Chemistry with Artificial Intelligence (with Industrial Experience) MChem, BSc

Course overview

Chemistry is a central science that’s at the core of everything we can see, smell, taste and touch around us. From energy to the environment, groundbreaking medicine to cleaning products, chemistry is integral to all aspects of our life, which puts chemical scientists at the forefront of delivering invaluable solutions to global challenges such as climate change, sustainability and health.

The diverse nature of this field – and the widely transferable skills like teamwork and data analysis you’ll develop along the way – means chemistry graduates will always be highly sought after across a wide range of industries worldwide.

Studying a chemistry degree at Leeds will teach you the fundamental concepts of the field alongside a variety of optional modules available, so you can tailor your degree to what really interests you the most. You’ll also be taught by expert academics, with the unique opportunity to get involved in real-world research happening in the University.

Practical work features heavily in this course. As such, you’ll have access to a range of facilities right here on campus including specialist teaching laboratories and research facilities with the latest equipment for synthetic, physical and analytical chemistry to ensure you have the best grounding to head out into your professional career.

Chemistry with AI: Shaping the Future of Science

Now, with the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the way we explore and innovate in chemistry is evolving faster than ever before.

At Leeds, we’re facing these innovations head on with this course.

This programme uniquely integrates foundational chemistry with cutting-edge AI and machine learning, equipping you with all the tools you’ll need to revolutionise this field.

Industrial placement year

This programme gives you the opportunity to spend your fourth year working in a paid industrial placement year within a chemistry-based setting as part of the course. Here, you’ll gain a unique insight into working in this sector whilst building industry contacts and developing the experience you’ll need to stand out to employers when you graduate. Our close industry links have given previous students the chance to work at – and build professional relationships with – organisations such as GlaxoSmithKline, Unilever and AkzoNobel.

Why study at Leeds:

• Our School’s globally-renowned research feeds directly into your course, shaping your learning with the latest thinking in digital and automated chemistry.
• Enhance your career prospects and give your CV that competitive edge before you graduate with a paid industrial work placement in fourth year.
• Access specialist facilities to support your learning, including flow chemistry platforms, liquid handling robotics and state-of-the-art automated reactors developed at Leeds within the Institute of Process Research and Development.
• Learn vital skills in applying digital and automated chemistry approaches to industrially-relevant challenges such as the discovery of new functional materials, development of sustainable chemical processes and predictive chemistry.
• Conduct an AI-based individual research project, gaining hands-on experience in the latest technology innovations in an active research environment.
• Make the most of your time at Leeds by joining our student society ChemSoc where you can meet more of your peers, enjoy social events, join the football or netball team and attend careers events.

Join our online taster courses

Our collection of five short online courses will help you discover the extraordinary world of everyday chemistry. Join today on Futurelearn.

Course details

On this course, you’ll discover how chemistry shapes the world around us, with a wide range of topics to explore. From quantum mechanics to atmospheric chemistry, making organic chemicals to developing medicinal drugs — the scope is huge, giving you the chance to really hone your interests.

AI-driven approaches are reshaping chemical research, enabling scientists to accelerate drug discovery, design eco-friendly materials, and optimise industrial processes with unprecedented efficiency.

This programme will teach you how to harness computational tools to analyse complex chemical data, predict molecular behaviours and automate experiments—paving the way for breakthroughs in pharmaceuticals, energy and environmental sustainability.

You'll follow a rigorous curriculum combining core chemistry modules with AI-focused coursework.

In our bespoke laboratory modules, you’ll gain hands-on experience in both experimental chemistry and AI-powered research techniques.

Your journey culminates in a final-year research project, focused on designing new digital chemistry approaches.

You’ll work within internationally-recognised research groups, applying AI to tackle real-world chemical challenges. Step into the future of science—where chemistry meets AI to shape a smarter, more sustainable world.

Each academic year, you'll take a total of 120 credits.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Chemistry with Artificial Intelligence (with Industrial Experience) MChem, BSc in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

As a chemistry student at Leeds, we ensure that you benefit from a wide range of teaching methods, including lectures, workshops, group tutorials and practical lab work.

Laboratory classes and project work allow you to gain first-hand experience investigating and applying material from your lectures and tutorials to real-life work situations. There’s a strong emphasis on developing chemistry-specific practical and investigative skills in both teaching laboratories 1-1 ½ days per week on average. Together, they will equip you with in-depth knowledge, key practical skills and transferable skills that will help you secure a graduate job. Our close links with industry also mean that you have direct contact with industry and potential employers from an early stage in your course.

You’ll be assigned a personal tutor to guide you through your studies, and you'll receive support from fellow students through our peer mentoring scheme. Peer mentors are students who are on your course but studying in later years. They’ll help you when you arrive at university and throughout your first year.

Specialist facilities

To support your practical work, our School offers excellent facilities and technical support with a range of dedicated equipment for digital chemistry research. These include automated and self-optimising continuous flow platforms with integrated process analytical technologies (HPLC, GCMS, NMR, GPC, UV-Vis); a range of liquid handling robotics for reaction screening and enzyme assays; industry-standard scale-up facilities with digital twin integration.

The Chemistry building also houses computer clusters, where you can process and model your data under expert supervision. We also provide access to dedicated software for experimental design, and our own bespoke reactor control software and machine learning algorithms.

We also have two teaching laboratories for teaching state-of-the-art methods in practical chemistry.

The Priestley laboratory provides training in synthetic chemistry where you’ll be provided with laboratory coats, PPE and equipment to conduct practical work in fumehoods, mimicking the practice of doing synthetic chemistry in research and industry to make chemicals used as materials and pharmaceutical drugs.

The Porter laboratory gives you access to instrumentation to be trained in chemical analysis and computational chemistry by doing experiments that include reaction kinetics, gas-phase chemistry, spectroscopy and computational modelling.

Our research facilities, which you may benefit from during your project work, include the latest equipment for synthetic, physical and analytical chemistry, 500 and 600 MHz NMR machines, cutting-edge Mass Spectrometry (MS) facilities, a CCD-based X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope and a purification laboratory.

On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

The types of assessment used for each module aim to measure the learning outcomes we want you to achieve.

Modules teaching chemical theory will usually have formal end-of-semester exams, although for some topics coursework will be more appropriate and used instead. The majority of skills-based modules will be assessed by coursework. There will be a variety of assessment methods used, such as essay-writing, presenting work and working in groups, to align with the transferable skills being taught.

There’s a significant laboratory component to our chemistry degrees which equates to 1-1½ days per week. You'll complete either a short proforma summary or a longer ‘lab report’ for each experiment. These proformas and reports are the basis of a continuous assessment method with regular deadlines throughout each semester. The laboratory assessment accounts for about 20% of the overall assessment.

Your research project will include a variety of authentic assessment methods which could include an assessment of your project results, writing a project report and presenting your project findings.

Entry requirements

A-level: AAB including Chemistry

Where an A-Level Science subject is taken, we require a pass in the practical science element, alongside the achievement of the A-Level at the stated grade.

Extended Project Qualification, International Project Qualification and Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate: Grade A plus ABB at A-level including A in Chemistry.

GCSE: English Language grade 4 (C) and Mathematics grade 6 (B) or higher, or an equivalent English language and Mathematics qualification. We will accept Level 2 Functional Skills English instead of GCSE English.

Alternative qualification

Alternative entry

If you are a mature applicant and you don’t have the required A Levels or GCSE English and Math qualifications, you can complete our Alternative Entry Scheme (subject to meeting the eligibility criteria for the scheme). As part of this, you may be asked to take tests in English and maths and to write an essay.

Further information on the support available for mature students can be found at https://www.leeds.ac.uk/mature-students.

For alternative qualification offers please contact the admissions team.

International

We accept a range of international equivalent qualifications. For more information, please contact the Admissions Team.

International Foundation Year

International students who do not meet the academic requirements for undergraduate study may be able to study the University of Leeds International Foundation Year. This gives you the opportunity to study on campus, be taught by University of Leeds academics and progress onto a wide range of Leeds undergraduate courses. Find out more about International Foundation Year programmes.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.0 overall, with no less than 5.5 in any one component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English
If you're an international student and you don't meet the English language requirements for this programme, you may be able to study our undergraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

Fees

UK: To be confirmed

International: To be confirmed

Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2025/26
The fee for UK undergraduate students is decided by the Government and may vary if policy changes. The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation, and as permitted by law.

Tuition fees for UK undergraduate students starting in 2025/26 will be £9,535.

The tuition fee for the following programmes with an integrated foundation year is £5,760 for the foundation year, and £9,535 for subsequent years of study:
•    Business Studies with Foundation Year BSC
•    Arts and Humanities with Foundation Year BA
•    Interdisciplinary Studies with Preparation for Higher Education BA
•    Social Science (foundation year) BA
 

Tuition fees for international undergraduate students starting in 2025/26
Tuition fees for international students for 2025/26 are available on individual course pages.
 

Tuition fees for a study abroad or work placement year
If you take a study abroad or work placement year, you’ll pay a reduced tuition fee during this period. For more information, see Study abroad and work placement tuition fees and loans.

Read more about paying fees and charges.

The School of Chemistry will provide you with personal protective equipment and laboratory notebooks you’ll need to undertake laboratory work. You’ll also have access to a vast supply of books, academic journals and periodicals from the university libraries however you may wish to purchase some books that are recommended on the course.

This course requires work using a range of relevant software which is provided by the university. We also use a blended learning model where you’ll need to access course materials and video conferences using a computer or mobile device (e.g. laptop, tablet, smartphone).

You’ll have access to the extensive IT facilities on campus including 24/7 computer clusters with everything you need to complete your work however you may wish to purchase your own computer.

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There is help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Find out more in our Undergraduate funding overview.

Applying

Applying

Apply to this course and check the deadline for applications through the UCAS website.

We may consider applications submitted after the deadline. Availability of courses in UCAS Extra will be detailed on UCAS at the appropriate stage in the cycle.

Admissions guidance

Read our admissions guidance about applying and writing your personal statement.

What happens after you’ve applied

You can keep up to date with the progress of your application through UCAS.

UCAS will notify you when we make a decision on your application. If you receive an offer, you can inform us of your decision to accept or decline your place through UCAS.

How long will it take to receive a decision

We typically receive a high number of applications to our courses. For applications submitted by the January UCAS deadline, UCAS asks universities to make decisions by mid-May at the latest.

Offer holder events

If you receive an offer from us, you’ll be invited to an offer holder event. This event is more in-depth than an open day. It gives you the chance to learn more about your course and get your questions answered by academic staff and students. Plus, you can explore our campus, facilities and accommodation.

International students apply through UCAS in the same way as UK students. Our network of international representatives can help you with your application. If you’re unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Admissions policy

University of Leeds Admissions Policy 2025

This course is taught by

School of Chemistry

Contact us

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Career opportunities

Companies from different sectors are investing heavily in AI chemistry technologies that have the potential to transform chemical/process discovery and development. Therefore, there is a growing demand for specialists who can integrate chemistry, data science and automation expertise to enable adoption of these new technologies within industry.

This means the employment opportunities available to you with this degree are extensive across numerous industries, with the potential to take you all over the world.

Plus, University of Leeds students are among the top 5 most targeted by top employers according to The Graduate Market 2024, High Fliers Research, meaning our graduates are highly sought after by some of the most reputable companies in the field.

The skills and knowledge you’ll develop on this programme will equip you with these industrially-relevant expertise, and will provide career opportunities in a variety of roles across a wide range of sectors, including:

Roles:

• Chemical data scientist/analyst
• Automation specialist
• Machine learning specialist
• Computational chemist

Sectors:

• Pharmaceutical
• Agrochemical
• Materials
• Catalysis
• Chemical technology
• Data science
• Instrumentation
• Contract research

Careers support

At Leeds, we help you to prepare for your future from day one. We have a wide range of careers resources — including our award-winning Employability Team who are in contact with many employers around the country and advertise placements and jobs. They are also on hand to provide guidance and support, ensuring you are prepared to take your next steps after graduation and get you where you want to be.

• Employability events — we run a full range of events including careers fairs in specialist areas and across broader industries — all with employers who are actively recruiting for roles.
• MyCareer system — on your course and after you graduate, you’ll have access to a dedicated careers portal where you can book appointments with our team, get information on careers and see job vacancies and upcoming events.
• Qualified careers consultants — gain guidance, support and information to help you choose a career path. You’ll have access to 1-2-1 meetings and events to learn how to find employers to target, write your CV and cover letter, research before interviews and brush up on your interview skills.
• Opportunities at Leeds — there are plenty of exciting opportunities offered by our Leeds University Union, including volunteering and over 300 clubs and societies to get involved in.

Explore more about your employability opportunities at the University of Leeds.

You’ll also have full access to the University’s Careers Centre, which is one of the largest in the country.