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Chemistry with Mathematics BSc
Many aspects of chemistry, particularly physical and theoretical chemistry, require a good understanding of advanced mathematical methods. The Chemistry with Mathematics BSc offers the opportunity to gain a fundamental understanding of the origins of chemical behaviour, while exploring exciting developments at the interface of chemistry with the other physical sciences.
Covid-19 programme updates
Due to COVID-19, there may have been updates to this programme for the 2020 academic year. Where there has been an update, these are indicated with a red alert and a link which will provide further information.
Key Information
Programme starts
September 2020
- UCAS code
- Duration
-
Full-time: 3 years
- Accreditation
- Royal Society of Chemistry
- Application deadline
- 15 January 2020
- Location
- London, Bloomsbury
Entry requirements
A Levels
- Grades
- AAA
- Subjects
- Mathematics and Chemistry required.
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade C or 5, plus Mathematics at grade B or 6. For UK-based students, a grade C or 5 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
Contextual offer
- Grades
- AAB (more about contextual offers)
- Subjects
- AA in Chemistry and Mathematics required
- GCSEs
- English Language at grade C or 5, plus Mathematics at grade B or 6. For UK-based students, a grade C or 5 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
- Points
- 38
- Subjects
- A score of 18 points in three higher level subjects including 6 in Chemistry and Mathematics, with no score below 5.
Contextual offer
- Points
- 36 (more about contextual offers)
- Subjects
- A score of 17 points in three higher level subjects including 6 in Chemistry and Mathematics, with no score below 5.
UK applicants qualifications
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
Equivalent qualification
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
D3,D3,D3 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects, including Chemistry and Mathematics.
AAA at Advanced Highers (or AA at Advanced Higher and AAA at Higher), including A in Chemistry and Mathematics at Advanced Higher.
Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus 2 GCE A-Levels at grades AAA, including Mathematics and Chemistry.
International applications
In addition to A level and International Baccalaureate, UCL considers a wide range of international qualifications for entry to its undergraduate degree programmes.
English language requirements
If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency. Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.
The English language level for this programme is: Standard
A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.
Degree benefits
Consistently regarded as one of the best chemistry departments in the UK, we offer you an excellent education with high standards of teaching.
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.
You will have the opportunity to select optional modules from the wide range available within UCL's highly regarded Department of Mathematics.
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.
- Accreditation
-
The Royal Society of Chemistry accreditation is a peer review process founded on the judgement of professional chemists. It provides a structured mechanism to assess, evaluate, and enhance the quality of degree programmes and demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement.
Degree structure
In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
This programme is offered either as a three-year BSc or as a four-year MSci. The first two years of study are identical, so you can defer which to opt for until the end of your second year. We advise you to select the four-year MSci initially as this keeps more options open.
The chemistry content directly follows that of the single-subject Chemistry programme. You will cover the full range of chemistry core components, together with relevant optional modules in chemistry such as Quantum Mechanics, Computational Chemistry and Numerical Methods.
The mathematics component takes up around 25% of the programme. In the first two years there are a number of compulsory mathematics modules including modules in pure mathematics, advanced calculus and geometry, group theory and linear algebra, while in the final year you choose from the wide range of Mathematics options on offer.
In the final year you also undertake a compulsory literature project.
Modules
An indicative guide to the structure of this programme, year by year.
Core or compulsory module(s)
Basic Inorganic Chemistry
Basic Organic Chemistry
Basic Physical Chemistry
Introduction to Chemical Principles
Mathematics for Science 1
Mathematics for Science 2
Chemical Skills
Optional modules
You will select a module from a wide range of optional modules.
Core or compulsory module(s)
Mathematical Methods In Chemistry
Principles of Inorganic Chemistry
Principles of Organic Chemistry
Principles of Physical Chemistry
Mathematical Methods In Physical Sciences
Optional modules
All second year modules are compulsory.
Core or compulsory module(s)
Advanced Practical Chemistry
Advanced Topics in Inorganic Chemistry
Advanced Topics in Physical Chemistry
Principles and Methods of Organic Synthesis
Literature Project
Optional modules
You will select two modules from a wide range of Mathematics, Chemistry and other approved undergraduate options.
Covid-19 module updates
Due to COVID-19, there may be updates to the modules for your chosen programme of study this year. Some modules may not be available or may need to be moved to a later term or year of study.
These updates are relevant for 2020-21 academic year only. The full list of modules will be available in the module catalogue from late August. From the first week of September, you will be invited to complete module selection from Portico, our student record system.
There may need to be additional updates or changes to modules during the academic year to allow for new guidance from the UK Government and Public Health England. Your department shall keep you updated of these changes as they become available
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 modules.
Covid-19 face-to-face teaching updates
Due to social distancing requirements, all your core teaching will take place online. However, programmes will be able to offer some face-to-face educational activities, subject to government guidance. These are summarised for this programme below:
Lectures will be online. Tutorials will be online in term 1 with the view to having some in person tutorials where possible in term 2 and 3. Lab sessions will be primarily in terms 2 and 3 due to restrictions but there may be some limited lab sessions for later years.
Your department will keep you updated on face-to-face activities and any changes will be communicated to you as soon as they are available.
Covid-19 practical component updates
Due to COVID-19, there may be changes to the availability of the practical components for your chosen programme.
Any updates relate only to the 20/21 academic year and may not apply to all students across the programme depending on your year of study.
Your department will keep you updated if the practical component of your programme is able to occur and/or any alternative options available.
There may need to be additional updates or changes to the practical component during the academic year to allow for new guidance from the UK Government and/or Public Health England. Your department shall keep you updated of these changes as they become available.
Covid-19 contact hours on campus
In Term One, while campus will be open, all the learning activity for the core content of your modules will take place online – including lectures, tutorials, seminars and assessments. By “core content” we mean everything you need to learn to complete the module successfully.
In addition to these online contact hours, we will be offering some face-to-face educational activities for students on campus, and we will provide alternative online activities for those students unable to join us on campus. These activities, which will include contact with academic staff, will be relevant to your programme of study may include seminars, academic and employability skills workshops, small-group or individual tutorials, lab and practice-based teaching.
UK Government safety guidelines will limit the amount of ‘in person’ activity we can offer and while it will vary from programme to programme, is likely to be no more than 1-2 hours per week. This will vary across departments, particularly if your programme includes laboratory/practical/studio/workshop sessions. You will be updated with more specific details as they are available and your timetable will indicate which sessions will be on campus and which will be available online.
Communicating further Covid-19 mitigation plans
We are continuing to follow UK Government guidance, as well as the expertise of our researchers, including specialists in health, education, human behaviour and infection prevention, to make sure UCL is as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. If it becomes necessary to make further changes to your programme as a result of new guidance/regulations, UCL and your department will communicate these as soon as this becomes clear. We will keep you up-to-date with our plans throughout term one, so you have the information you need to be able to take decisions that are right for your circumstances. Please ensure that you keep in touch with your department by regularly checking your UCL emails, Moodle courses, the Coronavirus FAQs for Students page and any UCL online groups or social media you follow.
Assessment
Each module 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.
Covid-19 assessment updates
There may be changes to the format of assessments for modules in this programme due to COVID-19. These will be summarised for each module on the module catalogue from 17 August 2020.
If any changes to assessments need to be made during the academic year due to updates in government guidance, these will be communicated to you as soon as possible from your department.
Detailed course descriptions are available on the department website: Chemistry with Mathematics BSc.
Careers
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.
UCL is commited to helping you get the best start after graduation. Read more about how UCL Careers and UCL Innovation and Enterprise can help you find employment or learn about entrepreneurship.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2020/21 academic year. The UK/EU fees shown are for the first year of the programme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2020/21 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.
- UK/EU students
- £9,250 (2020/21)
- Overseas students
- £28,610 (2020/21)
Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.
Additional costs
If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc. on this programme, please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).
Funding
Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.
UCL Chemistry offers a number of scholarships which will be advertised on the departmental website as appropriate.
Departmental scholarships
Funding opportunities relevant to the department may appear in this section when they are available. Please check carefully or confirm with the programme contact to ensure they apply to this degree programme.
The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.
Application and next steps
Your application
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.
How to apply
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.
Application deadline: 15 January 2020
Selection
For further information on UCL's selection process see: Selection of students.
Page last modified on 22 June 2020