MPhil Materials Chemistry

Year of entry: 2023

Overview

Degree awarded
Master of Philosophy
Duration
1 Year. [Full-Time]
Entry requirements
The standard academic entry requirements for an MPhil programme will be a Lower Second class UK honours degree, or international equivalent, in a relevant science or engineering discipline.

Full entry requirements

How to apply

Apply online

You should include details of your previous study, your research project title and the name of the academic member of staff you would like to supervise your research.

We strongly recommend that you make contact with your proposed supervisor before submitting an application.

Sustainable Development Goals

Find out how this programme aligns to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including learning which relates to:

  • Goal 3: Good health and well-being
  • Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
  • Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production
  • Goal 15: Life on land

Programme options

Full-time Part-time Full-time distance learning Part-time distance learning
MPhil Y Y N N

Programme description

This programme of research is for one year full-time or two years part-time study. You will require a minimum of a Lower Second class UK honours degree or equivalent in Chemistry, Biochemistry or related discipline. Your research area can be chosen from Analytical, Biological, Inorganic, Materials, Organic, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Biomolecular Science, Biotechnology, Gene Expression, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Structural Biology, Genetics, Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Open days

Visit our Faculty of Science and Engineering Postgraduate Research page to register for our upcoming webinar for prospective applicants and learn about the steps you need to take to start your journey to postgraduate research.

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2023, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MPhil (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): Band A TBA; Band B £6,500; Band C £9,500; Band D £13,500; Band E £23,000
    International, including EU, students (per annum): Band A £26,500; Band B £28,500; Band C £33,500; Band D £40,500; Band E £54,000
  • MPhil (part-time)
    UK students (per annum): Band A TBA; Band B £3,250; Band C £4,750; Band D £6,750; Band E £11,500
    International, including EU, students (per annum): Band A £13,250; Band B £14,250; Band C £16,750; Band D £20,250; Band E £27,000

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Please note for the majority of projects where experimentation requires further resource: higher fee bands (where quoted) will be charged rather than the base rate for supervision, administration and computational costs. The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive and, therefore, you will not be required to pay any additional bench fees or administration costs.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of the course for Home students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your project.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the world's call to action on the most pressing challenges facing humanity. At The University of Manchester, we address the SDGs through our research and particularly in partnership with our students.

Led by our innovative research, our teaching ensures that all our graduates are empowered, inspired and equipped to address the key socio-political and environmental challenges facing the world.

To illustrate how our teaching will empower you as a change maker, we've highlighted the key SDGs that our programmes address.

  • Goal 3: Good health and well-being

    Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

  • Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities

    Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

  • Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production

    Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

  • Goal 15: Life on land

    Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Contact details

Department
Department of Chemistry
Contact name
Postgraduate Research Admissions Team
Telephone
+44 (0)161 543 4026
Email
Website
https://www.chemistry.manchester.ac.uk
School/Faculty

Our internationally-renowned expertise across the School of Natural Sciences informs research led teaching with strong collaboration across disciplines, unlocking new and exciting fields and translating science into reality.  Our multidisciplinary learning and research activities advance the boundaries of science for the wider benefit of society, inspiring students to promote positive change through educating future leaders in the true fundamentals of science. Find out more about Science and Engineering at Manchester .

Programmes in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview

The standard academic entry requirements for an MPhil programme will be a Lower Second class UK honours degree, or international equivalent, in a relevant science or engineering discipline.

English language

All applicants will need to demonstrate competency in English language. Applicants who do not already possess an acceptable English Language qualification will need to take a recognised test and attain the required English Language score:

IELTS:  at least 6.5 overall with no sub-test less than 5.5.

TOEFL iBT: at least 90 overall with no sub-test below 20. We do not accept 'MyBestScore'.

Pearson Test of English: at least 70 overall with no sub-test less than 59.

Further information on language requirements can be found on our website

Pre-sessional English: We also accept successful completion of a pre-sessional English course run by the University Language Centre to meet our English language requirements.

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Other international entry requirements

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see entry requirements from your country .

Application and selection

How to apply

Apply online

You should include details of your previous study, your research project title and the name of the academic member of staff you would like to supervise your research.

We strongly recommend that you make contact with your proposed supervisor before submitting an application.

Advice to applicants

We require the following documents before we can consider your application.

  • Transcript of your studies to date, translated into English.
  • Degree certificate if you have already graduated.
  • Personal statement or research proposal.
  • Curriculum vitae (CV).
  • If you are not applying for a scholarship, you must also provide details of how your studies will be funded. If you have a sponsor letter, please include it with your application.

If English is not your first language, we also require proof of your English language ability. If you have already taken an English language qualification, please include your certificate with your application. We may be willing to consider your application without this document but if successful, any offer of study will be conditional on providing a recognised qualification (like IELTS) that meets the English language entry requirement for this programme.

How your application is considered

We consider your full academic history including which course units you have taken and the marks obtained. Even if you have met our minimum entry requirements, we will take into account your marks in relevant undergraduate and postgraduate taught course units in our final decision making.

If you graduated more than three years ago, we will also consider the information contained on your CV and any relevant work experience you have to assess if you are still able to fulfil the entry criteria.

Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities.

We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact.

We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.

We also support applications from those returning from a career break or other roles. We consider offering flexible study arrangements (including part-time: 50%, 60% or 80%, depending on the project/funder), carer support funds for conferences, and peer support networks for parents and carers.

All appointments are made on merit.

The University of Manchester and our external partners are fully committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Interview requirements

An interview is required for entry to this programme of study. Shortlisted applicants will be contacted by the admissions team.

Overseas (non-UK) applicants

CAS Information

Please upload a copy of your current valid passport with your application showing the photograph page with your application. For CAS purposes, this must show your full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number and the date the passport is valid until, which must be later than the date of your planned arrival in the UK, and the start date of your course.

If you have previously studied in the UK on a Tier 4 visa as an undergraduate or postgraduate student, please send a copy of your previous CAS statement to us as it will assist with the issue of your new CAS statement. This includes study in the UK on study abroad programmes and any study that you did not complete.

You cannot use your CAS to apply for a visa more than three months before the start date of your course. The Admissions Team will contact you at the appropriate time.

Your CAS number is only valid for one Tier 4 application.

Deferrals

Admissions staff will decide whether to offer places to applicants for deferred entry on their courses and you should not assume that they will grant all such requests. If you request deferral for more than one year, you would normally be required to re-apply, as your chosen course, and your suitability for it, would change over time. English Language test results can only be considered to be current for two years from the test date.

Re-applications

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry.  In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved.  We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.

Programme details

Programme description

This programme of research is for one year full-time or two years part-time study. You will require a minimum of a Lower Second class UK honours degree or equivalent in Chemistry, Biochemistry or related discipline. Your research area can be chosen from Analytical, Biological, Inorganic, Materials, Organic, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Biomolecular Science, Biotechnology, Gene Expression, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Structural Biology, Genetics, Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Facilities

The Department has outstanding facilities, with for example 9 high resolution NMR spectrometers and 1 solid state, 3 area detectors and several powder systems for X-ray crystallography, and it hosts a national EPR service. Its research has been recognised both by funding bodies, who are currently providing over £40M of research grants, and by numerous national and international prizes and awards.  

We offer comprehensive academic coverage across the chemical sciences and in all the core sub-disciplines of chemistry. We have strong research links with more than 80 different companies and more than 150 overseas universities and research institutes.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Careers

Career opportunities

The programmes we offer place our graduates in the best position to enhance their career prospects.  Many of our Masters students progress to PhD study.  A number of our PhD graduates have taken up postdoctoral research positions in the UK or overseas, where as others have chosen a career in academia or move into industry such as GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, NNL.  The nature of our degrees provides graduates with transferrable and specific skills needed for different careers.