What is it like to study Chemistry at Oxford?

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐎𝐱𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝? 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭.

To study chemistry at Oxford University is to truly be immersed in a subject. While the mentally demanding nature of the course can seem relentless at times, it’s important to remember just how much knowledge is being passed on from some of the field’s most illustrious academics.

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 With three years of at least two lectures a day, two full days of practical lab sessions every week and tutorials, under graduates have a very full programme. It is understandable that the course has a global reputation as challenging. But, as students are often told by tutors on the eve of their final examinations – “𝐴𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒, 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑙𝑒𝑑𝑔𝑒, 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑.”

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 Perhaps the most unique aspect of the Oxford course is the fourth year. Students work as part of a group of their choice, undertaking a full year of original research under the supervision of of world class chemists in some of the finest chemistry facilities in the world.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞 On the submission of their thesis, students complete their MChem degree with a viva before a panel of academics to justify their research findings. It is an experience which tests the scholastic rigour of their education at Oxford.

𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 Undergraduate chemists study alongside other chemists from their college for the entirety of the course. That is a truly bonding experience that made my time at Oxford very special indeed. For the vast majority of students, the huge benefits of studying at Oxford definitely outweigh the few negatives.

𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚 𝐓𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 (𝐂𝐄), 𝐈𝐆𝐂𝐒𝐄, 𝐀 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 / 𝐈𝐁𝐃𝐏 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲-𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝. For details of how we can help your child, please contact Valerie Weston on: Email: valerie.weston@minervatuition.com Phone: +852 6156 5705. We would be delighted to hear from you.