Chemistry (5 years), _MChem

15 Credit Points

This course provides a grounding in basic materials science. There will be five areas covered, with an emphasis on directed learning. These areas will be, for example: Nanomaterials, Electronic materials, Functional Polymers, Liquid Crystals, Energy Materials. The impact of materials science on everyday life will be considered and explored throughout the course, using these general headings to investigate both the fundamentals of materials and their development into useful and functional products. Each of these areas will cover a two week period and be introduced and facilitated by one of the course team. In course assessments will be on topics of interest under these broad headings, often covering topical concerns, examples being materials for energy and body implant materials. Thus wider issues, including ethics & politics, are drawn into the discussion.

15 Credit Points

This course covers key concepts in physical chemistry which underpin our understanding and ability to control chemical and biological processes. The principal points include thermodynamics (enthalpy, entropy and free energies), chemical kinetics (zero, 1st and 2nd order reactions, rate laws and half-lives and the relationship of rate laws to reaction mechanisms), and basic principles of electrochemistry (redox chemistry and the Nernst equation). A strong emphasis on calculations helps students get to grips with the course material and develops numeracy skills. Laboratory experiments support and complement the taught material.

15 Credit Points

In this course you will learn how to determine trace element patterns or the presence of a compound by using modern analytical methods. The course covers the underlying theory for analysis and identification using structure determination by spectroscopic methods like UV, IR, NMR, mass spectrometry and chromatographic separations. Atomic spectrometry is covered for trace metal determination. In practical classes, students get hands-on training with modern analytical instrumentation.

15 Credit Points

Modern organic and biological chemistry comprise the chemistry of carbon-containing compounds, which are natural (e.g. foods, fuel, perfumes) as well as synthetic (e.g. soaps, textile fabrics, pharmaceuticals). This course investigates some key areas in organic chemistry: shape, conformation, stereochemistry, and chemical properties of organic and biological compounds. Reactions and reactivity of aliphatic derivatives, olefins and aromatic compounds will be considered with particular reference to spatial and electronic effects. The experiments performed in the lab will help students understand key organic concepts and develop their synthetic/analytical skills.

15 Credit Points

This course investigates some key areas of inorganic chemistry. An introduction to simple crystal structure types is given and important solid state materials such as high temperature superconductors, photocatalysts and zeolites are described. The concept of symmetry is introduced. Redox chemistry is developed in terms of Latimer, Frost and Ellingham diagrams: their applications in modern technology and industry are emphasised, including batteries, fuel cells, corrosion, electrolysis and water purification. The key properties of transition metal complexes - shapes, colours and magnetism are described and analysed in terms of crystal field theory. Laboratory experiments are closely tied to the lecture materials.

30 Credit Points

This course introduces students to the fascinating properties of inorganic materials through a series of lectures, tutorials and laboratory experiments. An introduction to crystallography and crystal diffraction is given. The students will also learn about solid state synthesis and the properties of important solid state materials such as high temperature superconductors, zeolites and ferroelectric materials. An introduction to the chemistry of transition metals and main group elements will be given.

Students will gain hands on experience in powder X-ray diffraction and will synthesise some of the key materials described within the course during the laboratory practicals.

15 Credit Points

This course will give students opportunities to develop technical and professional skills necessary for success in Honours level Chemistry/Physics and beyond. The course will include working with scientific literature, computer programming and the use of software tools in research and activities to enhance employability. Students will develop an appreciation of the power of state of the art computer programs to assist the user to understand complex data sets. Students will also become more confident in communicating and assessing scientific ideas.

By considering their own skills development, students will feel more able to identify and compete for exciting graduate employment opportunities.

30 Credit Points

This course introduces important fundamentals of organic chemistry. You will gain a firm grounding in NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry which are vital analytical tools to determine if the correct organic molecule has been synthesised. Biological chemistry such as DNA/RNA and genome sequencing will be introduced. Organic synthesis lectures will concentrate on chemistry of the carbonyl group, aromatic synthesis and electrocyclic reactions.

Students will gain expertise in the synthesis of a number of different organic compounds such as dyes and explore important reactions during the laboratory practicals which accompany this course. You will also learn chromatographic techniques and consolidate your structure determination skills.

30 Credit Points

Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of spectroscopy and will gain an understanding of the nature of chemical bonding. The thermodynamics and applications of electrochemical systems will be explained, as well as the basic theories describing electrolytes and their electric conductivity. We will show how variables such as pressure and temperature affect reaction rates and how this can lead to a better understanding of reaction mechanisms, in particular, industrially important polymerization reactions. The physical chemistry of interfaces, as well as the fundamentals and applications of gas adsorption on solid surfaces, will also be introduced. The course is structured around lectures, tutorials and laboratory practicals.

15 Credit Points

This course introduces the impact humanity has had on the environment & how chemistry can be used for both medium- & long-term energy solutions. Chemical processes which impact the environment will be described, such as ozone generation & depletion in the atmosphere. Students will be introduced to how carbon capture & storage can be used to reduce carbon emissions from industrial processes & how chemistry can be applied to design next generation solar cells, batteries & hydrogen fuel cells.

15 Credit Points

The Honours Inorganic & Physical Chemistry module is composed of a series of high-level lecture courses giving students opportunities for in-depth study of advanced topics, whilst the variety of inorganic and physical chemistry covered ensures that students have a good breadth of experience in these branches of the subject.

15 Credit Points

The Honours Analytical & Organic Chemistry module is composed of a series of high-level lecture courses giving students opportunities for in-depth study of advanced topics, whilst the variety of analytical and organic chemistry covered ensures that students have a good breadth of experience in these branches of the subject.

15 Credit Points

The aim of this course is to provide a combination of research experience and group work via research-focused group activities involving experiment planning, teamwork and the collection, sharing and interpretation of data. The group, in consultation with the supervisors, will develop a project plan where the overall aim and the objectives of the individual students are established. The development of a variety of transferrable skills is an important feature of this module, including working in a team, project planning, the presentation of results, time management, report writing and verbal communication.

15 Credit Points

The Advanced Chemistry module is composed of a series of high-level lecture courses usually closely related to the research specialities of the lecturers. This gives students opportunities for in-depth study of advanced topics, whilst the variety of inorganic, physical, organic, materials, environmental and analytical chemistry covered in Advanced Chemistry ensures that students have a good breadth of experience in the subject.

15 Credit Points

This module aims to help students assimilate materials studied at different points during the whole undergraduate Chemistry degree programme. The course consists of a series of lectures and workshops, held in the second half session, covering material studied in the earlier years of the course. The workshops are intended to review fundamental topics and ideas in the context of the more advanced material studied at Honours level. Reflective writing will ask students to look at the ‘big picture’ of chemistry in context and their own chemical identity.

30 Credit Points

The level-4 individual research project for MChem students runs in the second half-session and affords students opportunities to learn modern research techniques and to develop some expertise in the topic of their project. As far as possible, projects are allocated in accordance with student preferences. Every project has a named supervisor and there is considerable scope for students to use their initiative in experimental design and interpretation of results. The development of a variety of transferrable skills is an important feature of this module, including project planning, presentation of results, time management, report writing and verbal communication.

60 Credit Points

The module consists of three main components including lecture courses chosen to reflect a broad range of advanced topics in chemistry and assessed by examination. These courses are complemented by a number of workshops describing advanced research techniques again drawing from examples across the breadth of chemistry and these are continuously assessed. The workshops involve distinguished visiting lecturers. The final component involves a number of workshops focussed on topics such as how to analyse and critique papers drawn from the literature, how to critically assess research proposals and discussions of topical case studies involving matters of research ethics.

60 Credit Points

In the second half of Level 5, students gain research experience in a professional research environment, normally in a laboratory on mainland Europe. These projects extend from January to April and students may obtain additional funding from the Erasmus scheme to cover their extra costs associated with living abroad. Students may undertake their placement further afield, for example in North America or Australia, or within Aberdeen, subject to individual circumstances. Students undertake a comprehensive literature review on the topic of their project during the first half-session. The project placement is at the heart of the MChem and richly enhances employability.