Medicinal Chemistry MSci

A Levels

UK applicants qualifications

For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:

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.

Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates

UCL Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPCs) are intensive one-year foundation courses for international students of high academic potential who are aiming to gain access to undergraduate degree programmes at UCL and other top UK universities.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: www.ucl.ac.uk/upc.

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.

• Consistently regarded as one of the best chemistry departments in the UK, we maintain a position of international excellence in teaching and research in medicinal chemistry.

• Strong links have been developed with the pharmaceutical sector of the industry, and UCL's strength in medicine and life sciences has led to exciting new areas of research collaboration.

• Life sciences are taught throughout the programme ensuring you build up a broad understanding of biological systems to which the chemistry modules are applied.

• UCL Chemistry is at the forefront of developments in chemical biology, enabling you to undertake highly relevant research projects both in UCL Chemistry and in associated UCL departments.

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 Medicinal Chemistry programmes are quite different from the others offered by the department as the modules are split equally between chemistry and the life sciences. You will take modules in all aspects of chemistry, but organic chemistry is developed to the greatest extent.

Specialist modules such as Principles of Drug Design, and Principles and Methods of Organic Synthesis are compulsory. Compulsory modules are also taken in a number of life sciences including biology, physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology. You will also take a literature project in year three.

The focus of your final year will be an extended research project. As a specialist in medicinal chemistry you will have access to cross-disciplinary projects in fields such as drug design, chemical biology and organic chemistry. Advanced taught modules are available in both chemistry and allied life sciences.

Modules

An indicative guide to the structure of this programme, year by year.

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.

Assessment

Modules usually involve at least two methods of assessment; coursework (problem sheets, essays or poster presentations), an examination, or lab classes. Feedback, such as face-to-face marking in laboratories, is always provided. Your final-year project will be assessed through a written report, a presentation and an oral examination.

Detailed course descriptions are available on the department website: Medicinal Chemistry MSci.

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 in research 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.

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.