Chemistry with Summer Research Placements

Chemistry is the science of matter and its transformations, the discipline that underpins the development of medicines, materials, fuels, and technologies that shape how we live. It operates at every scale from the behaviour of individual atoms and molecules to industrial processes and global environmental systems, and it touches almost every other area of science and engineering. At the University of Sussex, this four-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, making it accessible to students who have the potential and motivation to succeed in chemistry but who may not have the specific A-level background the main degree requires.

You will cover the three main branches of the discipline, organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry, building a thorough understanding of chemical structure, reactivity, thermodynamics, and kinetics. Laboratory work is central throughout, developing your practical skills and your ability to plan experiments, collect data carefully, and interpret results. A distinctive feature of this programme is the inclusion of summer research placements, which give you the opportunity to work alongside researchers on real projects during the summer periods.

This kind of direct engagement with the research process is invaluable for developing scientific judgment and for building a CV that stands out. Sussex has particular strengths in areas including sustainable chemistry, chemical biology, and materials, and undergraduate students benefit from exposure to research at the frontier of the discipline.

Chemistry graduates are among the most sought-after science graduates in the labour market, partly because of the analytical rigour the discipline demands and partly because of the sheer range of industries in which chemical knowledge is relevant. Pharmaceuticals, materials, energy, food science, environmental consultancy, and finance are all common graduate sectors. Many students also go on to postgraduate study or research, and the summer placement experience built into this programme provides an excellent foundation for those who wish to pursue a research career.