Chemistry with year-long industry experience

Gain a career advantage by spending a year in industry as part of your chemistry degree.

On your 12-month placement you’ll work on a research project in an industrial setting. Host organisations range from small high-tech enterprises and national research facilities, to global companies such as Johnson Matthey, Merck, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Proctor & Gamble. Many industry placements are paid.

Your placement takes place in year four, when you’ll have completed three years of chemistry training and an independent research project. This will give you a competitive edge when securing your placement, and the confidence to get the most out of the experience.

It’s an excellent opportunity to put your chemistry knowledge into practice in a commercial setting, gain invaluable professional skills and show future employers what you can do – indeed, some of our students are recruited by their host company.

At Southampton you’ll study in recently refurbished labs at a Russell Group university where trailblazing research feeds into your degree. Our commitment to your education is demonstrated in the Guardian University Guide 2024; Chemistry at Southampton placed 4th in the UK.

Supporting your studies You’ll be part of a supportive Chemistry community, with a personal academic tutor to provide any extra help you need, both academically and personally. During the first two years we limit small group tutorials to a maximum of five students, so you’ll have plenty of time and attention from your tutors.

Between classes, the Chemistry department will be your ‘home’ on campus – a place to grab a coffee in the common room, catch up with friends and talk to staff.

CV and interview skills workshops will help you secure your placement, and you’ll have regular catch-ups with a dedicated supervisor during your placement year.

Outstanding undergraduate laboratories Take advantage of our recently refurbished labs, which opened in 2019 as part of a £12m investment in Chemistry’s facilities. You’ll study in bright and spacious modern laboratories using new research-grade equipment such as NMR and IR spectrometers and X-ray diffractometers. There are also laptops for each student to record their lab work.

With full support and training, you’ll learn to make and analyse your own samples, using the same equipment that you’ll find in industry labs and the latest ‘green’ chemistry practices – all excellent preparation for your placement and future career.

Learn about research as it happens Chemistry at Southampton, being part of the Russell Group, means you’ll learn from staff who are involved in making new discoveries.

Our academics are advancing battery technology for cleaner energy, designing drugs for hard-to-treat cancers, and using digital modelling in the fight against COVID-19, to name just a few examples. They will share their passion for their specialist areas with you, bringing the most up-to-date knowledge to your seminars and lectures.