Undergraduate courses

Discoveries in chemistry have dramatically altered our view of the world and the way we live day-to-day. Penicillin, painkillers, LCD TVs – we owe them all to chemistry!

Our degrees can be taken as either a three-year BSc degree or a four-year MChem degree. The BSc and MChem programmes share a common first two years, meaning it is possible to switch degree courses in either direction during the first two years of the course (transfer from the BSc to the MChem is subject to satisfactory progress at the end of the first and second year of study, based on grades achieved).  

All our Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Chemistry courses satisfy Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) rules for accreditation (MChem) or recognition (BSc) (PDF, 878kb), a guarantee that you have the breadth and depth of knowledge to be a professional chemist.

• 7th Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2019)
• 100% of students employed/further education within 6 months of graduation (Which? 2019)
• 18th for UK Chemistry Departments (Guardian 2022)
• 95% overall Student Satisfaction (National Student Survey 2020)

You can find out more about our courses, students and some of this research via Main Event's on demand open day video content:

• Introduction to Chemistry (by admissions tutor)
• Student Experience (by current undergraduates)
• Careers in Chemistry (by careers tutor)
• Facilities Tour (coming soon)

BSc degrees

A BSc degree provides the rigorous training in chemistry and allied skills to allow you to further your studies in chemistry via an MSc or to use your chemistry and other gained transferable skills in a number of different employment sectors (see our careers section for more details).

Chemistry BSc (with optional year in industry)
Full-time, 3-4 years | UCAS code: F100
Discoveries in chemistry can lead to all kinds of breakthroughs in fields like health and medicine, energy and the environment, technology and materials – to name just a few. This degree is about learning and training across a range of areas, to give you more choice in where your career can go.

Pharmaceutical Chemistry BSc (with optional year in industry)
Full-time, 3-4 years | UCAS code: F154
Every infection-fighting and disease-treating drug owes a great debt to chemistry. In this degree, you’ll be given a solid grounding in chemistry and its role alongside drug development.

Chemistry with Foundation Year BSc
Full-time, 4 years | UCAS code: F991
If you would love to study chemistry here at Leicester, but you don’t quite have the entry requirements, this Foundation Year degree is your path to making it happen.

MChem Chemistry degrees

Those who have a strong desire to be a professional chemist should apply for one of the four-year MChem degrees on offer. The MChem courses have a strong emphasis on research and professional training in the final two years and provide a much firmer basis than the BSc for a career as a chemist in industry or academia.

On an MChem degree you have three options for your third year: a year abroad, an industrial placement, or further study in Leicester.

Chemistry MChem (with optional year studying abroad or in industry)
Full-time, 4 years | UCAS code: F105, F107, F106
This four-year degree expands on the Chemistry BSc to prepare you for high-level entry into the industry. It’s also a solid base for pursuing PhD research.

Pharmaceutical Chemistry MChem (with optional year studying abroad or in industry)
Full-time, 4 years | UCAS code: F150, F153, F152
This four-year degree expands on the Pharmaceutical Chemistry BSc to prepare you for high-level entry into the industry. It’s also a solid base for pursuing PhD research.