Chemistry with an Industrial Placement Year

Explore topics at the cutting edge of chemistry and apply your knowledge with our accredited MChem Chemistry with an Industrial Placement Year course. Gain fundamental knowledge, work at a leading organisation in the chemical industry and complete a research project in one of our world-class research groups.

This four-year accredited MChem Chemistry with an Industrial Placement Year course will give you the industry-level experience and research skills you’ll need for a successful career.

In the first two years, you’ll focus on fundamental concepts. You’ll cover the organic, inorganic, physical and analytical chemistry needed for a wide range of optional modules later on.

Sustainability modules also form part of our core teaching in the first two years. You’ll gain hands-on experience from the start of your degree, learning laboratory skills and techniques in our specialist teaching labs.

You’ll have regular tutorials to delve deeper into the complex topics covered in lectures. These small group teaching sessions are led by your personal tutor in first year and subject experts in later years.

The whole of your third year will be spent working at a leading organisation in the science industry on an industrial placement. Our students have secured placements with a range of organisations including Unilever, AstraZeneca, Reckitt, GSK and EDF Energy.

During your industrial placement year you’ll gain experience of applying your knowledge of chemistry in a commercial environment. You’ll have distance learning material to work through, be assessed by your industry supervisor and produce a final report at the end of your placement.

You’ll develop new skills and build up your CV, and some students even come back with the offer of a job when they graduate.

When you return to Sheffield in your fourth year, you’ll have the opportunity to choose from a variety of more in-depth optional modules. Your final year is the perfect time to build on your placement experience to tailor your degree to your interests and career goals. You’ll explore the latest concepts and findings across topics such as medicinal chemistry, nanochemistry and chemistry of light.

Most of your final year will be spent working on your own research project, as part of a team of research scientists. Working on a real scientific problem, you’ll conduct experiments in our state-of-the-art research labs, learning from academic researchers who are experts in your chosen area of research.

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

Why study this course?
- Top 20 in the UK for chemistry: The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025

- Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) accredited course: This course is accredited by the RSC for fully meeting the academic criteria for Chartered Chemist (CChem).

- Build connections and a career: Our students have secured placements with a range of organisations including Unilever, AstraZeneca, Reckitt, GSK and EDF Energy.

- Summer research placement: We offer a guaranteed paid summer research placement if you meet the requirements of our Undergraduate Research Scholarship scheme.