Medicinal Chemistry MChem - 2025/6

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 and Chemical Engineering

Programme Leader

TURNER Scott (Chst Chm Eng)

Date of production/revision of spec

15/05/2026

Educational aims of the programme

  • To develop appropriate practical skills taking into account an awareness of health and safety issues.
  • 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.
  • 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 give students a well-grounded understanding of investigative concepts and methods.
  • To prepare students following integrated Masters programmes with an advanced chemical training beyond that followed by Bachelors students.
  • 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 provide students with a knowledge of techniques, substances and molecular structures that are important in treatment and diagnosis of disease.
  • 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 well-founded education in the principles of chemistry, which reflects the QAA subject benchmark statement for Chemistry 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 (CChem) award through further study or continuing professional development.
  • To provide students with an opportunity to work for a year on placement in an industrial or related working environment.
  • To train students as professional chemists able to take up positions of responsibility as required in the pharmaceutical Industry.

Programme learning outcomes

Attributes Developed Awards Ref.
Demonstrate an appreciation of chemistry and medicinal chemistry as empirical sciences. K CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Understand the distinction between the major branches of chemistry: inorganic, physical, analytical and organic. K CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Become familiar with the fundamental or generic techniques used in chemical laboratories. KP CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Appreciate how experimental results are reported in technical reports. PT CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Be able to use relevant generic information technology. PT CertHE, DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Demonstrate an understanding of the major theories and principles in the core areas of chemistry and medicinal chemistry. KC DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Develop an understanding of the concepts of medicinal chemistry in the context of diagnosis and treatment of disease. KC DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Understand the relationship of medicinal chemistry theory and developments in drug design. K DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Conduct chemical studies across a broad range of tutor-guided experiments and report on the results. KCPT DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Be aware of the health and safety issues involved in using chemicals and equipment in experimental science. KCPT DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Be able to use specialised information technology related to chemistry or medicinal chemistry. KC DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Apply statistical and numerical skills to the interpretation of physicochemical data. KCPT DipHE, Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Appreciate the relevance of chemistry to real problems in professional and employment settings, in the context of medicinal chemistry. KCT Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Analyse, define and develop generic learning skills for independent problem solving. CPT Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Communicate ideas, chemical and medicinal principles, and theories effectively by oral, written and visual means. CPT Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Develop the ability to promote oneself through maintenance of professional development profiles and CV. CPT Ord, BSc (Hons), MChem
Work effectively and efficiently in a professional work environment through a work placement. PT BSc (Hons), MChem
Be able to leverage subject and transferable skills in a work environment to acquiring knowledge of new techniques as appropriate. PT BSc (Hons), MChem
Learn to work independently or as a member of a team towards a common goal, to solve a problem efficiently. PT BSc (Hons), MChem
Become self-motivated with the ability to study independently. T BSc (Hons), MChem
Demonstrate an understanding of advanced topics in core areas of chemistry and medicinal chemistry. KC MChem
Generate scientific data from open experimental inquiry (a project) and discern and establish connections between the data in the context of theory. CPT MChem
Synthesize, analyse and critically evaluate primary and secondary data from a variety of scientific literature sources. CPT MChem
Be able to design appropriate experimental investigations to answer advanced scientific questions in chemistry or medicinal chemistry. CPT MChem
Be able to orally defend you own scientific work, drawing from knowledge of theory and critical assessment of experimental work. KCPT 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 Compulsory 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
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

No Options

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
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 Optional 15 2
CHE2038 MATERIALS CHEMISTRY: FUNDAMENTALS TO APPLICATION Compulsory 15 1
CHE2043 COMPUTER MODELLING IN CHEMISTRY Optional 15 2

Module Selection for Year 2 - FHEQ Level 5

Choose 1 from 2

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

No Options

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 1 from 2

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

Global and cultural capabilities are integral, related industries are multinational e.g. petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, mining, consumer products, bulk & specialty chemicals. International cooperation is key, tied to location of resources. Working with people from different backgrounds and being respectful of different cultures is exemplified by team-working exercises. Case-studies reflect diverse contributions, origin of raw materials, and effect on local communities.

Digital capabilities, including AI, are embedded as chemistry relies on creating, collecting, analysing and presenting data. Graduates are confident with appropriate and specialist software or databases e.g. MS Office, Web of Science, Reaxsys, ChemDraw. Training in year 1 & 2 leads to proficiency in year 3 & 4.

Employability is considered by providing skills to become a professional scientist, enter a any profession valuing science graduates, or progress to further study. In all 4-year degrees student placements solve commercial problems. All students are encouraged to join The Royal Society of Chemistry, leading to Chartered Chemist status. Lab skills, writing reports, working to a brief, oral presentations, team working, writing CVs, applying for virtual jobs are assessed.

Resourcefulness and resilience is embedded by ensuring graduates are self-sufficient, able to solve problems and make decisions in any situation. For example, the lab environment requires complementary skills, theoretical understanding, practical ability and awareness of H & S, all used in this dynamic environment.

Sustainability is expressed with a focus on limited resources. The consequences of using resources and mitigating solutions are discussed. Efficient use of chemicals in labs is prioritised, minimising waste. All students take modules linking positive and negative aspects of industry, sustainability and recyclability.

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 2025/6 academic year.