Chemistry
Entry requirements
A level
including Chemistry and Maths, with one at B for entry to Year 1. For Year 2 entry: ABB including Chemistry and Maths with one at A.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
It is also a requirement of every applicant to have English and Mathematics at a minimum of National 5 Grade C or GCSE Grade C or 4 (or equivalent)
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
with Higher Level Chemistry and Mathematics at 5 for entry to Year 1. For entry to Year 2: 33 points with Higher Level 6 Chemistry and Mathematics.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
in a relevant subject (including sufficient Chemistry and Maths) for entry to Year 1. For Year 2 entry: DDD in a relevant subject (including sufficient Chemistry and Maths)
Scottish Advanced Higher
in Chemistry and Mathematics, plus Highers AABB for entry to Year 2.
Scottish HNC
HNC in a relevant subject (including sufficient Maths and Chemistry) with A in graded unit for entry to Year 1.
Scottish HND
For Year 2 entry: HND in a relevant subject (including sufficient Maths and Chemistry) with BB in graded units.
Scottish Higher
including A in Chemistry and B in Maths/Physics/Engineering Science
We will consider T Levels as suitable for entry to our degree programmes, however, certain subject requirements may be required for entry to specific programmes. Where this is not evident as part of the T Level studies, we may ask for additional qualifications.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
Heriot-Watt University ranked first in Scotland for chemistry in the Guardian University Guide 2020.
Chemistry is a dynamic and exciting subject which makes many important contributions to the world. It is a major contributor to the Scottish and UK economies and as such is a secure career pathway. Chemistry plays a crucial role in developing new medicines, materials and energy sources using greener methods for a better future.
**MChem Chemistry Overview**
MChem Chemistry at Heriot-Watt University is a 5-year undergraduate degree accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Studying this degree provides you with the option to study a year abroad if you wish, or complete a year-long industrial placement, or specialise in a chosen field to enhance employability. The degree is flexible and you can choose to follow these routes or not.
In lessons, we make sure the theory we teach is linked to these practical applications so that, when you graduate, you will be ready to tackle real world problems head-on, from the biggest global challenges to specific issues related to their chosen industries.
This degree includes extensive laboratory work throughout to ensure you have hands-on experience and opportunities to link theoretical knowledge from lectures to real world applications. You will develop practical lab experience as well as much needed teamwork, problem solving and communication skills.
**Your career prospects**
Through the selection of optional courses, our MChem degree gives students the chance to specialise in a chosen field of chemistry including Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Biology, Computational Chemistry, and Materials and Nanoscience.
Chemistry graduates from Heriot-Watt University have a good reputation with employers who appreciate their practical abilities, confidence, and communication skills in addition to the extensive, cutting-edge theoretical knowledge they possess.
Graduates from chemistry can work in a number of roles across a diversity of fields within the pharmaceutical, biomedical, biochemical, health care, agriculture, food, drink and water industries. Opportunities also exist in the chemical, petroleum, electronic, aerospace and communications industries.
**Study abroad**
Students on MChem Chemistry can choose to study one year of their degree with a Heriot-Watt University partner institution in Australia, North America, Spain, Germany or France.
**Accreditation**
Accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry for partially meeting the academic criteria for Chartered Chemist (CChem).
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Chemistry
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Chemistry
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Chemistry graduates are in demand from a wide range of industries, from the food, oil, chemicals and pharmaceuticals to consultancy, technical analysis and teaching. They're also prized by business and finance employers for their research and data handling skills — anywhere there is research and data to be explained, you can find chemistry grads. If you want a career in research, you need a doctorate, so start planning now if you fancy one of these exciting and challenging jobs - but good students can usually get grants to take a doctorate, so don't worry about the financing if you think you have what it takes. The recession wasn’t too kind to chemists, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry (one of the key employers for chemists), but things are getting back to normal for this flexible group and it's one of the few degrees that is bucking the current trend and increasing graduate numbers.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Chemistry
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£20k
£26k
£30k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Explore these similar courses...
This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Course location and department:
This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
Have a question about this info? Learn more here