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Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Entry requirements


A level

A,A,B

AAB including Chemistry and preferably one other Science or Maths

Pass Access to HE Diploma with 60 Credits overall including 45 at Level 3. Please obtain: Distinctions in all Chemistry Units and Merit in all other Units

We consider applicants offering Pre-U Principal Subjects or a combination of the Pre-U and A levels, provided a minimum of three subjects overall are taken. We recognise the benefit of the Global Perspectives and Research (GPR) course in developing independent study and research skills. While we would consider this as evidence of motivation to study a specific subject in more depth, we do not generally include it as part of our offer conditions. However, it may be used to further consider an application upon receipt of final examination results.

We recognise the benefit of the Extended Project in developing independent research and critical thinking skills. We would consider this as evidence of motivation to study a specific subject in more depth, and while we do not generally include it as part of our offer conditions, it may be used to further consider an application upon receipt of final examination results. www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/entry-requirements/

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE Maths & English Language Grade 4/C

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

35

35 (6,6,5 HL) including HL Chemistry and preferably one other science or Maths at HL

We accept a wide range of international qualifications for entry as outlined on our website – please view the individual course typical offers on our website and choose Ireland in the Country/region drop-down field for more information.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

D

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate Grade Distinction plus A Level Grades AB including Chemistry. Preferred subject: Applied Science.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DD

BTEC Level 3 National Diploma Grades Distinction Distinction plus A Level Chemistry Grade B Preferred subject: Applied Science.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDD

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Applied Science: DDD to include optional modules 13, 14, 18 and 19 Preferred subject: Applied Science.

Scottish Advanced Higher

A,B

AB including Chemistry, plus Highers at majority A/B grades.

For 2024 entry, the following T Levels are currently being considered on a case by case basis. More information can be found on our website at https://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/entry-requirements/

Applicants taking the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma will be asked to achieve the A level requirements for their course as part of their qualification. The Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted alongside two A levels providing individual course entry and subject requirements are met. www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/entry-requirements/

UCAS Tariff

104-136

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Pharmaceutical chemistry

Our MChem degree in Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry is designed to equip you with the skills needed to work in the pharmaceutical industry and allied sectors while also developing your scientific research skills.

Research in chemistry plays a vital role in the understanding of disease and the development of effective medicines. The search for new drugs to tackle cancer, heart disease and infections reamins an important challenge at the forefront of medical research. Advances in global healthcare rely on highly skilled graduates with research skills and a strong background in organic chemistry, coupled with a broad understanding of pharmacology and related biochemical areas.

The MChem in Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry makes ideal preparation for students keen to contribute to the drug discovery and development of the future or who have an interest in industrial or academic research.

MChem Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry provides you with the opportunity to study chemistry as a major subject along with subjects allied to the medical and pharmaceutical industries. For instance, in year one you will develop a sound understanding of the core chemistry principles, while in year two you will deepen your knowledge of the principles of biological chemistry with an emphasis on topics which are relevant to the medical and pharmaceutical industry. The biological modules do not depend on having a background in biology.

In year three further advanced topics relevant to medicinal and biological chemistry are studied and two investigative projects are undertaken. You will also carry out an in-depth literature review of a key topic, leading to specialised knowledge in a particular field.

In the final year of the MChem you will further develop the skills required for original scientific research by conducting your dissertation and an extended research project.

Across the duration of your undergraduate studies you will gain practical hands-on laboratory experience in our state-of-the-art STEMLab facilities. You have the opportunity to add further value to your time at Loughborough by spending a placement year in industry gaining highly sought-after workplace experience or by exploring options for study abroad. As a student of chemistry at Loughborough you will benefit from high levels of pastoral support, a peer-mentoring scheme, and the compelling insights of our renowned academic staff, many of whom are active in research with far-reaching impact.

Modules

For a full list of areas studied, see the 'What You'll Study' section of the course page on our website.

Assessment methods

You are assessed by examination and coursework. Depending on the module, coursework may include written laboratory reports, oral presentations, poster presentations, research papers, peer review and dissertations.

MChem students must obtain an average of 55% or above in Years 2 and 3 to progress to the next year of the course. Your MChem degree classification will be determined by the weighted average of your marks obtained in years 2, 3 and 4 in the ratio 20:40:40.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

England
£9,250
per year
EU
£27,250
per year
International
£27,250
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Loughborough University

Department:

Chemistry

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

96%
Pharmaceutical chemistry

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Chemistry

Teaching and learning

81%
Staff make the subject interesting
96%
Staff are good at explaining things
81%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
89%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

96%
Library resources
94%
IT resources
92%
Course specific equipment and facilities
79%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

95%
UK students
5%
International students
43%
Male students
57%
Female students
93%
2:1 or above
5%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Chemistry

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£22,000
med
Average annual salary
94%
med
Employed or in further education
73%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

18%
Natural and social science professionals
17%
Science, engineering and production technicians
7%
Business, research and administrative professionals

Chemistry graduates are in demand from a wide range of industries, from the food, oil, chemicals and pharmaceuticals to consultancy, technical analysis and teaching. They're also prized by business and finance employers for their research and data handling skills — anywhere there is research and data to be explained, you can find chemistry grads. If you want a career in research, you need a doctorate, so start planning now if you fancy one of these exciting and challenging jobs - but good students can usually get grants to take a doctorate, so don't worry about the financing if you think you have what it takes. The recession wasn’t too kind to chemists, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry (one of the key employers for chemists), but things are getting back to normal for this flexible group and it's one of the few degrees that is bucking the current trend and increasing graduate numbers.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Chemistry

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£23k

£23k

£27k

£27k

£36k

£36k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here