About Analytical Chemistry, MRes - at Nottingham Trent University (NTU)

Are you an analytical professional seeking to refresh your knowledge of analytical chemistry? Are you a recent graduate in a wide range of sciences allied to chemistry?

We can provide you with the advanced knowledge, skills and attributes required to start or progress a career in Analytical Chemistry and its sub-disciplines, or act as a base for entry to PhD studies. This Masters would be a good stepping stone for those in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Forensic Science and Physics.

This course enables you to develop and further your knowledge of chemical analysis, with a range of core modules. You can expand your interests further by selecting module options and an analytical chemistry lead research project within one of our diverse range of internationally recognised research groups.

You'll study chromatography, spectroscopy, and spectroscopic methods in drugs analysis. You'll gain knowledge in advanced instrumentation and analysis covering special topics in metabonomics and metabolomics, high-throughput screening, drugs and pharmaceuticals in the environment, drugs in biological samples, and receptor activation.

The Chemistry team is comprised of academic and support staff that are subject experts in organic, inorganic, physical and analytical chemistry

Postgraduate open events: We hold postgraduate open events throughout the year. Find out more and book a place.

Any questions?
Email us
Telephone: +44 (0)115 848 8351

What you'll study

You will study four modules which will include a research project. If you are part-time student, you will continue to study the second year from the modules listed below.

• Modules

  Core Modules

  • Drug Detection, Analysis and Screening (20 cp) - Study analysis methods including IR and NMR spectroscopic techniques, GC / HPLC, related hyphenated techniques, and immunoassays. Other areas include spectroscopy, chromatography, multivariate data processing, biophysics, and disciplines related to the analytical chemistry of drugs and drug-containing materials.
  • Research Methods and Independent Study (20 cp) - This module provides an underpinning in research skills relevant to the independent study. You will be introduced to the techniques required to formulate a research project and to carry out a literature review. You will be given practice in the use of the library and learning resources, including relevant IT packages.
  • Research Project (120 cp) - You will work on laboratory-based research and will evaluate and review the scientific literature relevant to the topic. Design and conduct experimental work, and present the findings in the form of a presentation, a poster, and a written thesis.

  Optional modules

  Choose one module from the following:

  • Organic Synthesis and Characterisation of Biologically Active Compounds (20 cp) - Develop knowledge in the synthesis of relatively complex organic molecules. Topics include: retrosynthetic analysis and total synthesis of biologically important molecules; the controlled formation of C-C bonds and functional group transformations; and structure elucidation of complex molecules.
  • Physical Properties of Solid-state and Nano-composite Materials (20 cp) - This module covers the fields of solid-state and nanocomposite materials chemistry. You'll understand the functional roles, characteristics and synthesis of nanocomposites and inorganic materials.
  • Inorganic Chemistry Beyond the Molecule (20 cp) - Understand the use of the biomimetic and supramolecular approaches in materials chemistry. You'll learn the importance of interfaces in structure regulation and recognition in the generation of new materials, including the recognition and incorporation of materials into the human body.

  Research project title examples

  • MRI Contrast Agents
  • Peptide-mineral Interactions
  • Small Molecule Approaches to the Elucidation of Protein Function
  • Multiplexing
  • Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging
  • Fluorescence Microscopy
  • X-ray Diffraction
  • Development of Screenable Essays

• Learn a new language

  Alongside your study you also have the opportunity to learn a new language. The University Language Programme (ULP) is available to all students and gives you the option of learning a totally new language or improving the skills you already have.

  Learning a new language can:

  • Enhance your communication skills
  • Enrich your experience when travelling abroad
  • Boost your career prospects.

  Find out more about the ULP.

• Gain hands-on experience

  As well as working and studying under the direction of world-leading pharmaceutical and medicinal science staff, you will gain hands-on experience on a variety of modern instrumentation including:

  • multi-nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (NMR)
  • mass spectrometry
  • transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
  • scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
  • high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC)

• Key stats

  • 90% of our research activity achieved world-leading, internationally-excellent or internationally-recognised status (latest Research Excellence Framework 2014)
  • 95% of our postgraduates are in work or further study within just six months of finishing their degrees (latest Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey 2014-15)
  • 83% of NTU postgraduate taught students said that overall they were satisfied with the quality of their course (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2016)
  • Leading university in the UK for the number of postgraduate students taking professional qualifications (latest Higher Education Statistics 2014/15)

Course specification

View the full course specification
Please note that course specifications may be subject to change

How you're taught

Study hours

Contact hours for a 20 cp modules are typically around 50 hours, with a further 150 hours expected from you for directed and independent study.

Assessment

• written exam
• oral presentation
• assignment
• poster presentation
• research project

Careers and employability

At Nottingham Trent University, we know that your employability and job prospects are crucial factors in your choice of university. You need to know that your postgraduate degree will be worth the time and money you spend on it.

95% of our postgraduates are employed or engaged in further study six months after leaving (latest DLHE Survey Postgraduate results 2014/15).

Our strength lies in the relevance of our degrees to the real world. In all subject areas, we encourage you to recognise your transferable skills and their application to a multitude of careers. By taking an Analytical Chemistry postgraduate degree, you will benefit from the progressive development of a variety of skills, such as advanced laboratory techniques and the critical analysis and synthesis of a breadth and depth of relevant chemistry-specific research.

Chemistry graduates have gone on to work in a variety of job markets, and recent employers include:

• AstraZeneca
• Reckitt Benckiser
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Pfizer
• Alfa Aesar
• Birds Eye.

Although this course does not offer a formal placement, it is vocationally focused and benefits from strong links with industry.

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Entry requirements for this course

Contact Nottingham Trent University (NTU) to find course entry requirements.

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