The aim of the programme is to provide a broadly-based based education in the knowledge and skills needed by students to pursue careers in the range of sectors underpinned by chemical science and technology. Furthermore, the programme will detail a range of topics that explain the essential interface between chemistry and biology, enabling the development of an interdisciplinary scientist who will be a pivotal figure for the (bio)pharmaceutical industry. Graduates from this programme will have the capacity to apply their chemical and biological knowledge and skills, creativity, and critical thinking to solve problems of scientific, therapeutic and social importance, and to generate new knowledge. We provide a stimulating and supportive learning environment, in which students develop their knowledge and understanding of Chemistry as an enabling science. Immersed in a research-intensive environment, located in state-of-the-art facilities, students will work individually and in teams, and engage in cutting-edge projects that will hone their critical thinking, communications, autonomous learning, and technical skills. In addition to lectures, laboratory classes and tutorials, we use a range of student-centred, active-learning activities, including workshops, case studies, seminars, and team-based projects, culminating in research projects in which students are embedded in academic research teams to work on leading-edge problems in either medicinal chemistry or chemical biology. Both the core material and the transferrable skills acquired in the programme are assessed,using a range of techniques, including assessment of laboratory skills and reports, assessment of presentations, assessment of team work, and assessment of a research thesis and of an oral thesis defense, in addition to in-class tests and written examinations.
- School
- School of Chemistry
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Level
- Undergraduate
- NFQ Level
- 8
- Award
- Bachelor of Science
- Mode of Delivery
- On Campus
- Programme Director
- Assoc Professor Eoghan McGarrigle
- Overall Programme Credits:
- 240
- Programme Credits:
- Stage 1
Core/Option: 55 Electives: 5
Stage 2
Core/Option: 50 Electives: 10
Stage 3
Core/Option: 50 Electives: 10
Stage 4
Core/Option: 60 Electives: 0 - Major/Minor Core & Option Credits:
- Stage 3: 50
Stage 4: 60
Curricular information is subject to change.
These intriguing sciences can also be described as the `chemistry of life and medicine'.
If you are interested in doing an Internship as part of Stage 4, you must indicate your interest now (in Stage 3).
See full details www.ucd.ie/science/careers/internships/students/
1 - Demonstrate a broad and balanced knowledge and appreciation of key concepts in chemistry, medicinal chemistry and chemical biology.
2 - Safely and effectively carry out a range of modern experimental procedures.
3 - Apply their theoretical and practical skills, and adopt a rigorous and rational approach, to solve problems in the field.
4 - Describe and communicate problems relating to drug design, structure-activity relationship, and discuss chemical processes holistically from also from an environmental and perspective.
5 - Engage imaginatively, analytically, and creatively with the molecular basis of matter to understand the materials and processes inherent in the natural world.
6 - Predict, design and develop the new therapeutics and processes that will be critical to promoting and ensuring health and well-being, and sustainable global progress and prosperity.
7 - Design and implement efficient, safe and sustainable methods for the synthesis of molecules and therapeutics.
8 - Develop and employ quantitative methods for the measurement, characterisation, and analysis of the structure and dynamics of molecular systems.
9 - Understand the nature of scientific research and be able to design, plan and execute research projects.
10 - Demonstrate an intellectual, critical, ethical and professional approach to Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology, and in their thinking generally.
11 - Demonstrate an aptitude for life-long, self-directed learning as well as collaborative learning in professional settings throughout their careers.
12 - Exhibit the potential for taking leadership roles in their future careers, and in addressing complex societal and global challenges, especially those relating to new pharmaceuticals and greener routes to synthesis.
2 - Safely and effectively carry out a range of modern experimental procedures.
3 - Apply their theoretical and practical skills, and adopt a rigorous and rational approach, to solve problems in the field.
4 - Describe and communicate problems relating to drug design, structure-activity relationship, and discuss chemical processes holistically from also from an environmental and perspective.
5 - Engage imaginatively, analytically, and creatively with the molecular basis of matter to understand the materials and processes inherent in the natural world.
6 - Predict, design and develop the new therapeutics and processes that will be critical to promoting and ensuring health and well-being, and sustainable global progress and prosperity.
7 - Design and implement efficient, safe and sustainable methods for the synthesis of molecules and therapeutics.
8 - Develop and employ quantitative methods for the measurement, characterisation, and analysis of the structure and dynamics of molecular systems.
9 - Understand the nature of scientific research and be able to design, plan and execute research projects.
10 - Demonstrate an intellectual, critical, ethical and professional approach to Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology, and in their thinking generally.
11 - Demonstrate an aptitude for life-long, self-directed learning as well as collaborative learning in professional settings throughout their careers.
12 - Exhibit the potential for taking leadership roles in their future careers, and in addressing complex societal and global challenges, especially those relating to new pharmaceuticals and greener routes to synthesis.
Students’ performance will be reviewed at the end of the academic year. Students who fail 50% or more of their registered modules, and who fail to progress to the next stage of their programme, will be identified under the UCD Continuation – Academic progress policy. Students’ performance will continue to be reviewed in subsequent trimesters and students will be invited to meetings with the College of Science office for support and guidance.
Where the rate of progression and performance over two academic years is deemed unacceptable, a case will be submitted to the Governing Board for review. A recommendation for discontinuation may be the outcome of this review.
As Stages 3 and 4 have the most dynamic components of the programme, and the material studied previously may no longer be relevant, a student who has been away from the programme for a significant period should be required to register again to Stage 3. The upper limit for completion of Stages 3 and 4 should be six years if they choose to do 120 credits with 20 in each year.
Where the rate of progression and performance over two academic years is deemed unacceptable, a case will be submitted to the Governing Board for review. A recommendation for discontinuation may be the outcome of this review.
As Stages 3 and 4 have the most dynamic components of the programme, and the material studied previously may no longer be relevant, a student who has been away from the programme for a significant period should be required to register again to Stage 3. The upper limit for completion of Stages 3 and 4 should be six years if they choose to do 120 credits with 20 in each year.
This degree programme combines intriguing sciences that can be described as the 'chemistry of life and medicine'.
With its enormous impact on biology and medicine, Chemical Biology will undoubtedly lead to further discoveries and inventions that will become widely adopted in clinical practice. Consider such Nobel Prize-winning accomplishments as the discovery of penicillin (Fleming, Florey and Chain, Hodgkin) and the determination of the structure of DNA (Watson and Crick).
Chemical Biology & Medicinal Chemistry are fields populated by chemists who have a good understanding of biology at the molecular level. They will be of increasing importance for decades to come to address existing and emerging healthcare problems (for example cancer, AIDS, TB and avian flu).
Chemical biologists and medicinal chemists will develop the next generation of medicines to solve such problems and will have an impact across a wide range of areas, including the development of environmentally friendly approaches to process chemistry.
With its enormous impact on biology and medicine, Chemical Biology will undoubtedly lead to further discoveries and inventions that will become widely adopted in clinical practice. Consider such Nobel Prize-winning accomplishments as the discovery of penicillin (Fleming, Florey and Chain, Hodgkin) and the determination of the structure of DNA (Watson and Crick).
Chemical Biology & Medicinal Chemistry are fields populated by chemists who have a good understanding of biology at the molecular level. They will be of increasing importance for decades to come to address existing and emerging healthcare problems (for example cancer, AIDS, TB and avian flu).
Chemical biologists and medicinal chemists will develop the next generation of medicines to solve such problems and will have an impact across a wide range of areas, including the development of environmentally friendly approaches to process chemistry.
As graduates of the UCD Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology degree, you will be equipped with the skills required to pursue a career in any avenue of biomedical research, including the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries, forensic science, clinical laboratories and research institutes.
Prof. Stefan Oscarson, UCD Centre for Synthesis and Chemical Biology, Belfield, Dublin 4
Email: stefan.oscarson@ucd.ie
Dr Francesca Paradisi,
UCD Centre for Synthesis and
Chemical Biology, Belfield, Dublin 4
Tel: +353 1 716 2967
Email: francesca.paradisi@ucd.ie
Web: www.ucd.ie/horizons
Stage 3
-Students must select 7 core modules and at least 3 options. -Additional modules may be selected from the Option Modules list below or alternatively, students may select 10 credits of elective modules.
If you are interested in doing an Internship as part of Stage 4, you must indicate your interest now (in Stage 3). See full details www.ucd.ie/science/careers/internships/students/
Stage 4
-Students take 60 credits of modules (core and options) from within the BSc programme. -Students take the research project and four core modules (40 credits) and four options (20 credits).
Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.
Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.
| Trimester | Credits | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Stage 3 Core Modules |
CHEM30200 | Carbonyl Chemistry, Retrosynthesis and Synthetic Methods | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
CHEM30210 | Structure Determination and Aromatic Heterocyclic Chemistry | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
CHEM30220 | Mechanism, Stereochemistry and Alicyclic Chemistry | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
CHEM30280 | Medicinal Chemistry (level 3) | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
BIOC30030 | Biochemist's Toolkit | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
CHEM30260 | Chemical Biology of Natural Products | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Core Modules |
CHEM30270 | Chemical Biology of Macromolecules | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 3 of: Select at least 3 options |
CHEM30110 | Instrumental Analysis | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 3 of: Select at least 3 options |
MICR30030 | Microbial Physiology | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 3 of: Select at least 3 options |
MICR30040 | Microbial Diversity and Growth | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 3 of: Select at least 3 options |
PHAR30010 | Chemotherapeutic Agents | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 3 of: Select at least 3 options |
PHAR30080 | Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative and Psychiatric Illness | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 3 of: Select at least 3 options |
BMOL30020 | Molecular basis of disease | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 3 of: Select at least 3 options |
CHEM30360 | Advanced Transition Metal Chem | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 3 of: Select at least 3 options |
MICR30090 | Microbial Cell Factory for Chemists | Spring | 5 |
Stage 3 Options - A) Min 3 of: Select at least 3 options |
PHAR30050 | Experimental and therapeutic strategies in molecular pharmacology | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
CHEM40030 | Research Project | 2 Trimester duration (Aut-Spr) | 20 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
CHEM40050 | Metals in Biology | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
CHEM40090 | Methods in Organic Synthesis 2 | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
CHEM40060 | Methods in Organic Synthesis | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Core Modules |
CHEM40290 | Special topics in Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology (level 4) | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of: Select four options from the list below. Please Note: Students who have successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered to the module by the relevant School. |
BIOC40070 | Protein Structure and Analysis | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of: Select four options from the list below. Please Note: Students who have successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered to the module by the relevant School. |
CHEM40870 | Nanomaterials Chemistry | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of: Select four options from the list below. Please Note: Students who have successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered to the module by the relevant School. |
CHEM41290 | Modern techniques to monitor b | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of: Select four options from the list below. Please Note: Students who have successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered to the module by the relevant School. |
SCI30080 | Professional Placement-Science | Autumn | 5 |
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of: Select four options from the list below. Please Note: Students who have successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered to the module by the relevant School. |
BMOL40050 | Advanced Cancer Biology and Pharmacology | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of: Select four options from the list below. Please Note: Students who have successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered to the module by the relevant School. |
CHEM40080 | Reactivity and Change | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of: Select four options from the list below. Please Note: Students who have successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered to the module by the relevant School. |
CHEM40140 | Modern Methods and Applications of Catalysis | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of: Select four options from the list below. Please Note: Students who have successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered to the module by the relevant School. |
PHAR40040 | Emerging therapies: Cloning, gene therapy and stem cells | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of: Select four options from the list below. Please Note: Students who have successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered to the module by the relevant School. |
PHAR40050 | Drug Discovery and Development I | Spring | 5 |
Stage 4 Options - A) Min 4 of: Select four options from the list below. Please Note: Students who have successfully completed SCI30080 will be registered to the module by the relevant School. |
PHAR40160 | Drug Discovery and Development II | Spring | 5 |
See the UCD Assessment website for further details
Module Weighting Info
Module Weighting Info
| Award | GPA | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programme | Module Weightings | Rule Description | Description | ||
| BHSCI001 | Stage 4 - 70.00% Stage 3 - 30.00% |
Standard Honours Award | First Class Honours | 3.68 |
4.20 |
| Second Class Honours, Grade 1 | 3.08 |
3.67 |
|||
| Second Class Honours, Grade 2 | 2.48 |
3.07 |
|||
| Pass | 2.00 |
2.47 |
|||