havesomething to do. TheSchool of Chemistry has

excellent teaching staff and facilities and isan outstanding research centre for mymasters degree. During my industrialplacement year, I gained knowledge ofspecific laboratory techniques used inindustry, as well as gaining excellentreferences and vital experience in mychosen career after university.

Victoria Green, fourth-year studentMChem (Hons) Chemistry with Industrial Experience

Years 1 and 2For information on the first two years, see ‘A common core’, page 11.

At the end of your second year, you can choosewhether to study for a three-year BSc (Hons)Chemistry degree, the four-year MChem (Hons)Chemistry degree, or the MChem (Hons) Chemistrywith International Study degree. However, youreligibility for continuation on this MChem course isassessed at the end of each year and is at thediscretion of our School of Chemistry. The assessmentis based on your general performance, formalinterview in your second year and end-of-year marksin both the first and second years.

Those students progressing onto Europeandestinations in Year 3 must have demonstrated aproficiency in the language of the host university(minimum grade A at GCSE level at entry) and arerequired to attend a Language Experience for AllProgramme (LEAP) in Manchester during their firstand second years.

Year 3Your placement will be spent in a university outsideof the UK. We link with a range of universities inSpain, Germany, France, Italy, North America and the Far East (via the ERASMUS and WorldwideUniversities Schemes). Our host universities have been carefully selected on the basis of their trackrecord of academic excellence and their support ofcultural exchanges, and they share our ownaspirations for the continued all-round developmentof the student. Your tutor/director keeps in touchwith you, and you may be visited whenever possible.You are assessed entirely via the marks obtained fromyour host university.

Our Study Abroad Unit offers information about thefinancial aspects of your year abroad and links topartner universities’ web pages.

Year 4 (final year)You carry out an extended project associated withone of the research groups in our School ofChemistry. You will study course units related to thearea of the project, take course units from otherareas of chemistry and attend specialist lectureschosen in consultation with your project supervisor.


Chemistry

As an undergraduate atManchester I have had thechance to develop myskills and knowledgethrough modules andlaboratory courses in

Chemistry. Each year has brought new anddifferent challenges, but I think thatstudents are continually supported by thestaff but also given the opportunity tobecome more independent in theiracademic lives.

During my third year, I studied abroad inthe United States at the University ofIllinois, Urbana- Champaign. Studying at adifferent university gave me the chance tolearn Chemistry in a different way throughlectures and labs. I had many opportunitiesto travel, so was able to visit places I hadonly dreamed about seeing before then!

During my fourth year I undertook myMasters’ research project in InorganicChemistry. Learning in detail about oneparticular field, has definitely been one ofthe highlights of the past four years andhas inspired me to apply to researchtowards a PhD in the same field.

Priyanka Comarfourth-year studentMChem (Hons) Chemistry with International Study

Chemistry with Forensic and AnalyticalChemistry (F1F4)Forensic science is exciting and challenging, and atthe heart of this science is chemistry. This course isbased around a core Chemistry course with a stronganalytical component, because analytical methods are at the heart of modern forensic science. It is afour-year MChem course with components (such asLaw) provided by the relevant University School, or bya practising specialist.

The Forensic Science Service recruits graduates with agood degree in a core science, and a range ofpersonal and communication skills that would allowthem to work in a team, learn new techniques andcarry out experiments meticulously and reliably. Ourcourse allows you to learn all of these skills.

The Forensic Science Service offers only a few newjobs each year, but this degree – coupled with ourUniversity’s enviable graduate employment statistics –will certainly allow you to be a strong applicant.

However, since this course still covers all the coreChemistry material, it will open up many otherpossibilities too, such as developing medicines, orworking with new materials. The special analyticalflavour of the course would also equip you for thehuge number of jobs in analytical chemistry, andstrong communication skills should help you inalmost any career that you might choose.

Years 1 and 2You cover all the major branches of chemistry andlearn how they are interconnected. Laboratory classesin both years form an essential component of yourtraining and you conduct experiments in all branchesof the subject.

You will study specialist course units in Law andForensic/Analytical Science, which will be delivered by experts in their field, including practising forensic scientists.

However, eligibility for continuation on this MChemcourse is assessed at the end of each year and is atthe discretion of the School of Chemistry. Theassessment is based on your general performanceand end-of-year mark.

Year 3You develop advanced aspects of organic, inorganicand physical chemistry. You will also carry outspecialist laboratory work involving advancedinstrumental techniques and procedures.

Year 4 (final year)You carry out an extended project in a forensic oranalytical area, in association with one of our School’sresearch groups, which will involve using advancedanalytical techniques, ranging from NMR to mass spectrometry.


Course details

Manchester is an exciting,vibrant city which was awelcome contrast to myquiet home town.Forensics is a fantasticarea of study and,

combined with chemistry, opens up manycareer paths thanks to its applications ofanalytical skills, covering a wide cariety oftopics including drugs of abuse, DNAsequencing and even law. For my final yearproject I am conducting a computationalstudy on charged amino acids. The role ofthe computational chemist is becominggreater each year and now is the perfecttime to be learning the techniques. I enjoythe challenge of my project as it involveslearning some PERL script and improvesmy computing skills. Although this may notsound particularly chemistry orientated,the underlying principles behindcomputational chemistry are important tochemical knowledge and will help expandwhat computational chemistry is capableof. Manchester is a great place in which tostudy and live and offers plenty ofopportunity for whatever area ofchemistry you are interested in.

Ben Ballfourth-year student MChem (Hons) Chemistry with Forensic and Analytical Chemistry

Manchester Chemistry has aninternational reputation for innovative,cutting-edge research. The School hasworld-class capabilities in synthesis,analytical and physical methods, chemicalbiology, materials chemistry, nuclear and radiochemistry, and computation.We develop innovative methods to helptackle major challenges related to life and health, energy and the environment,sustainability and new technologies.Information about staff undertakingresearch within these various themes isavailable through the School website.

Our research

We have a wide range of sophisticated researchinstruments, including state-of-the-art NuclearMagnetic Resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometersand modern single-crystal X-ray diffractometers, andwe are home to the UK National ElectronParamagnetic Resonance (EPR) Facility. We havespecialised facilities for handling radioactive chemicalsand for materials chemistry.

The School’s research extends beyond the Chemistry Building, with staff involved in the work of three Research Institutes across the campusand in West Cumbria. Research at the interfacebetween chemistry and biology is carried out in the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB),which brings together researchers from a range of disciplines addressing challenges in industrialbiotechnology, healthcare and energy. Research into the chemistry of photon interactions is carriedout in the Photon Science Institute (PSI). Research in Radiation chemistry, developing the skills to tackleissues such as radioactive waste management, iscarried out at the Dalton Cumbrian Facility (DCF),which is part of the Dalton Nuclear Institute.

The School hosts several specialist research centres,including the Centre for Radiochemistry Research(CRR), the Centre for Nanoporous Materials (CNM),the Organic Materials Innovation Centre (OMIC), theMichael Barber Centre for Mass Spectrometry(MBCMS), The Centre of Excellence for Biocatalysis,Biotransformations and Biocatalytic Manufacture(CoEBio3), the Centre for Chemical Intervention inBiology and Medicine (CCIBM) and the ManchesterCentre for Integrative Systems Biology (MCISB). TheKnowledge Centre for Materials Chemistry (KCMC)provides a link between industry and academicresearchers in applied materials chemistry.

As an undergraduate at Manchester, you will havethe opportunity to experience research at theboundaries of knowledge, and to contribute to thedevelopment of an exciting and vibrant subject.

Recent AwardsProfessor Paul O'Brien FRS was elected as a Fellowof the Royal Society in May 2013. This is a well-deserved honour for Paul and reflects his wideranging achievements as a scientist. The School isvery proud of this distinction.

Dr Richard Layfield has been awarded the 2013 Sir Edward Frankland Fellowship of the Royal Societyof Chemistry "for contributions to organometallicchemistry, and in particular for pioneering work onmagnetic studies of organo-lanthanide complexes"(May 2013).

Professor David Leigh FRS has been awarded theRoyal Society Bakerian Prize Lecture for 2013 (July2012).

Recent GrantsProfessor Peter Budd has been successfullyawarded an EPSRC Graphene Hub grant whichinvolves researchers across the Faculty and Dr Cinzia Casiraghi: 'Graphene-based membranes' -£2,839,350 (April 2013)

Professor Rob Dryfe has been successfully awardedan EPSRC Graphene Engineering Grant:'Electrochemical energy storage with graphene-enabled materials' - £2.1M (January 2013)

Professor Gareth Morris and ProfessorChristopher Whitehead have been successfullyawarded an EPSRC Core Capabilities grant: 'CoreCapability for Chemistry Research' - £1,005,120(January 2013)

Professor Simon Pimblott has been successfullyawarded a National Nuclear User Facility grant forequipment for the Dalton Cumbrian Facility -£1,666,667 (March 2013)

Professor Paul Popelier has been successfullyawarded an EPSRC Fellowship: 'ReliableComputational Prediction of Molecular Assembly' -£1,615,691 (March 2013)

Professor Nicholas Turner, Professor SabineFlitsch, Professor Jason Micklefield, Professor RoyGoodacre and Professor Nigel Scrutton have beensuccessfully awarded a BBSRC sLoLa Grant: 'RapidEvolution of Enzymes and Synthetic Microorganismsfor the Development of Industrial Biocatalysts' -£4,489,481.00 (December 2012)


Research in our SchoolOur School of Chemistry has an internationalreputation in innovative, cutting-edge research in allareas of chemistry. More than 400 people areengaged in research in our School.

Opposite are images from a tiny portion of theresearch currently undertaken in the School ofChemistry.

1 An array of nanoscale gold dots. Nanotechnologyand the development of nanoscale materials is avery active area of research in the school, withapplications in chemical analysis, solar celltechnology, light-emitting structures and even inksthat are impossible to forge.

2 A beam of hot Ba atoms reacts with a lowbackground pressure of N2O gas creatingelectronically excited BaO, which emits light.Molecular beams are used to study gas phasereactions and the interactions of gases withsurfaces.

3 One area of current interest is biomolecularrecognition; for instance, recognition of nucleicacids (DNA and RNA). In particular, oligonucleotidemimics, with improved affinity andspecificity for native nucleic acids, have significantpotential both as therapeutic or diagnostic agents.

4 The new LAue DIffractometer LADI III at theneutron research reactor at the Institut LaueLangevin in Grenoble; on the right is Dr MatthewBlakeley who is the current person in charge of theinstrument and is a past BSc and PhD student fromthe School. On the left is Mr Stu Fisher, a pastMChem student and current PhD student in theSchool. Knowledge of the hydrogen and hydrationdetails in proteins and nucleic acids is important tounderstand fully many chemical reactions andmolecular recognition interactions in nature.�Neutron macromolecular crystallography is usedto determine these structural chemistry 3D details,and which often elude X-ray crystallography due tothe small scattering cross section of hydrogen, asthe lightest element, for X-rays. Neutrons, bycontrast are strongly scattered by either of theisotopes hydrogen or deuterium, the latter oftenbeing preferred in such studies.

5 Novel bond descriptors, provided by QuantumChemical Topology (QCT), are used in aQuantitative Structure Activity Relationship (QSAR)to predict the pKa values for carboxylic acids,anilines and phenols. Theoretical chemists usequantum theory and supercomputers to describethe behaviour of electrons in molecules.

6 A key secondary structure of a ‘Hammerhead’ RNAmotif of an encephalo myocarditis virus. Selectivemutations to the motif cause the abolition of theactivity of the RNA virus.

7 With more than 200 postgraduate students, ourstate-of-the-art synthetic laboratories mean thatour School is fully prepared for the challenges ofthe 21st century.

8 Atmospheric pressure plasma discharge. Plasmatechnology has applications in the treatment ofwaste gas streams, such as diesel exhausts andsolvents, for the purification of indoor air and thedestruction of odours.


Research

In addition, front cover image: Optical micrograph of nanoporous zeolite crystals.Image courtesy of Prof MW Anderson and Dr JR Agger, School of Chemistry

The School of Chemistry has an internationalreputation in innovative, cutting-edge researchin all areas of chemistry. There are more than400 people engaged in research in our School.



Research

If you cannot measure it – if you cannot express it in quantitative terms –then your knowledge is of a meagre andinsignificant kind.

Lord Kelvin

Having finished myundergraduate studies in"MChem Chemistry" inManchester, I was familiarwith the university and thedepartment and I knew

that I would have access to first classfacilities to undertake a PhD in organicchemistry. The academic staff areexcellent and the administrative membersof staff very friendly and helpful. Anotherreason why I decided to stay here is the lifethat the vibrant city of Manchester has tooffer. My career aspiration is to, afterhaving finished my PhD, carry outpostdoctoral studies and eventuallybecome an academic member of staff,which is the reason why I do a PhD.Through my research, I would like toprovide synthetic tools for otheracademics and researchers around theworld, which may help them and which theycould use in natural product and drugsyntheses.In order to become a successfulundergraduate student, my advice wouldbe to attend as many workshops, tutorialsand PASS sessions as possible. Do not beshy to ask questions and get help when youare stuck. The lecturers in our departmentare very helpful and willing to answerquestions when someone is struggling.Apart from having the University ofManchester as a world-class institution ofhigher education, I think Manchester as acity is also a great place to do yourundergraduate degree as it offers you awhole variety of things to do and enjoy!

Irem Yalavac PhD student


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Disclaimer

This brochure is prepared well in advance ofthe academic year to which it relates.Consequently, details of courses may varywith staff changes. The University thereforereserves the right to make such alterationsto courses as are found to be necessary. Ifthe University makes an offer of a place, it isessential that you are aware of the currentterms on which the offer is based. If you arein any doubt, please feel free to ask forconfirmation of the precise position for theyear in question, before you accept the offer.

For further information about the courses,or about qualifications, please contact:

Undergraduate Admissions OfficeSchool of ChemistryThe University of ManchesterBrunswick StreetManchesterM13 9PLUnited Kingdom

tel +44 (0)161 306 9271

email [email protected]

For the most up-to-date courseinformation, please visit our website: www.manchester.ac.uk/chemistry

32

Royal Charter Number RC000797M645 05.13

School of ChemistryThe University of Manchester Brunswick StreetManchesterM13 9PLUnited Kingdom

tel +44 (0)161 306 9271email [email protected]/chemistry

Documents

Chemistry undergraduate brochure 2014 entry