Program Overview

Medicinal Chemistry with a Year in Industry (BSc)

Overview

Medicinal chemists are at the forefront of modern medicine, developing new therapies and vaccines to prevent and treat infections and disease. This programme focuses on the biological aspects of chemistry, giving students the skills to join this exciting field.

Why Study This Course

• Join the forefront of modern medicine
• Medicinal chemists develop new therapies and vaccines to prevent and treat infections and disease, supporting people's health worldwide.
• Life beyond the lab: As well as the chemistry relevant to drug discovery, students will study data science, project planning, leadership skills, and more to prepare them for their future career.
• Acclaimed researchers involved in course design and teaching
• 99% of the university's research is world-leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021) and it's 12th in the UK for research impact.
• Year in industry: Kick-start professional training while earning a salary during the third-year industry placement
• Excellent career prospects: This course is ideal grounding for a career in the pharmaceutical industry.

Subject Area

• Subject area: Chemistry
• UCAS code: F152
• Next intake: September 2026
• Duration: 4 years
• Mode: Full time with sandwich year

Entry Requirements

• A level: AAB-BBB. Must include grade B in Chemistry. Students will need to pass the science practical element of the A-level if this is part of their programme of study.
• Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer.
• International Baccalaureate: 34-31 overall or 666-665 in 3 HL subjects. Must include grade 5 in HL Chemistry.
• Baccalaureate Wales: From September 2023, there will be a new qualification called the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3). This qualification will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate).
• GCSE and other essential requirements: Students must have or be working towards:
  • English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade C/4 or an equivalent.
  • GCSE Maths grade C/4 or equivalent qualification.
• English language requirements:
  • GCSE: Grade C or grade 4 in GCSE English Language.
  • IELTS (academic): At least 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each subskill.
  • TOEFL iBT: At least 90 overall with a minimum of 17 for writing, 17 for listening, 18 for reading, and 20 for speaking.
  • PTE Academic: At least 69 overall with a minimum of 59 in all communicative skills.
  • Trinity ISE II/III: II: at least two Distinctions and two Merits. III: at least a Pass in all components.

Tuition Fees for 2026 Entry

• Fees for home status:
  • Year one: ｣9,535
  • Year two: ｣9,535
  • Year three (sandwich year): ｣1,905
  • Year four: ｣9,535
• Fees for overseas status:
  • Year one: ｣30,700
  • Year two: ｣30,700
  • Year three (sandwich year): ｣6,140
  • Year four: ｣30,700

Additional Costs

• The School covers the cost of everything that is an essential part of the programme.
• Students may be required to cover additional costs that are either not essential or are basic costs that a student should be expected to cover themselves, including laptop computers, calculators, general stationery, textbooks, and basic copying/ printing.

Course Structure

• This is a four-year programme, where each year is made up of two semesters comprising modules totalling 120 credits.
• Year one: Core theory chemistry modules are supplemented with practical work and mathematical workshops.
• Year two: Builds on the general chemistry skills of year one with modules in the areas of chemistry that are of most importance to medicinal chemists.
• Year three: Sandwich year - Students will spend year three working for an industrial placement provider, giving them valuable workplace experience as part of the course.
• Year four: Students will take theory modules in synthetic organic and medicinal chemistry, statistics, and data science. In the Autumn semester, there is a laboratory practical module, and in Spring, students will undertake a substantial, original project.

Learning and Assessment

• Teaching is undertaken through a series of lectures, tutorials, workshops, and practical classes.
• Laboratory work: In year one, the emphasis is on basic techniques and simple but accurate recording of observations. Skills are taught by practical demonstrations and supported by a range of e-learning resources.
• Project: All chemistry courses have a major element of independent, supervised project work. In the final year, students will work on a project in their preferred area of chemistry and be allocated a topic to investigate or develop.
• Placement: Students will spend their third year working as an employee on an industrial placement, gaining valuable experience and learning a wide variety of skills.
• Assessment: Formative and summative assessments are carried out during each year of study, involving a blend of methods including formal examinations, reports, essays, problem-solving, and oral presentations.

Careers and Placements

• Career prospects: This course will equip students with the theoretical and laboratory skills in synthetic and analytical chemistry for a career or postgraduate study in drug development and biomedical research.
• Placements: All students on this course will undertake a one-semester research project within a Cardiff Chemistry research laboratory.