BSc (Hons) Chemistry with a Foundation Year
Course options
Key Details
- Award
- Degree of Bachelor of Science
- UCAS Course Code
- 8F10
- Typical Offer
- CCC
- Contextual Offer
- CDD
- Course Length
- 4 years
- Course Start Date
- September 2025
Why you should choose us
Course Overview
From the materials we make to the medicines we take; chemistry shapes our relationship with the world around us. Understanding how chemicals interact at a molecular level is not only fascinating, but also of critical importance in solving some of greatest challenges facing humanity, such as climate change and eradicating disease.
If you’re interested in chemistry but don’t meet the academic requirements to enter a degree programme, Chemistry with a Foundation Year is for you. The Foundation Year of our innovative course will fill the gaps in your knowledge and arm you with the skills you’ll need to progress onto our Chemistry degree.
Our cutting-edge research in chemical sciences underpins our teaching – through lectures, workshops, small group tutorials and practical laboratory sessions – ensuring your learning is at the forefront of scientific thought.
You’ll be hands-on in our modern teaching laboratory. The laboratory is light, spacious, and fully equipped with a range of analytical and spectroscopic instrumentation. Our state-of-the-art research equipment, such as our X-Ray and NMR suites and imaging facilities, will also be used to enhance your studies.
Complete the Foundation Year successfully, and you’ll be accepted onto one of our BSc or MChem Chemistry degree programmes which will give you the in-depth academic training you’ll need to become a professional chemist. The transferrable skills you’ll develop will also be beneficial to a wide range of occupations, offering a breath of career opportunity.
Accreditations
The BSc Chemistry degree, which you may progress on to, is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) for partially meeting the academic criteria for Chartered Chemist (CChem).
Study and Modules
Structure
The Foundation Year enables you to develop A-level equivalent knowledge of chemistry before you commence your full chemistry degree.
Our modules will help you to develop transferable skills in the areas of communication, teamwork and problem solving. Such skills are vital to professional scientists and prized by employers.
During your Foundation Year, you’ll study mandatory modules in chemistry and mathematics, as well as physics; with the possibility of a module in computing depending upon prior experience. You’ll be assigned an academic adviser who will guide you in your course choices and ensure that you’re progressing towards your degree course of choice.
You’ll gain credits for each of your Foundation Year modules, based on a mixture of coursework and examination results. If you achieve sufficient credits, you’ll be able to choose between the BSc Chemistry and MChem degree programmes.
For the years of study beyond the Foundation Year, please see the full BSc Chemistry course.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 0)Optional B Modules
(Credits: 0)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Our teaching will combine lectures, small group seminars, workshops and practical laboratory sessions. Some of your lectures and practicals may take an active approach to learning, encouraging you to interact with your peers within the sessions.
Assessment
We employ a range of assessment methods across our modules, evenly balanced between examinations and coursework.
Our methods include literature reviews, exams, problem sheets, laboratory reports, and seminar presentations.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK fee-paying students. The entry point is in September each year.
We welcome and value a wide range of qualifications, and we recognise that some students might take a mixture of different qualifications. We have listed typical examples that we accept for entry.
You should hold or be working towards the specified English and Mathematics requirements and one of the examples of typical entry qualifications listed below. If your qualifications aren’t listed, or if you are taking a combination of qualifications that isn’t specified, please contact Admissions.
- English and Mathematics
All applicants must hold or be working towards GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade C or grade 4.
We accept a wide range of English Language qualifications, please see our English Language equivalencies page.
- Contextual Offers
UEA are committed to ensuring that Higher Education is accessible to all, regardless of their background or experiences. One of the ways we do this is through our contextual admissions schemes.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
A levels
CCC
Contextual offer: CDD
Not accepted: Critical Thinking and General Studies.
BTEC
Level 3 Extended Diploma: MMM
Contextual offer: MMP
Combinations of BTEC and A levels
Diploma: MM plus C at A level.
Contextual offer: MM plus D at A level.
Extended Certificate: M plus CC at A level.
Contextual offer: M plus CD at A level.
Not accepted: Critical Thinking and General Studies.
Access to HE Diploma
Access to Science Pathway. Pass Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3.
T levels
Obtain an overall Pass including a C in the core of the T Level and a Pass in the Occupational Specialism. All pathways are accepted.
- Further Examples of Typical Entry Requirements
International Baccalaureate
28 points overall
Irish Leaving Certificate
6 subjects at H4
Scottish Highers
BBCCC
Scottish Advanced Highers
DDD. A combination of Advanced Highers and Highers may be acceptable
- INTO UEA
If you do not meet the academic and/or English language requirements for direct entry our partner, INTO UEA offers progression on to this undergraduate degree upon successful completion of a preparation programme. Depending on your interests, and your qualifications you can take a variety of routes to this degree.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
-
IELTS: 6.5 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not yet meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the English skills necessary for successful undergraduate study.
-
- Deferred Entry
We welcome applications from students who have already taken or intend to take a gap year. We believe that a year between school and university can be of substantial benefit. You are advised to indicate your reason for wishing to defer entry on your UCAS application.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all undergraduate applicants.
- Recent Study
We would prefer you to be able to demonstrate evidence of recent academic study within 5 years of the start of the course. If your last qualification will have been completed more than 5 years ago by the time the course starts, please contact Admissions.
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
View our information for Tuition Fees.
Scholarships and Bursaries
We are committed to ensuring that costs do not act as a barrier to those aspiring to come to a world leading university and have developed a funding package to reward those with excellent qualifications and assist those from lower income backgrounds. View our range of Scholarships for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
UCAS Hub is a secure online application system that allows you to apply for full-time undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom.
Your application does not have to be completed all at once. Register or sign in to UCAS to get started.
Once you submit your completed application, UCAS will process it and send it to your chosen universities and colleges.
The Institution code for the University of East Anglia is E14.
View our guide to applying through UCAS for useful tips, key dates and further information:
Employability
After the Course
Once you successfully finish your Foundation Year, you’ll go straight onto one of the main degree programmes within the School of Chemistry, Pharmacy, and Pharmacology.
So, what are your career options after Chemistry?
A better question might be what career options are not open to you after a chemistry degree, as you’ll see from the huge range of careers that our graduates have followed.
Our chemistry degrees provide the skills that employers are looking for – high level subject knowledge combined with problem solving, IT, analytical skills, instrumentation, time management, organisation, and team and individual work.
Many of our graduates secure positions in emerging chemistry industries, such as Iceni Diagnostics (a UEA spin off company developing lateral flow test technology, including for Covid-19), and leading pharmaceutical companies (Glaxo SmithKline, AkzoNobel or Sanofi), chemical and advanced technology companies (Johnson Matthey, Dell or British Airways) with roles in research, management, product development and quality control.
Others have used their chemistry degree to pursue more diverse career options. These range from further research degrees (MSc or PhD) towards academic positions, to teaching training (PGCE) to became schoolteachers, through to careers in publishing (RSC and Wiley editors), computing (ANDigital) and even banking (Barclays), insurance (Aviva), and almost everything in between.
At UEA, we have a great team to support graduates in securing excellent career starts through CareerCentral. In the School of Chemistry, Pharmacy, and Pharmacology, our Director of Employability coordinates internal and external events and makes sure that all additional key skills training elements are present in our curriculum from year 1, allowing Chemistry graduates to present a highly competitive CV. The skills training is embedded within our modules, especially in year 4. In addition, all students benefit from chemistry careers drop-in sessions and 1-to-1 guidance, plus chemistry specific employers' events and fairs.
We also encourage our students to participate in the UEA award, which is a certificate from the University, recognising a range of extracurricular activities that students can undertake while at university, to help them develop other skills to become highly employable.
To complement undergraduate studies, we offer a wide range of internships during the summer break (6-12 weeks) supported by the University and different funders, for students in their second and third year of their degrees. These provide additional opportunities to experience work and develop key skills in one of the many diverse research areas being pursued in the School of Chemistry, Pharmacy, and Pharmacology.
“My internship allowed me to work on a project consisting of in silico, analytical and wet lab components. I was able to develop my core laboratory skills, gaining proficiency with techniques such as gel electrophoresis and affinity chromatography, acquire expertise with advanced techniques such as EPR while also working with software such as Chimera, all as a real part of a team of scientists conducting cutting edge research. For those who are considering a career in research I would highly recommend opportunities which provide experience outside the controlled setting of undergraduate labs as they will prove invaluable to you and will help you stand out on your applications.” - Callum Eke, 2nd Year intern student, working on studying dynamic conformational change of membrane transporter proteins, with Dr Fraser MacMillan over the summer 2022, funded by a Wellcome Trust UEA Internship.”
Careers
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
- Research scientist
- Healthcare
- Government
- Data analyst
- Academic
- Teacher
Discover more on our Careers webpages.