Program Overview

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Chemistry BSc

Key Information

Course type: Single honours Delivery mode: In person Study mode: Full time Required A-level: AAB Duration: 3 years Application status: Open Start date: September 2025 Application deadline: 29 January 2025

Course Description

The Chemistry BSc degree will give you a theoretical and experimental understanding of chemistry in the modern world. The programme is delivered within a research-enriched teaching context, transcending the traditional divisions of physical, organic and inorganic chemistry and integrating practical methods throughout. It is designed to train the next generation of articulate, flexible chemists for a wide variety of careers starting with chemical, biotech and pharmaceutical industries and extending to wide careers such as finance, law and media.

Key Benefits

• Research-enriched teaching delivered by internationally renowned scientists and researchers.
• Designed to give graduates flexibility to develop a career in the growing areas of biotech and nanotechnology, chemical biology and biomedical research.
• Flexibility to transfer to Chemistry MSci, Chemistry with Biomedicine degree, or to a Year in industry programme.
• Fully integrated laboratory facilities in the heart of London.
• 7th in the UK for employability (Times Higher Education Graduate Employability rankings 2023/4)

Course Essentials

King’s Chemistry BSc will provide you with a comprehensive theoretical and practical understanding of chemistry, preparing you for a professional life in the ever-changing environment of 21st century chemistry. To achieve these goals, this course integrates the teaching of chemistry foundations with the applications of chemistry using examples taken from the very broad range of chemical and biomedical research and practice at King’s. The programme starts with the principles of physical, organic and inorganic chemistry, with additional mathematics, to ensure you can successfully handle advanced physical and computational chemistry. It incorporates an integrated laboratory course that brings together the different strands of chemistry and applies them to a range of chemical systems. In your third year, you will choose from a range of specialised modules in order to investigate particular aspects of the application of chemical principles to contemporary global and industrial challenges. Short research projects may also be available as part of the Research Methods module. Our academics have expertise in a number of research areas, including spectroscopic and computational methods, materials science and nanotechnology, pharmaceutical sciences and analytical, green and sustainable chemistry. Flexibility in course choice: Students on the BSc and MSci courses do the same first three years, which includes project-driven laboratory practicals in Year 3. Students wanting a general Chemistry degree, for instance to progress to teaching, journalism, management and similar careers, will usually opt for the BSc degree. However, if you want a full research experience that introduces you to current areas of intensive chemical research you should choose the MSci degree, which involves an additional year. To do this you would normally require marks in Year 3 equivalent to a 2:1 or above. Transfer between these two degrees is possible up to and including the third year. Transferring from the Chemistry MSci/BSc degrees, to the Chemistry with Biomedicine MSci/BSc degrees, is also possible up to the end of your second term of the first year. Students on the Chemistry and Chemistry with Biomedicine BSc/MSci programmes are also able to transfer to the corresponding ‘with a Year in Industry’ programme after their second year, provided they meet the academic requirements and gain one of the competitive year-long internships. This will add an extra year to the programme. Study abroad pathways are available for MSci students to transfer into and you spend either an additional year, or a semester of your fourth year studying at a partner institution before returning to King’s to complete your studies. Transfer and progression to either of the study abroad pathways or the ‘with a Year in Industry’ programme requires students to meet and maintain a grade threshold. If the MSci and Year in Industry programmes are of interest, please refer to the programme listing for details on content, fees and visas. We will use a delivery method that will ensure you have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that you also experience elements of digital learning and assessment. This course is primarily taught at the King’s College London Waterloo Campus, with some teaching at Guy’s Campus.

Base Campuses

• Waterloo Campus: Home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties
• Guy’s Campus: The Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, and the Institute of Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience are based at the riverside Guy's Campus, next to the Shard.

Entry Requirements

Subject Requirements

• Required subjects: A-level (or equivalent) grade A in Chemistry, and grade A in one from Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics or Biology
• Preferred subjects: Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics or Biology

A-Levels

• Required grades: AAB
• Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels.
• Must include grade A in Chemistry, and grade A in one from Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics or Biology
• Notes: If you are taking linear A-levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process.

Contextual A-Level Information

• ABC
• Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels.
• Must include grade A in Chemistry, and grade B in one from Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics or Biology
• Notes: If you are taking linear A-levels in England, you will be required to pass the practical endorsement in all Science subjects. This is with the exception of private candidates who are unable to take the practical component. We do not consider the EPQ at any point of the assessment process.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

• 35 points overall or an aggregate score of 17 from three Higher Levels.
• Must include grade 6 in Higher Level Chemistry, and grade 6 in Higher Level in one from Biology, Mathematics and Physics.
• Notes: The total point score of 35 includes TOK/EE. IB students studying the new Mathematics curriculum would be required to study Mathematics - Analysis and Approaches or Mathematics - Applications and Interpretation at Higher Level to meet the Mathematics subject requirement for this programme.

Contextual International Baccalaureate Information

• 32 points overall or an aggregate score of 15 from three Higher Levels.
• Must include grade 6 in Higher Level Chemistry, and grade 6 in Higher Level in one from Biology, Mathematics and Physics.
• Notes: The total point score of 32 includes TOK/EE. IB students studying the new Mathematics curriculum would be required to study Mathematics - Analysis and Approaches or Mathematics - Applications and Interpretation at Higher Level to meet the Mathematics subject requirement for this programme.

Alternative Accepted Qualifications

• Access to HE Diploma
• BTEC Nationals/CTECs
• Cambridge Pre-U
• European Baccalaureate
• Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers

Standard Requirements

• The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be 60 credits in total.
• Access to Higher Education Diploma with 60 Level 3 credits overall: 33 credits must be from units awarded at Distinction, with 12 at Merit.
• The Access to Higher Education Diploma must include at least 15 Level 3 credits in Chemistry awarded at Distinction, and at least 15 Level 3 credits in one from Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics or Biology awarded at Distinction.
• The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be in a relevant subject - Science or similar - to be considered.

Contextual Requirements

• The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be 60 credits in total.
• Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits overall: 30 credits must be from units awarded at Distinction, with 12 at Merit, and 3 at Pass.
• The Access to Higher Education Diploma must include at least 15 Level 3 credits in Chemistry awarded at Distinction, and at least 15 Level 3 credits in one from Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics or Biology awarded at Distinction.
• The Access to Higher Education Diploma must be in a relevant subject - Science or similar - to be considered.

International Applicants

• Equivalent International qualifications

English Language Requirements

• English language band: D
• Please note that nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries (as defined by UKVI) who have successfully completed high school in the respective country, are not required to complete an English language test.
• For information on our English requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.

Selection Process

• Contextual consideration
• Deferrals
• Foundation courses
• Graduates
• Personal Statement
• Resits
• Transfers

Teaching Methods

• Lectures
• Workshops
• Laboratory Sessions
• Independent study
• Coursework
• Preparation for examinations

Assessment

• Coursework
• Written/Practical Examinations
• Written Reports
• Practical assessment
• Class tests
• Oral Presentations
• Unseen Examinations

Structure

• Courses are divided into modules.
• You will normally take modules totalling 360 credits.

Required Modules

• Integrated Chemistry Laboratory 1 (15 credits)
• Integrated Chemistry Laboratory 2 (15 credits)
• General Chemistry (15 credits)
• Organic Chemistry 1 (15 credits)
• Organic Chemistry 2 (15 credits)
• Physical Chemistry 1 (15 credits)
• Inorganic Chemistry 1 (15 credits)
• Mathematics for Chemists (15 credits)

Optional Modules

• There are no optional modules for this year.

Employability

• Our Chemistry graduates are in high demand because employers recognise the wide range of skills that they possess.
• We train Chemists to think logically and apply mathematical and practical techniques to solve real problems.
• Our ambition is to produce graduates who have a wider vision of the applications of chemistry for the coming decades and who are equipped for flexible careers to adapt to the changing global and national challenges facing Chemistry.

Destinations

• Recent graduates have found employment within the following job roles and companies:
  • Scientist, Pfizer Ltd
  • Team Leader, GE Healthcare
  • Pharmacokineticist, GlaxoSmithKline plc
  • Nuclear Safety Engineer, Babcock
  • Industrial Chemist, Rohm GmbH
  • Research Scientist Manager, Facebook UK
  • Engineering Co-Ordinator, Greencore
  • Policy Analyst, Sandbag Climate Campaign
  • Senior Environmental Consultant, March Consulting Group
  • Water Engineer, WRC Engineering
  • Senior Manager Audit, HSBC
  • Head Of Client Integration, BNP Paribas
  • Science Teacher
  • Head of Chemistry

Tuition Fees

• Full time tuition fees UK: £9,535 per year
• Full time tuition fees International: £35,800 per year
• Please note that the International tuition fee is subject to annual increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.
• All International applicants to Undergraduate programmes are required to pay a deposit of £2000 against their first year's tuition fee.
• If you choose the study abroad option with one of King’s partner universities, you will not be charged tuition fees by the host university (although some partners do charge a small administration fee for applying).
• King’s will continue to invoice for a proportion of King's tuition fees.
• At present these are as follows:
  • Home students studying for a semester abroad will receive an invoice for £6000 for King’s tuition fees for the year.
  • Overseas students studying for a semester abroad will receive an invoice for two thirds of the King's tuition fees for the year.
• The OFS cap for compulsory or optional year abroad it is £1385
• NB: EU students will be liable for the same study abroad tuition fees as overseas students in 2024/25
• You should also budget to pay for the associated subsistence costs, such as travel, visas, accommodation and food as well as any vaccination/immunisations required by the country to which you are travelling.

Additional Costs

• Books if you choose to buy your own copies
• Clothing for optional course related events and competitions
• Library fees and fines
• Personal photocopies
• Printing course handouts
• Society membership fees
• Stationery
• Graduation costs
• Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses

Funding

• To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.