Chemistry with Computing
Entry requirements
A level
Standard offer: AAA including Chemistry and Mathematics. Contextual offer: ABB including A in Chemistry and B in Mathematics. Please visit: bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/entry-requirements-qualifications/contextual-offers/ for more information about contextual offers.
Access to HE Diploma
Access to HE Diploma in Science (or similar titles). The 45 graded Level 3 credits must include: - at least 30 credits at Distinction and 15 at Merit or above; and - at least 12 credits at Distinction from specified Chemistry units and 12 credits at Distinction in specified Mathematics units (including algebra, calculus and trigonometry). Plus successful completion of a University of Bristol test and interview (or A at A-Level or equivalent in Chemistry and B at A-Level or equivalent in Mathematics). Mature students can contact [email protected] to check the suitability of their Access course.
Requirements for principal subjects are as for A-level, where D1/ D2 is A*, D3 is A, M1/ M2 is B and M3 is C.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Standard offer: 36 points overall with 18 at Higher Level, including 6 at Higher Level in Chemistry, and either 6 at Higher Level (either Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretations) or 7 at Standard Level (Analysis and Approaches) in Mathematics. Contextual offer: 32 points overall with 16 at Higher Level, including 6 at Higher Level in Chemistry and either 5 at Higher Level in Mathematics (either Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretations) or 7 at Standard Level in Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches). Please visit: bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/entry-requirements-qualifications/contextual-offers/ for more information about contextual offers.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
DDD in Applied Science BTEC National Level 3 Extended Diploma with Distinctions in five specified Chemistry units, plus A in A-level Mathematics (or equivalent).
Scottish Advanced Higher
Advanced higher: AA including Chemistry.
Scottish Higher
Standard Higher: AAAAA
Requirements are as for A-levels, where you can substitute a non-subject specific grade for the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate at that grade.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
Do you like both chemistry and computing? Why choose between them? Modern chemistry relies on the latest computer technologies and computing to address global challenges facing the environment and human society.
Join a University ranked first in the UK for Chemistry research (THE analysis of REF 2021), with an excellent reputation for teaching and learning (UK top ten for Chemistry, Guardian University Guide 2023).
The BSc Chemistry with Computing course combines study of the structure and synthesis of matter with development of computational and data analysis skills. It creates a new kind of scientist, one with a firm foundation in chemistry, a sound appreciation of computing and data analysis, and an understanding of what can be achieved by combining them.
The course offers a unique combination of units and projects incorporating coding, machine learning and high-performance computing, with fundamental concepts in inorganic, organic and physical chemistry, and applications in analytical, environmental, materials and theoretical chemistry. In this degree, state-of-the-art computational methods are taught through examples drawn from the physical sciences; we call this 'scientific computing'.
You will learn to design experiments, interpret results and apply your computing skills to problems in chemistry. You will take units in mathematics while developing your communication and presentation skills.
Options for your final year project include working in a research laboratory or addressing a problem faced by researchers in academia, industry or a local school. You might develop databases and science resources, explore computing applications or carry out chemistry education research. Regardless of the setting, an expert in scientific computing and a specialist in chemistry will both be involved.
We have one of the biggest groups of computational chemists in the country. Units are taught by experts in fundamental chemistry, computational chemistry, scientific computing and research software engineering.
Tuition fees
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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.
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.
Computer science
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Chemistry
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
Computer science
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.
Top job areas of graduates
This is a newly-classified subject area for this kind of data, so we don’t currently have very much information to display or analyse yet. The subject is linked to important and growing computing industries, and over time we can expect more students to study them — there could be opportunities that open up for graduates in these subjects as the economy develops over the next few years.
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.
Top job areas of graduates
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.
Computer science
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£37k
£47k
£60k
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.
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.
£26k
£33k
£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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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
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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?
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