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Materials and Molecular Modelling MSc

London, Bloomsbury

There is a growing need by industry for staff trained in computational molecular and materials sciences. This new multidisciplinary MSc will teach simulation tools used in a wide range of applications, including catalysis and energy materials, nanotechnology and drug design, and will provide transferable skills to other fields, thereby broadening employment prospects.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£16,000
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£42,700
Duration
1 calendar year
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class Bachelor's degree in a science or engineering discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this course is: Level 1

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Students will gain detailed knowledge and skills in materials and molecular modelling, focusing on the state-of-the art simulation techniques employed to research the molecular level properties that determine the macroscopic behaviour of matter. They will also gain key research skills and will learn the basic concepts in business and entrepreneurship as applied to high-tech industries.

Who this course is for

This programme will appeal to a wide range of students with a science or engineering background who wish to develop the skills necessary to work in molecular modelling both nationally and internationally.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

UCL Chemistry is among the top departments in the UK for this subject area and is currently 5th in the UK in the QS World University Rankings for Chemistry 2025.

UCL Chemistry is part of the Thomas Young Centre for the theory and simulation of Materials; has access to the Materials and Molecular Modelling Hub that hosts national compute resources (the architecture of which was specifically chosen for materials and molecular modelling simulations); and is where the meetings of the High Performance Computing (HPC) Materials Chemistry Consortium (with members in over 80 research teams based in 30 UK institutions) are held.

Molecular modelling techniques are having increasing impact in the industrial sector, as evidenced by the recent partnership between UCL's Industrial Doctorate Centre in Molecular Modelling and Materials Science and a range of national and international industrial sponsors.

This multidisciplinary programme offers a wide range of options, thereby enabling each student to tailor the programme to their own needs and interests.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

The training provided by this program will enable entry into a wide range of fields. Students may continue in academia to complete a PhD or pursue teaching as a profession. Students with the skills obtained during this study are highly sought after by the industrial sector, including IT, sustainable energy, catalysis, nanotechnology, biomedical materials and pharmaceuticals. Many of the students on the programme have moved on to PhD study.

Employability

There are increasing career opportunities in the field of materials and molecular modelling in sectors including sustainable energy, catalysis, nanotechnology, biomedical materials and pharmaceuticals. This MSc will train students in the skills necessary for future employment in the industrial and public sector communities, together with specific training in career development and transferable skills. 

Networking

You will have opportunities to visit the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Royal Society (both situated in central London), to attend public lectures and meetings given by eminent national and international scientists. The student-run ‘Chemical Physical society’ which is the oldest student-run chemical society also holds weekly social events and scientific discussions and seminars on a variety of topical chemical and physical aspects. In addition, there are many scientific events offering networking opportunities organised by several societies across UCL, ranging from Life Science to Data Science.

Accreditation

This degree is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Accreditation of degree programmes by the Royal Society of Chemistry is a mark of assurance that teaching and learning meet the standards expected from a university. Furthermore, accredited programmes ensure the needs of employers and students are fulfilled.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of online and face-to-face lectures, seminars and workshops.

Assessment is through unseen written examination and coursework. The literature project is assessed by written dissertation. The research project is assessed by a written report, supervisor appraisal, an interim oral presentation with viva voce and poster presentation.

On average it is expected that a student spends 150 hours studying for each 15-credit module. This includes teaching time, private study and coursework. Modules are usually taught in weekly sessions (approx. two hours per week) over 10 weeks each term.

In Term 1 and Term 2, full-time students can typically expect 12 contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. Students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments.

In Term 3 and during the Summer period, students will be embedded in a research group completing their Master's research project, spending an average of 36.5 hours per week working on their project.

Modules

In Terms 1 and 2 you will be working on The Scientific Literature. The Computational Research Project will be conducted across the full academic year. In Term 1 and Term 2 you will study compulsory taught modules: Simulation Methods in Materials Chemistry, which provides the theory required to understand simulations using materials and molecular modelling software, Frontiers in Materials Modelling, which provides hand-on experience of running simulations of materials and molecules. 

Across the year you will also study Transferable Skills for Chemists, which prepares you for the research project and equips you with transferable skills for the whole Master’s, and either Topics in Modern Chemistry, which offers a range of topics taught in the chemistry department of which you select and complete two topics that best match the requirements of your research project and your interests, or Advanced Topics in Environmental and Energy Materials.

Compulsory modules







Optional modules




Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Materials and Molecular Modelling. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Materials and Molecular Modelling. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Materials and Molecular Modelling.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

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Graduate Open Events: Engineering, Mathematical and Physical Sciences

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Sign up now for our in-person Graduate Open Evening. Hosted by the UCL Faculty of Engineering and UCL Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. This event is a great opportunity to find out about the graduate courses we offer, speak to staff and students about UCL and gain an insight into postgraduate study and student life at UCL.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £16,000
Tuition fees (2026/27) £42,700

Additional costs

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

There is no fee deposit required for PG Dip and PG Cert applicants.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

There are no programme-specific costs.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

Students can be self-funded or find sponsorship from funding agencies such as research councils, the European Union, industry or charities.

There are also a number of Graduate School Scholarships and departmental bursaries and prizes available.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Bseisu-UCL Scholarship

Now closed for 2025/26 entry
Value: Fees plus stipend (1 year)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

UCL East London Scholarship

CLOSED FOR 25/26 ENTRY
Value: Tuition fees plus £16,000 stipend ()
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Molecular Modelling at graduate level. Please elaborate on the motivational factors that have drawn you to our subject. We anticipate that applicants from many different first-degree backgrounds will participate in the programme and we would like you to explain how your own background leads you to this MSc
  • why you want to study Molecular Modelling at UCL. Tell us how UCL can help to improve your career path and give an indication of your willingness to participate in the wider UCL activities in the subject during your time here
  • how your academic background meets the demands of a challenging programme. The MSc is a broadening degree which will lead you into areas that lie outside your first-degree subject. How comfortable are you with that?
  • what would you like to be able to do following your Master's?

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Chemistry
Chemistry

masters.chem@ucl.ac.uk

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