Chemistry  (CHC1)

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.

All materials and living things consist of atoms and molecules. Chemistry is the study of these atoms and molecules and how they interact with each other and the role they play in living things. Many students choose to specialise in Chemistry, as a detailed knowledge of the subject is essential for entry to many interesting and challenging careers. For instance, chemists are creative and can discover new substances, which can have a range of applications such as medicines that fight disease (e.g. aspirin, penicillin), or as materials that are very important in everyday life (e.g. PVC, Teflon). Chemists in industry are involved in the production and analysis of chemicals. Those in research work on the discovery of new medicines, new devices and materials and on advancing our knowledge of the world. Development chemists can work with engineers and business people to turn discoveries into commercially valuable products.

Students have spent time studying in Sweden, Canada and the USA at University of Lund, University of Virginia, McGill University, University of British Columbia, University of Colorado at Boulder and Villanova University.

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the largest in Ireland, and UCD Chemistry graduates work in a variety of roles. This includes analytical roles in laboratories on the testing and analysis of active pharmaceutical ingredients, medicines, and medical devices. Some graduates pursue research chemist roles in laboratories in research and development. Management and supervisory roles are also an option in regulatory affairs, production and validation. The semiconductor, medical device and energy industries also hire a significant number of materials chemists, and graduates would be involved in semiconductor processing, effluent and raw materials monitoring, and air and water quality measurements.

Chemistry graduates also pursue PhDs in Ireland or abroad in areas as diverse as total synthesis of natural products, biological aspects of nanoscience, novel material synthesis, energy generation, synthetic organic chemistry, methodology development and polymer chemistry.

• Level 5/6 QQI-FET
• Open Learning Entry Route
• Mature Entry Route
• DARE Entry Route
• HEAR Entry Route
• University Access

Professor Pat Guiry
UCD School of Chemistry
askscience@ucd.ie

Stage 1

Students must select a total of 12 modules (60 credits) in Stage 1 with a minimum of 11 modules (55 credits) taken from within the BSc degree programme. Core and option modules should be taken as directed in the selected subject stream(s). Additional option modules may be selected from within the BSc programme. Elective modules may also be selected from within the BSc degree programme. Selecting this stream will allow students to meet the Stage 1 requirements of Stage 1 Chemistry with Environmental & Sustainable Chemistry. Students intending to do Chemistry with Biophysical Chemistry in Stage 2, must take BIOL10110 in Stage 1 as directed.