Chemistry

Chemistry is the science of matter, examining the composition, structure, properties, and transformation of substances from the molecular to the macroscopic scale. It is a central and enabling science, providing the intellectual and practical foundations for medicine, materials science, energy technology, food science, and environmental protection. The ability to synthesise, characterise, and manipulate chemical compounds is among the most powerful tools available for understanding and changing the world.

At the University of Reading, this programme includes both a foundation year and a sandwich year, making it one of the most accessible and well-supported chemistry degrees available while also giving you substantial industrial experience. The foundation year provides the scientific and mathematical grounding needed for chemistry at degree level, while the sandwich year in industry or research gives you professional experience before your final year. In the core years you will study organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry alongside analytical methods, spectroscopy, and laboratory technique.

The first two years cover the core subjects that all chemists need to know, including trends in the periodic table, carbonyl group chemistry, and chemical kinetics, taught by internationally leading experts through lectures, lab classes, workshops, and tutorials.

The typical entry tariff is 120 UCAS points. Graduates from chemistry programmes at Reading go on to careers in pharmaceuticals, materials science, environmental science, food science, analytical chemistry, and research. Many pursue postgraduate research degrees.

The combination of academic rigour and industrial experience from the sandwich year makes graduates genuinely competitive in the graduate market.