University of St Andrews
| Awarding institution: | University of St Andrews |
| Teaching institution: | University of St Andrews |
| Programme type: | Undergraduate |
| Programme title: | Chemistry with Pharmacology |
| Faculty: | Faculty of Science |
| School: | School of Chemistry |
| Language of study: | English |
| Programme length: | 4 years |
| SCQF credit level: | Level 10 |
| UCAS code: | F1B2 |
| Contact details: | See the School of Chemistry website at http://ch-www.st-andrews.ac.uk/ For further details about this programme contact chem-dot@st-andrews.ac.uk |
| Admissions criteria: |
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| Accreditation details: |
Recognised by the Royal Society of Chemistry |
| QAA benchmarks: |
For general QAA information on academic infrastructure see
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/honours/Chemistryfinal07.asp |
| Date(s)of production: | June 2009 |
| Date(s)of revision: | |
| Authorised by: | Dr Alan Aitken |
| Route code: | USHFCPMSCPM |
This programme will involve study of Chemistry at an advanced, research-led level in which students will gain an understanding of how knowledge is created, advanced and renewed. The programme will encourage in all students a desire to pursue learning with curiosity, integrity, tolerance and intellectual rigour.
You will develop awareness and appreciation of the latest advances in Chemistry in addition to the fundamentals of the subject. You will be provided with a broad base of chemical knowledge and understanding reinforced by extensive practical experience and familiarity with modern laboratory, instrumental and computational techniques. You will obtain the necessary skills and experience for a career in Chemistry, whether in industry, education or research. In addition, you will get a high level general intellectual and scientific training, which allows many of our graduates to enter challenging careers in areas not directly related to chemistry.
By the end of this programme you should have attained most, if not
all, of the following attributes:
You will be taught by an extensive programme of lectures (15 for each 10 credit honours module) supported by recommended reading and Web notes. These are assessed by conventional examinations involving a 2 hour examination for each 20 credit level 1000 module and a 3 hour examination for each 30 credit level 2000 modules, counting in each case for 60% of the module grade. For honours level lecture modules a 2 hour examination forms 100% of the assessment for each 10 credit module.
Support for the lecture material and experience in problem solving is provided by weekly tutorial sessions accompanying each lecture module. These involve small groups of students with an academic tutor who will discuss the problems with full participation by students. At honours level there are additionally specific problem based Workshop and Integrating Chemistry modules where worked problem solving, either in a whole class or small group format, is the primary method of teaching. You will gain particular experience of problem solving in the course of the Honours Research Project where you will carry out your own research at the frontier of knowledge and can make a genuine contribution to the progress of original chemical research. Results obtained in this way are routinely disseminated as part of peer-reviewed publications by academic staff members. Assessment, both of individual student performance in tutorial sessions and submitted written work which is returned with comments, is conducted by academic staff and contributes 10% to the grade for sub-honours modules. For honours lecture modules tutorial work is not assessed directly but makes a major contribution to preparing students for examinations. For the honours level Workshop and Integrating Chemistry modules, a combination of submitted written work and class tests or examinations provides the basis for assessment. Comprehension of related literature background is a major criterion in assessment of the Honours Research Project, which is based on a detailed written report and performance at on oral examination.
Laboratory classes form a major element of the programme, progressing from 10 three hour sessions for each 20 credit level 1000 module, through 55-60 hours for each level 2000 module, to separate laboratory modules at level 3000 involving 90 hours each for inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. The skills are further reinforced in the course of the final year Honours Research Project (ca. 300 hours). All laboratory work is recorded in detailed reports are regular submission of these is required throughout each class. Specimen reports are provided in each laboratory manual and constructive feedback is given in the course of marking each report. All laboratory work is assessed by means of the submitted reports, which are marked by academic staff members, assisted in sub-honours laboratories by trained postgraduate demonstrators. Credit is given to careful performance of the work as deduced from the quality of the product/results, adherence to the correct format for the report, and interpretation, calculations and conclusions.
You will also gain experience in transferable skills by group oral presentations in 1st and 2nd year, the group mini chemistry project in 3rd year, and the individual oral presentation and written report associated with the final year research project. A workshop at 3rd year level provides experience in searching primary chemical research journals both in conventional format and online. Experience in using online abstracts and information retrieval systems is also provided. These skills are reinforced in the course of the (group) Mini Chemistry Project and the (individual) External Placement and Honours Research Project where relevant information has to be obtained on a regular basis and incorporated into project planning and design as well as providing the necessary background for the final written and oral project reports. In the (group) Mini Chemistry Project and the (individual) External Placement and Honours Research Project, appropriate interaction with colleagues as and when required to bring the work to a satisfactory conclusion is emphasised by the relevant supervisor. An Integrating Chemistry module in the final year of study includes advanced problem solving workshops in each branch of the subject. The oral presentations are assessed by at least two academic staff members with performance at an individual oral examination accounting for a major part of the assessment. The Information Retrieval workshop is assessed by means of an individual written exercise. Inclusion of correctly cited and critically evaluated background information is a key element which is specifically assessed in the written and oral project reports for the Mini Chemistry Project. Efficient team working and interaction with colleagues leading to successful and efficient completion of the assigned work programme is an explicit key element in the assessment of each type of research project. Assessment of the Integrating Chemistry modules combines evaluation of individual performance at each problem solving session with a conventional examination.This is a four-year programme of study leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science (Honours). As with all St Andrews programmes, it is made up of credit bearing modules. Students must earn 480 credits over the duration of the programme, with 120 credits normally earned each academic year. Typically, the first two years of study include core modules specific to the programme as well as other modules chosen from a range of options (in some cases, including modules from a different Faculty). The remaining years offer advanced research-led learning through modules that provide a programme-specific curriculum.
For information about core and optional modules for each programme, please consult the Course Catalogue, which can be found at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/admissions/ug/Choosingyourdegree/Coursecatalogue/. This catalogue describes the detailed structure of the course and the contents of all the modules that can be included in the programme. Teaching, learning and assessment are progressive, with both the content and methods of delivery changing to suit the increasing level of complexity in the material, and independence of students, as they work through the programme.
Distinctive features of this programme include being provided with a broad base of chemical knowledge and understanding reinforced by extensive practical experience and familiarity with modern laboratory, instrumental and computational techniques. You will obtain the necessary skills and experience for a career in Chemistry, whether in industry, education or research. In addition, you will get a high-level general intellectual and scientific training, which allows many of our graduates to enter challenging careers in areas not directly related to chemistry.