Chemistry University of Liverpool

Staff in the Department of Chemistry have a broad range of research interests providing opportunities for postgraduate research leading to the award of MPhil and PhD. The Department is well equipped with state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, analytical services and specialist instrumentation within research groups.

Subject Overview

The Department benefits from online subscriptions to a vast number of primary research journals and access to online databases to facilitate your literature searching. As part of your research training, and to develop your communication skills, you will be encouraged to attend conferences and present your results both within the Department and externally. Some illustrative titles of recent PhD theses are:

• Synthesis and applications of metal (IV) phosphates, phosphonates and their analogues in oxidation reactions using hydrogen peroxide
• The self-assembly of nanostructured gold dithiol systems
• The synthesis of nucleotide analogues using the Michaelis-Arbuzov Reaction
• Pulsed reaction studies of simple reactions on alumina supported rhodium
• Inhibitors of alpha-methylacyl-CoAracemase
• New robust and chiralmolecular frameworks.

Subject Outline

If you wish to carry out research in Chemistry at Liverpool, please contact Mrs Samantha Dunn, who will supply you with more detailed descriptions of the work of individual research groups. The Departmental website www.liv.ac.uk/chemistry/index.html also provides a good overview of the research interests of the staff.

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Entry requirements

Generally, the minimum qualifications for entry to MPhil or PhD study are a first or 2:1 class MChem degree, or their international equivalents, in Chemistry or a closely-related discipline. Applicants with good lower second class degrees may be accepted but each case is considered on its merits and depends on a suitable award being available. An optional entry route is available for intending students who already have a research Masters degree and wish to go on to PhD, for which a minimum of two years of study is needed. It is possible to study full or part-time for an MPhil or PhD. Part-time study is arranged through enquiry on an individual basis and is useful where the intending student works in industry and wants to continue doing so while studying. International Qualifications Applications from international students are welcome. International qualifications will be evaluated in line with the National Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) guidelines. English Language Qualifications All applicants must have reached a minimum required standard of English language, and are required to provide evidence of this. Qualifications accepted by the University include GCSE English; GCE O level English; AS Level English; A Level English Language; IELTS; TOEFL; Cambridge Proficiency etc. Please see www.liv.ac.uk/international/countries/index.htm for a full list. If you meet our other academic requirements but do not achieve the required level of English, it is possible to come and study at Liverpool on the University’s summer academic English programmes. If you need to increase your IELTS score by a grade of 0.5 (eg you need to improve from 6.0 to 6.5) you should attend the six week course. If you need to increase your IELTS score by a grade of 1.0 (eg you need to improve from 5.5 to 6.5) you should attend the ten week course. If you need to increase your IELTS score by a band of 1.5 (eg you need to improve from 4.5 to 6.0) you should attend the 19 week course. If you need to increase your IELTS score by a band of 2.0 (eg you need to improve from 4.5 to 6.5) you should attend the 29 week course. If you need to increase your IELTS score by a band of 2.0 or 2.5 (eg you need to improve from 4.0 to 6.0 or 4.0 to 6.5) you should attend the 40 week course. If you require additional English language training during your study, the University is able to provide tuition and arrange IELTS tests through its English Language Unit, details of which are available at www.liverpool.ac.uk/english-language-centre. IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each component) TOEFL iBT 88 or above with minimum scores in components as follows: Listening and Writing 21, Reading – 22, Speaking 23. International Baccalaureate Standard Level 5 Hong Kong use of English AS level C INDIA Standard XII 70% or above from Central and Metro State Boards WAEC C4-6