Program Overview

Course Overview

The course CHEM 423, Physical Chemistry, discusses advanced aspects of physical chemistry and materials science. This includes statistical thermodynamics, the structure and properties of colloids, and the chemistry and applications of nanostructured materials.

Course Details

• Dates: 23 Feb 2026 to 21 Jun 2026
• Starts: Trimester 1
• Fees:
  • NZ$1,384.80 for domestic students
  • NZ$5,679.00 for international students
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 150 hours or 8.8 hours per week for 17 weeks
• Points: 15 points

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: CHEM 310 (or 303)
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None

Taught By

The School of Chemical and Physical Sciences — Faculty of Science and Engineering teaches this course.

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a good understanding of areas of modern physical chemistry principles and processes relevant to modern research.

How This Course is Taught

This course requires in-person attendance for the large majority of its activities, including lectures. Recordings of lectures will be available for students who need to attend remotely. Attendance at scheduled times is required for tests.

Assessment

• Exam Mark: 47%
• Three Assignments Mark: 30%
• In-course Test Mark: 23%

What You'll Need to Get

You do not need to get any texts or equipment for this course.

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change. Key dates, including mid-trimester teaching breaks, can be found on the University's key dates calendar. Assessment dates will be communicated once the course has begun.