BSc (Hons) Chemistry Bachelor's degree at the University of Aberdeen

This course, which is prescribed for level 1 undergraduate students and articulating students who are in their first year at the University, is studied entirely online, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across the first 4 weeks of term. Topics include University orientation overview, equality & diversity, MySkills, health, safety and cyber security, and academic integrity.

Assessment: Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Transcript as 'Achieved'.

The fundamentals of chemistry are important across the physical sciences and engineering. Starting with atomic structure and the periodic table, this course moves on to chemical bonding theory, building to the structure of organic molecules. Moving from the molecular level, acid–base theories, phase equilibria and solution chemistry are covered. The properties of ideal and non-ideal gases are then discussed and the energetics of chemical processes completes the course. Examples of quantitative c

This course will inspire students to investigate the scope and power of chemistry and to develop the necessary skills for success in undergraduate Chemistry and beyond. Students will develop an appreciation of the essentially limitless scope of chemistry in understanding and controlling the material world. Students will also become more confident learners: in particular developing competences in literacy and numeracy, communication, data collection, analysis and interpretation, discussion and pr

Chemistry plays a central role in physical science and engineering, not only because of the insights it gives on the composition, properties and reactivity of matter but also because of its wide-ranging applications. This course seeks to consolidate some of the important fundamentals of chemistry that underlie many topics and principles across the physical sciences and engineering, bringing together theories of molecular structure, organic reaction mechanisms, the driving forces behind chemical

This course aims to encourage students to integrate their knowledge in chemistry and apply basic knowledge to more complex but widely applicable topics in chemistry and to further develop the skills for success in undergraduate Chemistry and beyond. Students will develop an appreciation of the interconnected nature of the traditional branches of chemistry thus enhancing their confidence in using their basic chemistry knowledge. Lectures, workshops and directed reading will introduce and discuss

The course is aimed at a general science audience and it focuses on providing the students with the working knowledge of a good set of mathematical skills needed in all science subjects.

This course provides a grounding in basic materials science. There will be five areas covered, with an emphasis on directed learning. These areas will be, for example: Nanomaterials, Electronic materials, Functional Polymers, Liquid Crystals, Energy Materials. The impact of materials science on everyday life will be considered and explored throughout the course, using these general headings to investigate both the fundamentals of materials and their development into useful and functional product

This course covers key concepts in physical chemistry which underpin our understanding and ability to control chemical and biological processes. The principal points include thermodynamics (enthalpy, entropy and free energies), chemical kinetics (zero, 1st and 2nd order reactions, rate laws and half-lives and the relationship of rate laws to reaction mechanisms), and basic principles of electrochemistry (redox chemistry and the Nernst equation). A strong emphasis on calculations helps students g

In this course you will learn how to determine trace element patterns or the presence of a compound by using modern analytical methods. The course covers the underlying theory for analysis and identification using structure determination by spectroscopic methods like UV, IR, NMR, mass spectrometry and chromatographic separations. Atomic spectrometry is covered for trace metal determination. In practical classes, students get hands-on training with modern analytical instrumentation.

Modern organic and biological chemistry comprise the chemistry of carbon-containing compounds, which are natural (e.g. foods, fuel, perfumes) as well as synthetic (e.g. soaps, textile fabrics, pharmaceuticals). This course investigates some key areas in organic chemistry: shape, conformation, stereochemistry, and chemical properties of organic and biological compounds. Reactions and reactivity of aliphatic derivatives, olefins and aromatic compounds will be considered with particular reference t

This course investigates some key areas of inorganic chemistry. An introduction to simple crystal structure types is given and important solid state materials such as high temperature superconductors, photocatalysts and zeolites are described. The concept of symmetry is introduced. Redox chemistry is developed in terms of Latimer, Frost and Ellingham diagrams: their applications in modern technology and industry are emphasised, including batteries, fuel cells, corrosion, electrolysis and water p

This course introduces the impact humanity has had on the environment & how chemistry can be used for both medium- & long-term energy solutions. Chemical processes which impact the environment will be described, such as ozone generation & depletion in the atmosphere. Students will be introduced to how carbon capture & storage can be used to reduce carbon emissions from industrial processes & how chemistry can be applied to design next generation solar cells, batteries & hydrogen fuel cells.

This course introduces students to the fascinating properties of inorganic materials through a series of lectures, tutorials and laboratory experiments. An introduction to crystallography and crystal diffraction is given. The students will also learn about solid state synthesis and the properties of important solid state materials such as high temperature superconductors, zeolites and ferroelectric materials. An introduction to the chemistry of transition metals and main group elements will be g

This course will give students opportunities to develop technical and professional skills necessary for success in Honours level Chemistry/Physics and beyond. The course will include working with scientific literature, computer programming and the use of software tools in research and activities to enhance employability. Students will develop an appreciation of the power of state of the art computer programs to assist the user to understand complex data sets. Students will also become more confi

Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of spectroscopy and will gain an understanding of the nature of chemical bonding. The thermodynamics and applications of electrochemical systems will be explained, as well as the basic theories describing electrolytes and their electric conductivity. We will show how variables such as pressure and temperature affect reaction rates and how this can lead to a better understanding of reaction mechanisms, in particular, industrially important polymeriz

The final-year research project for BSc Honours students extends over both half-sessions and affords the opportunity to learn modern research techniques and to develop some expertise in the topic of the project.