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MSc Chemistry with Scientific Writing

  • DeadlineStudy Details:

    MSc 1 year full-time

Course Description

This MSc will help you to build your subject knowledge of Chemistry while also enhancing your ability to communicate science, with a focus on writing for scientific publications or communication in the media.

You will gain a Master’s-level education in technical chemistry modules and develop key research skills by completing a project in one of our world-class research groups, using state-of-the-art synthesis and equipment.

By the end of the course, you will possess advanced chemical knowledge alongside the ability to effectively communicate often complex scientific concepts to others, preparing you for a career in research, scientific writing, science education or science communication.

You can find out more about the Department of Chemistry by joining our webinarLink opens in a new window.

Professor Martin Wills is the head of the MSc in Chemistry with Scientific Writing. Please contact chem-pgt@warwick.ac.uk with any specific Department of Chemistry questions, where our staff are available to discuss any queries.

Entry Requirements

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a science subject.

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Fees

For fees and funding options, please visit website to find out more

Programme Funding

We offer a variety of postgraduate funding options for study at the University of Warwick, from postgraduate loans, university scholarships, fee awards, to academic department bursaries.

Student Destinations

Our graduates have gone on to work for organisations in: academia and teaching; pharmaceutical industry; chemical and materials industry; science consultancy; banking and finance and other areas. For those who wish to deepen their understanding of the discipline, further research degree study such as a Master’s by Research or a PhD can also be studied within the department. Global Decarbonisation courses

course will open up a variety of potential career paths in the rapidly expanding market for climate professionals including employment within a wide range of government, non-government and academic organizations, as well as private companies.

Our department has a dedicated, professionally-qualified Senior Careers Consultant offering impartial advice and guidance together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:

  • Careers in Science
  • Career Options with Chemistry
  • Warwick careers fairs throughout the year
  • MSc lunchtime careers presentations
  • PhD Transferable Skills careers decision-making session
  • Finding experience to boost your CV for Chemistry students
  • SME Careers Events - e.g. British Coatings Federation Careers Evening
  • Career Options with Chemistry Presentation and Networking Evening
  • 1:1 careers sessions offered

Additionally, our Polymers in the Real World module brings in employers to deliver talks on their industries, and to discuss employment and training opportunities with students.

Module Details

Core modules

Writing focused scientific articles and reports

This module is intended to allow you to develop and demonstrate your capacity to communicate scientific concepts through writing short, focused scientific articles. It will facilitate engagement with a variety of audiences and the use of a range of strategies to describe scientific procedures, summarise and disseminate findings, write reviews, and formulate effective instructions. It also aims to develop critical thinking and peer review skills.

Writing extended scientific articles and reports

This module provides a genre-based focus on academic scientific papers. Through a focus on models of professional writing, it explores particular features of science papers such as how to reference the literature, where and when to outline the methodology, and how to present results and conclusions. An integral part of this approach is for participants to bring along samples of their own writing (e.g. lab reports or research articles). Students will be asked to provide critiques and action plans, as well as to engage in peer reviews.

Communicating Science to different audiences

This module aims to help you to communicate your research findings accurately and concisely to different audiences. The main focus is on how to communicate in print, radio and TV to non-scientific audiences, but the skills will translate across to your research reports and presentations. It is based on a 3-day non-residential course (but including 1 evening) at Warwick and BBC Coventry and Warwickshire which will consist of a variety of seminars delivered by experts in the field.

Transferable Skills

This module is based around students completing and recording tasks contributing to the development of transferable skills. Students complete a portfolio and reflect on what they have learned. The various aspects of the course cover: working in teams and working with your supervisor, communicating across disciplines using various media e.g. written reports, posters, presentations, web and video, as well as elements of leadership and career development.

22-week Research Project

The module is designed to develop students’ research skills, through an extended project in an area of their chosen discipline. Students will become aware of the elements of research, including appraising the literature, designing novel experiments (practical and/or computational), assessing results and drawing conclusions that they will be able to set against the current field. This module will allow students to be original in their application of knowledge to the solution of new, research-led problems.

Optional Modules

Optional modules are taken from those offered by the Department of Chemistry and can vary from year to year. Attendance is subject to approval by the module leader and timetabling requirements. Example optional modules may include:

  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Chromatography and Separation Science
  • Electrochemistry and Sensors
  • Magnetic Resonance
  • Frontier Techniques in Analytical Science
  • Microscopy and Imaging
  • X-ray and Neutron Techniques
  • Polymer Synthesis
  • Advanced Polymer Synthesis
  • Colloid Science I and II
  • Physical Properties of Polymers and Nanocomposites
  • Advanced Molecular Pharmacology
  • Advanced Computational Chemistry
  • Advanced Biophysical Chemistry
  • Advanced Chemical Biology
  • Advanced Medicinal and Biological Chemistry
  • Electrochemistry and Nanotechnology
  • Energy
  • Synthetic Chemistry I (Organic)
  • Synthetic Chemistry II (Metallo-organic)
  • Synthetic Chemistry III (Macromolecular Chemistry)

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