Medicinal Chemistry MChem - 2022/3

Awarding body

University of Surrey

Teaching institute

University of Surrey

Framework

FHEQ Level 7

Final award and programme/pathway title

MChem Medicinal Chemistry

Subsidiary award(s)

Award Title
BSc (Hons) Medicinal Chemistry
Ord Chemistry
DipHE Chemistry
CertHE Chemistry

Professional recognition

Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry for fully meeting the academic criteria for Chartered Chemist (CChem).

Modes of study

Route code Credits and ECTS Credits
Full-time UCJ20004 480 credits and 240 ECTS credits

QAA Subject benchmark statement (if applicable)

Chemistry (Master)

Other internal and / or external reference points

N/A

Faculty and Department / School

Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences - Chemistry

Programme Leader

TURNER Scott (Chst Chm Eng)

Date of production/revision of spec

12/09/2023

Educational aims of the programme

  • To prepare students for possible careers as professional chemists in industry, as academic researchers and for a wide range of related professions requiring critical, analytical and investigative skills.
  • To give students a well-grounded understanding of investigative concepts and methods.
  • To give students a well-grounded understanding of chemical theories, the analytical tools necessary to evaluate and conduct chemical research, the capacity to initiate independent thought and enquiry, and the confidence and knowledge to apply these skills in their careers after graduation.
  • To develop appropriate practical skills taking into account an awareness of health and safety issues.
  • To provide students with a well-founded education in the principles of chemistry, which reflects the QAA subject benchmark statement for Chemistry (2014) and provides access to qualified membership of the Royal Society of Chemistry and forms a basis for partially satisfying the academic requirements for the Chartered Chemist award through further study or continuing professional development.
  • To provide students with a range of key and transferable skills, integrated into the subject material, including team-working, information technology, communication and problem solving.
  • To provide students with a knowledge of techniques, substances and molecular structures that are important in treatment and diagnosis of disease.
  • To provide students with an opportunity to work for a year on placement in an industrial or related working environment. (4-year programme only)
  • To enhance students' employment potential by encouraging them to put their subject knowledge into practice, enhance their problem-solving and analytical skills, and further develop transferable skills within a working environment. (4-year programme only)
  • To train students as professional chemists able to take up positions of responsibility as required in the pharmaceutical industry.
  • To prepare students following integrated Masters programmes with an advanced chemical training beyond that followed by Bachelors students.

Programme learning outcomes

Attributes Developed Awards Ref.
Demonstrate a knowledge of chemistry as an empirical science K CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Appreciate the relevance of chemistry to real problems in professional and employment settings; K CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Understand and demonstrate an understanding of the major theories and principles in the core areas of chemistry; K CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Develop and understanding of the concepts of medicinal chemistry in the context of diagnosis and treatment of disease, with reference to recent developments in the pharmaceutical industry K CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Assemble/generate data from a variety of sources and discern and establish connections; C CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Synthesise, analyse and evaluate primary and secondary data from a variety of sources. C CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Conduct and report an individual chemical study (through the practical modules and empirical research project); C CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Critically assess chemical research C MChem
Plan, conduct and report an individual chemical study (through the practical modules and empirical research project) C MChem
Solve problems in chemistry and medicinal chemical science. C MChem
Use and develop various experimental techniques; P CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
nterpret quantitative and qualitative data; P CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Take responsibility for planning and organisation of work as individual and as part of a team; P MChem
Analyse, define and develop generic learning skills for independent problem solving; T CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Communicate ideas, principles and theories effectively by oral, written and visual means; T CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Learn to work independently or as a member of a team as appropriate to a problem; T CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Work effectively in small groups towards a common goal T CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Use up to date information technology as appropriate T CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Develop the ability to promote oneself through maintenance of professional development profiles and current CV. T CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Be self-motivated with the ability to study independently T CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Solve problems efficiently and sensibly T CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Apply basic statistical and numerical skills to physicochemical data. T CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Work effectively and efficiently in a work environment, employing and developing subject and transferable skills learnt in first two years of the programme, acquiring knowledge of new techniques as appropriate. T CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem

Attributes Developed

C - Cognitive/analytical

K - Subject knowledge

T - Transferable skills

P - Professional/Practical skills

Programme structure

Full-time

This Integrated Master's Degree (Honours) programme is studied full-time over four academic years, consisting of 480 credits (120 credits at FHEQ levels 4, 5, 6 and 7). All modules are semester based and worth 15 credits with the exception of project, practice based and dissertation modules.
Possible exit awards include:
- Bachelor's Degree (Honours) (360 credits)
- Bachelor's Degree (Ordinary) (300 credits)
- Diploma of Higher Education (240 credits)
- Certificate of Higher Education (120 credits)

Programme Adjustments (if applicable)

N/A

Modules

Year 1 - FHEQ Level 4

Module code Module title Status Credits Semester
BMS1025 CELL BIOLOGY Optional 15 1
BMS1032 INTRODUCTION TO PRINCIPLES OF PHYSIOLOGY AND PRACTICAL SKILLS Compulsory 15 2
CHE1044 PRINCIPLES OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY Compulsory 15 1
CHE1042 PERIODICITY AND REACTIVITY OF THE ELEMENTS Compulsory 15 1
CHE1040 MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING AND STATISTICAL SKILLS Compulsory 15 1
CHE1039 FUNDAMENTALS OF FORENSIC SCIENCE: FROM CRIME SCENE TO COURT Optional 15 1
CHE1034 CHEMISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT Optional 15 1
CHE1041 ORGANIC STRUCTURE, REACTIVITY AND FUNCTIONAL GROUPS Compulsory 15 2
CHE1043 PHYSICAL PROCESSES IN CHEMISTRY Compulsory 15 2
CHE1045 TRANSFERABLE SKILLS Compulsory 15 2

Module Selection for Year 1 - FHEQ Level 4

Choose 1 from the 3 listed optional modules.

Year 2 - FHEQ Level 5

Module code Module title Status Credits Semester
CHE2044 ORGANIC CARBON-CARBON BOND FORMATION AND HETEROCYCLIC CHEMISTRY Compulsory 15 1
CHE2036 APPLIED ORGANIC SPECTROSCOPY Compulsory 15 1
CHE2027 WORLD OF WORK Compulsory 15 1
CHE2035 ADVANCES IN ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTATION Compulsory 15 1
CHE2040 PHASES, COLLOIDS AND ELECTRONIC TRANSITIONS Compulsory 15 2
CHE2037 BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY AND DRUG DISCOVERY Compulsory 15 2
CHE2042 STRUCTURE, BONDING AND REACTIONS OF INORGANIC COMPOUNDS Compulsory 15 2
BMS2047 PHARMACOLOGY: INTRODUCTION TO DRUG ACTION Compulsory 15 2

Module Selection for Year 2 - FHEQ Level 5

N/A

Year 3 - FHEQ Level 6

Module code Module title Status Credits Semester
CHE3039 SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (DISTANCE LEARNING) Compulsory 15 1
CHE3064 PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY OF SEMICONDUCTING MATERIALS (DISTANCE LEARNING) Compulsory 15 2
CHE3042 STRUCTURE AND SPECTROSCOPY IN INORGANIC CHEMISTRY (DISTANCE LEARNING) Compulsory 15 2
CHE3068 INDUSTRIAL OR ACADEMIC RESEARCH TRAINING Compulsory 75 Year-long

Module Selection for Year 3 - FHEQ Level 6

N/A

Year 4 - FHEQ Level 7

Module code Module title Status Credits Semester
CHEM036 ADVANCED ORGANIC SYNTHESIS Compulsory 15 1
CHEM039 APPLICATIONS OF ORGANOMETALLIC, TRANSITION AND MAIN GROUP CHEMISTRY Optional 15 1
CHEM040 FRONTIERS IN PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY Optional 15 2
CHEM038 ADVANCED METHOD DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH APPLICATIONS OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY Optional 15 2
CHEM029 MCHEM RESEARCH PROJECT Compulsory 60 Year-long
CHEM037 ADVANCED MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY Compulsory 15 2

Module Selection for Year 4 - FHEQ Level 7

Choose 2 from the 3 optional modules

Opportunities for placements / work related learning / collaborative activity

Associate Tutor(s) / Guest Speakers / Visiting Academics Y
Professional Training Year (PTY) N
Placement(s) (study or work that are not part of PTY) N
Clinical Placement(s) (that are not part of the PTY scheme) N
Study exchange (Level 5) N
Dual degree N

Other information

Students are required to achieve a Level mark average of 60% or above at each of Levels 4 and 5 to remain on the MChem programme, or to be allowed to transfer onto it. Additionally, students enrolled on the MChem programmes are normally required to achieve marks of 60% or above in the `key¿ compulsory chemistry programme modules of inorganic, organic, physical and analytical chemistry. The pass mark for a module is 40% at Levels 4-6 and 50% at Level 7.

Quality assurance

The Regulations and Codes of Practice for taught programmes can be found at:

https://www.surrey.ac.uk/quality-enhancement-standards

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2022/3 academic year.