Overview

Chemistry is the study of the substances of which matter is composed, the investigation of their properties and reactions, and the use of such reactions to form new compounds and materials.

Chemistry at LMH

LMH has a strong record of academic achievement in Chemistry, and the College and its Tutors and Lecturers offer a friendly and supportive role to its Chemistry undergraduates.

Admissions requirements and course information

A*A*A (including Chemistry and Mathematics) with both A*s in science subjects and/or Mathematics. More information on other requirements, how to apply, and a typical week can be found here. Visit the website of the Department of Chemistry.

Career prospects

You acquire not only a powerful battery of analytical skills for problem solving, but also the ability to analyse critically and to ask pertinent questions. These skills are transferable to almost any context, and are highly valued in the world of commerce and finance. The employment potential of an Oxford Chemistry graduate is very high, both in Chemistry-related areas and elsewhere. Almost all our graduates gain immediate employment or continue to a higher degree. These are the top rated subjects in earning potential apart from Medicine and Law.

Related courses offered at LMH

What our students say

Doing chemistry at LMH is the best decision you can make. Each morning you can take the 5 minute stroll across the parks to the lecture theatres. Here for two hours you will be entertained by a leading expert in one of the three fields of organic, inorganic or physical chemistry. What will quickly become apparent is the shear breath of the content of the course. In a relatively short time you will be going from a talk on the mathematical derivation of some part of quantum theory straight to a piece about the synthesis of a drug and wonder how on earth they belong to the same subject. This variety means you will always find the part of the course that most appeals to you, and most of all keeps it from getting boring!

Often there will be aspects of lectures that you simply don't believe can be true. Fortunately, however, for two days a week you will get to go to the labs to try it out for yourself, and lo and behold, it turns out even we can knock up a superconducting solid in a matter of hours. These labs are a vital part of developing the skills of the practical chemist and are of a research level standard. This means you can personally use all the IR, NMR and other expensive machines that you read about in textbooks.

Learning isn't all about lectures and labs though. The most invaluable part of the course are the tutorials. These are in groups of two or three with one of the couple of tutors associated with LMH. Work is prepared for these each week and gone through during the tutorial. Being able to discuss difficult concepts and problems with someone so familiar and engaging is a fantastic opportunity to consolidate and further your knowledge of the subject.

If you choose to do chemistry at LMH, you will be entering into a community. The support from having a small group of other students in your year (typically 7) will mean you make great friends. Additionally, you will quickly get to know the other chemists through the college parent system who have done it all before and know the score. This is all headed up by the tutors, who organise dinners, pub trips and socials.

The combination of the rewards of working hard and playing hard with a great set of talented people make your time at LMH an experience that will stay with you long after you leave.

David Ormrod-Morley

 

The tutors at LMH are excellent and the more you engage with them in tutorials the more you get out of their vast knowledge and experience.

The Oxford course is challenging and there is always more to stretch and intrigue you. The syllabus is broad throughout the course giving you a fantastic insight into all the possible subject areas that you can pursue, and as you go through the course you can begin to tailor your labs and take supplementary subjects that further your knowledge in subject areas that you are interested in.

LMH Chemistry has a great community spirit that is seen throughout the College. There are always older years around to offer helpful advice if you have any worries and there are regular social events with the tutors and other chemistry students to share stories of their experiences to help you along, as well as being an opportunity to enjoy an evening out with your friends from your subject.

My best advice for anyone reading this is to come to Oxford on an open day to talk to current students, visit the department and the colleges to allow you to make your own mind up whether or not it is somewhere you'll enjoy living and studying.

Owen Smith