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Medicinal Chemistry BSc (Hons)

UCAS code: F152 (full-time), F151 (sandwich)

Start year

Information for 2025

About this course

To help you stand out in the pharmaceutical industry, this course gives you both a solid understanding of the theory and practical skills required to succeed. For working in big pharma, it’s everything you need it to be.

Chemists have been instrumental in ridding the world of killer diseases and developing drugs that improve the lives and outcomes for millions of people worldwide. As a medicinal chemist, you’ll be at the forefront of this battle as you discover how chemicals and drugs work.

Become a specialist
Rather than the broad range of modules and knowledge you’ll get on a traditional chemistry course, this course is designed to give you the specific specialist knowledge to work in the pharmaceutical or drug development industry. The in-depth study of pharmaceutical techniques you’ll be learning will support you when you graduate to save lives through the development of the next generation of drugs and treatments.

Supporting you  
You’ll be joining a course where you’re truly supported – both academically and personally. The Royal Society of Chemistry commended our pastoral support, recognising the commitment of our staff to student wellbeing and success.

But the support doesn’t stop there. In your first year, you’ll be paired with a student mentor – someone who’s already been through the transition to university and can offer advice, encouragement, and guidance as you settle into degree-level study. Whether you need help navigating your timetable, preparing for assessments, or just adjusting to student life, your mentor is there to help.

Relevant to industry
Working with industry and future employers like AstraZeneca, we developed this course and annually consult with them to update it. This gives you the best work-like learning experience, familiarising you with the protocols and processes used in industry all before you graduate.

Get industry experience
Through group work and the Professional Practice module you’ll start designing your own experiments and trying things out. Developing problem solving skills by testing and learning are valuable skills for any chemist to have and we make sure you get this experience right from the start of your course.  We’ve also embedded employability skills in the course so you are not only learning theory and skills, but you know where to find your dream job and how to apply for it.

  • 94% of chemistry students were positive about the academic support on their course. National Student Survey 2024.

Accreditation

Choosing a degree accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), a global mark of quality, tells employers you’ve studied chemistry to the highest professional standards. RSC accreditation means your course is designed to give you the skills, knowledge, and practical experience that industry values most – setting you up for a successful and rewarding career in chemistry.

What’s more, this accredited degree puts you on the pathway to becoming a Chartered Chemist (CChem) – a respected professional status that can open doors in the UK and internationally after you graduate.

  • Royal Society of Chemistry logo

What you’ll study

This course is packed with work-like learning experiences designed to prepare you for the real world of chemistry from day one.

You'll build over 300 hours of hands-on lab experience throughout your course, developing the skills and confidence you'll need in the workplace. You'll also benefit from strong connections with industry – employers are involved in shaping the skills you develop, and many take part in our careers fairs, offering invaluable advice and networking opportunities. Our alumni are also on hand to share their experiences and help you navigate your own career path.

A standout feature of the course is our professional skills modules, which were praised by the Royal Society of Chemistry for their innovative approach. These modules are built around real-world problems set by employers. In one, students work in teams on a medicinal chemistry project, where they design, synthesise, and present potential drug targets to industry professionals. In another, students are challenged to analyse contaminated river water, identifying pollutants and producing an environmental report for a mock client.

Study abroad opportunities

Get ready to embark on an adventure with our study abroad programs at partner universities or by getting a work placement overseas. Both opportunities will boost your employability, build lifelong friendships, and allow you to experience the world in a whole new way.

Structure and Function

Learn about the bonding and structure in organic molecules and functional group chemistry, with an emphasis on reactivity and mechanism.

Inorganic Bonding and Solid-State Materials

Learn the fundamental concepts of theoretical and practical chemistry as well as aspects such as inorganic complexation reactions, indicator theory and acid-base systems.

Physical States of Matter

Study physical chemistry including kinetic theory of gases, reaction kinetics, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, phase equilibria and distillation processes.

Spectroscopic and Chromatographic Analysis

Learn basic chemical principles including chromatography, applied optical spectroscopy, statistical tests, electroanalytical techniques, and appropriate specialist methods.

Professional Development

Engage with real-life examples of how chemistry works, and understand the influence of social, economic or environmental factors on the way chemical sciences operate.

Introduction to Specialist Areas of Chemistry

Explore key specialist areas of chemistry, including the biological chemistry of drugs, polymeric materials, and environmental challenges. This module also introduces sustainable chemistry, examining the principles of green chemistry and its role in tackling environmental issues. You'll learn how to assess sustainability using Life Cycle Assessment and carbon footprints.

This year we will be exploring more advanced concepts and you’ll have the opportunity to take a short placement to get you thinking about the world of work. We’ll also start to explore the processes involved in drug discovery and development.

Organic Chemistry

Learn more advanced concepts in synthetic organic chemistry, organic reaction mechanisms and reactivity, as well as advanced structural analysis through organic spectroscopic techniques.

Inorganic Chemistry

Develop the concepts introduced in Year One and learn about structural chemistry in relation to chemical behaviour, functionality, reactivity and identification of inorganic molecules.

Physical Chemistry

Learn about the basic principles of surface and colloid chemistry, heterogeneous catalysis and concepts of heat and mass transfer associated with industrial processes.

Analytical Chemistry

Builds on Year One by focusing on interfering sample matrices, quantitative and qualitative identification of multicomponent samples and measurements under non-ideal conditions.

Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Introduces you to the processes involved in drug discovery and the steps taken by the medicinal chemist in order to take a lead compound and develop a drug for market.

Professional Practice

Get prepared for the world of work through a short placement. You’ll be able to apply and observe, analyse and evaluate a range of vocationally relevant processes and attitudes.

Optional year-long work placement.  If you are not taking a placement you will progress directly to your final year in year three.

We move on to advanced topics, including the applications of medicinal chemistry. You’ll carry out independent research for your final year project, and you’ll have greater input in deciding which modules you study, depending on your own interests and career aspirations.

Core modules

Project

Develop plans and carry out a substantial independent research project of publishable quality. Understand the principles of analytical work and the limitations of experimental design.

Advanced Chemistry

Study advanced topics across the spectrum of chemistry including heterocyclic chemistry, reaction mechanisms at metal centres, and molecular self-assembly and polymer chemistry in solution.

Advanced Medicinal Chemistry

Integrates academic and industrial aspects of learning and applying medicinal chemistry. You’ll learn about drug action and synthesis as well as gaining an introduction to disease states.

Advanced Organic Chemistry

Builds on previous concepts presented in organic chemistry, and introduces you to concepts of total synthesis, asymmetric synthesis and advanced theories in pericyclic reactions.

Optional modules – choose one of the following:

Advanced Chemical Analysis

Develop through advanced topics in the theory and practice of chemical analysis, including method development from first principles through to final presentation, method validation, and group work.

Nano and Green Technology

Develop an appreciation of cutting-edge progress in nanomaterials and green chemistry, their use in domestic and engineering applications, and the theory and practice of green chemistry.

Communicating Science and Technology

An opportunity for you to gain valuable transferable skills working as a ‘student-tutor’ with teachers in local schools or to work on a community-based project.

We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.

Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves

Student Profiles

Maddie Horrocks

Chemistry

Through the experience of doing placements, I have been able to consider different career paths, which has helped me gain clarity on my future goals.

Andrew Robbins

Do what excites you and if something does not work it is important to learn from it. Making mistakes is how we learn!

Video Gallery

Watch our facility tour video to get an insight into the equipment you'll use and what you'll study on the course.
 

How you're taught

You’ll learn through a mix of:

  • lectures - covering the key theories
  • seminars - smaller-group sessions perfect for learning key skills and collaborative working
  • practical sessions - using our extensive range of industry-standard facilities
  • workshops - this includes surgery sessions where you’ll meet with your lecturer in small groups to discuss any problems or work through challenging topics.

The rest of your time will be spent carrying out independent study such as reading textbooks and lecture notes, and working on exercises.

A placement year may be taken between year 2 and year 3 of study.

Staff and student community

Whatever the support you need – whether it’s support around your studies or university life in general – you can be sure we’ve got you covered. On the academic and practical side of things you’ll get the support of your lecturers, personal tutors and technical staff, so there’s always someone to turn to. They will get to know you during your course and can help you target support where you need it most.

Our mentoring scheme gives you support from other students on your course. They can give you practical advice on how to tackle a particular part of your studies or more general guidance on life as a student. They’ve been there and can give you a students’ perspective.

Hands-on learning

You’ll get to use our industry-standard equipment, such as our mass specs and x-ray crystallography, right from the very start of your course. From developing risk assessments and COSSH assessments you’ll know how a professional lab works and how to follow laboratory processes and protocols used in industry – all valuable skills to have before you graduate.

Get published

During your project you’ll be working on real research projects often alongside our chemistry researchers. Our research papers are frequently published in international scientific journals with our students named as one of the contributing authors – a great start to your career.

Learn a new language

Alongside your study you also have the opportunity to learn a new language. The University Language Programme (ULP) is available to all students and gives you the option of learning a totally new language or improving the skills you already have. Find out more about the ULP.

How you're assessed

People excel in different ways, and we want everybody to have the best possible chance of success. That’s why we’ve adopted a range of assessment types, including:

  • Practical assessments - Because there is a lot of practical work in this course, the majority of assessments will involve reviews of your coursework and practical experience.
  • Group and Lab assessments - We will be assessing group projects and laboratory work, as well as the portfolio that you’ll develop throughout the course.
  • Exams and dissertation - You'll also give oral presentations and produce a final year dissertation. Some assessments will be in the form of written exams and in-class written tests.

Staff Profiles

David Robinson - Senior Lecturer

School of Science & Technology

Dr. Robinson is a Senior Lecturer in Physical Chemistry and the admissions tutor for all undergraduate and postgraduate chemistry courses.

Lee Martin - Associate Professor

School of Science & Technology

Lee is Associate Professor in Materials Chemistry.

Warren Cross - Principal Lecturer and Course Manager

School of Science & Technology

Warren Cross

Emma Smith - Senior Lecturer

School of Science & Technology

Emma Smith

Christopher Garner - Senior Lecturer

School of Science & Technology

Christopher Garner

Gareth Cave - Principal Lecturer

School of Science & Technology

Gareth Cave

Ray Leslie - Senior Lecturer

School of Science & Technology

Ray Leslie

Careers and employability

Professional accreditation

This course is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Accreditations are the seal of approval from professional bodies and are our assurance to you that our courses are relevant to and valued by industry.

Excellent placement opportunities

NTU is one of the most employment-focused universities. Increasingly, employers want to recruit graduates who have real-world work experience. That’s why all of our courses, across every subject area, offer you a work experience opportunity. Our experts help build and support your future with a range of career programmes and events.

On this course, after your second year, you will have the opportunity to take a year's work placement (sandwich placement). This will give you the chance to gain vital experience and put your knowledge into practice. You're also twice as likely to secure a graduate job within six months if you take a work placement.

Our recent Chemistry students have taken placements across a wide range of companies including Scott Bader, Alpha Analytical Laboratory, AkzoNobel and Institute Medical Research. They secured varied roles such as Research Assistant, Trainee Ink Chemist and Logistics Analyst.

You'll be supported and assessed throughout your placement year and will write a reflective report and diary at the end of your placement. When you successfully complete your placement you will be eligible to receive an additional award of a Diploma in Professional Practice.

Find out more about work placements.

"I was excited to have the opportunity of a year’s placement, to experience work in industry, make some money, and see if it was something I wanted to do in the future. The academic staff were very supportive in helping me find a placement. This included a mock interview session and CV writing tips.

After the experience of working in industry and working with developing areas of chemistry in the final year, I have begun to pursue a career in analytical chemistry."

Charlotte Boughton
NTU Chemistry student

Your future career

Our Chemistry graduates have excellent employment prospects because they possess a wide range of academic and transferable skills that are suited to a broad range of roles and industries. Your studies at NTU will prepare you well for employment in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and related industries. Over the years we have developed strong links with some of the biggest names in the industry and many of our students have secured work placements and careers with these companies.

Our recent graduates have secured roles at companies including:

  • Scott Bader
  • Alpha Analytical
  • Eurofins Laboratory
  • SATRA Technology Centre
  • AkzoNobel
  • Institute Medical Research

They have gone into a wide variety of job roles including:

  • Research Assistant
  • Trainee Ink Chemist
  • QA Analyst
  • Site Chemist
  • Technical Support Chemist
  • Logistics Analyst

Many graduates also choose to go onto further study on one of our Masters-level courses or MPhil and PhD research degrees.

NTU Enterprise

You'll also have the opportunity to turn your ideas into a viable business with help from NTU Enterprise, NTU's purpose-built Centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise, a support centre to help students create, develop and grow their own businesses.

Campus and facilities

You’ll mainly be studying in the Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Centre (ISTeC) and Rosalind Franklin Building with your own allocated fume hood and access to equipment including mass spectrometers and NMR machines.

Our first-class facilities support our high quality teaching and world-leading research across subjects and disciplines. As a Chemistry student you will have access to the:

  • Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research facility
  • Natural Sciences Research facility
  • on-campus crime scene training facility

Our self-contained, community-focused Clifton Campus has been designed to keep students busy between lectures. Catch-up with your course mates in the Pavilion’s barista café and Refectory; brainstorm group presentations in chic and stylish study spaces; enjoy some proper R&R in The Point, home of our Students’ Union. The campus also hosts the multimillion-pound Clifton Sports Hub, offering great options for everyone — whatever your interests, and however competitive you’d like to get!

You’re also right next to the bright lights of Nottingham — one of Britain’s top 10 student cities, and one of Europe’s top 25. All through termtime, a dedicated on-campus bus service will get you to the heart of the action (and back) in under 25 minutes. You’ll find a city stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure: enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night.

Take our virtual tour to get a real feel for the campus.

Entry requirements

UK students

  • Standard offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications including A-level equivalent Chemistry grade C
  • Contextual offer: 104 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications including A-level equivalent Chemistry grade C

To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.

International students

  • Academic entry requirements: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications including A-level equivalent Chemistry grade C. We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country.
  • English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.

Policies

We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.

Fees and funding

UK students

- see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.

£9,535 per year

If you choose to do a placement year or year abroad, you'll pay a reduced fee for that year:

  • Placement year - £1,850
  • Year abroad - £1,385

Find out about the extra support we may be able to provide to help pay for uni, including NTU bursaries and scholarships.

You will need to pay tuition fees for each year that you are at university. The tuition fees, including the placement year and study abroad options are subject to government policy and may change in future years of study.

Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but we don’t want you to feel anxious or confused about it. Visit our fees and funding pages if you have any concerns.

International students

- see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.
  • £17,500 per year

If you choose to do a placement year or study abroad placement year, you'll pay a reduced fee for that year:

  • Placement year - £1,850
  • Study abroad placement year - £1,385

You will need to pay tuition fees for each year that you are at university. The tuition fees might increase from the second year of your undergraduate course, in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government.

Scholarships

We offer international scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for a scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.

Living costs

See our advice on managing your money and the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham.

Paying fees

As an international student, you'll need to make an advance payment of £6,000 when you've accepted your offer to study at NTU. You'll then need to pay your tuition fees in full, or have an agreement to pay in two further instalments, before the start date of your course.

Find out how and when to pay your fees, including information about advance payments, instalment dates and how to make payments securely to the University.

Enquiries

If you have any queries relating to advance payments or arrangements to pay, please contact our friendly and experienced international enquiries team.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

Textbooks and library books

Most modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. Our libraries provide a good supply of essential textbooks, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) - meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! There may also be a supply of second-hand books available for purchase from previous year students.

Printing and photocopying costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the printing and photocopying information on the Library website.

Field trips

All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.

Placements

If you're undertaking a placement year, you'll need to budget for accommodation and any travel costs you may incur whilst on placement. Many of our placement students do earn a salary whilst on placement which can help to cover these living costs.

Lab lockers

A refundable deposit is required for laboratory lockers (approximately £5).

Year abroad

If you choose to study abroad for a year, you may need to consider additional costs such as visas, vaccinations, accommodation and travel expenses.

Fees and funding advice

For more advice and guidance, you can email our Student Money Team or phone us on +44 (0)115 848 2494.

Cost of living information and support

Managing your money can help you make the most of life at NTU. Here's how we can support you, and now you can make your funding go further.

How to apply

Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.

Writing your application and personal statement

Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. So include all of your qualifications and grades, including resits or predicted grades.

Your personal statement is a really important part of your application. It’s your chance to convince us why we should offer you a place! You’ve got 4,000 characters to impress us. Make sure you use them to show how your skills and qualities are relevant to the course(s) you’re applying for. For more hints and tips, take a look at our page on how to write a good personal statement.

Keeping up-to-date

After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page. Good luck with your application!

You can apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not applying to any other UK universities, you can apply directly to us on our NTU applicant portal.

Application advice

Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example.  After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

Writing your personal statement

Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:

Would you like some advice on your study plans?

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.

The University's commitment to delivering the educational services advertised.