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Year 1
You will spend approximately a third of your first year in chemistry lectures, laboratory classes and small-group tutorials. For all students a mathematics course is also required. The remainder of your curriculum can be chosen from a broad range of courses from across the University.

Year 2
You continue with your chemistry course, which again takes up about a third of your time. Additional courses such as Environmental Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Chemical Pharmacology or courses in physics or mathematics may be required or recommended for your specific programme but most programmes still allow considerable choice of option subjects at this stage.

The range of option courses available over the first two years allows real flexibility to maintain options to transfer between different programmes within the College of Science & Engineering.

Year 3
You will study compulsory chemistry courses that provide a foundation for the remaining honours years. If you are studying the Chemical Physics programme you will take a combination of chemistry and physics courses.

Year 4
In the final year of your BSc, or the penultimate year of your MChem or MChemPhys, you will take compulsory courses from your programme and will choose from a range of other advanced chemistry courses. Students on the BSc programmes will have a choice between a final-year research project or a science education placement with a local school, the latter providing ideal preparation for future study towards a teaching qualification.

Students on the MChem/MChemPhys programmes will take a research training course in preparation for their final year project.

Year 5

You will undertake a full-year research project. You will have the choice between remaining in Edinburgh to work on projects supervised by a staff member in Chemistry or Physics, or seeking to secure a place to undertake your project while on placement in industry, a government research institute, or in the chemistry department of one of our exchange partner universities around the world.

Entry Requirements

2025 entry requirements

Standard entry:
4 Highers at AAAB (first sitting) or 4 Highers at AAAA (two sittings) including Maths at A and Chemistry and Physics plus English at National 5. Advanced Higher Maths and Chemistry recommended.

For entry to year 2 you would require Advanced Higher Maths, Chemistry and Physics at AAA.

Widening access entry:
4 Highers at AABB (by end of S6) including Maths at A and Chemistry and Physics plus English at National 5. Advanced Higher Maths and Chemistry recommended.