Science - Chemical Sciences with Medicinal Chemistry - Grangegorman
This chemistry degree focuses on how chemistry can be used for medicinal applications, including drug design, synthesis, and delivery. It will give you skills and expertise in synthetic chemistry that can be applied in the pharmaceutical and other industries. You can anticipate working in the pharmaceutical industry, facilitating the development of new and better medicines, as well as the chemical (paints, dyes, adhesives, inks) and allied industries (food, beverages, medical devices, cosmetics, semiconductors).
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | Major |
| Awarding Body | Technological University Dublin |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 NFQ |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor (Level 8 NFQ) | Major | Technological University Dublin | Level 8 NFQ |
Duration
4 Years.
Contact Hours: 23 hours a week approximately (please note the programme entails 40 hours a week work in total). 4 - 5 days on site; no days online.
Specific Subjects or course requirements
Irish Leaving Certificate
Minimum No of Subjects: 6
Higher: 2 H5's
Minimum Grade in:
Maths: O3/H7
English or Irish: O6/H7
At least a H4 in one of: Physics, Chemistry, Physics & Chemistry, Biology or Technology.
Leaving Certificate General Entry Requirements
Entry/Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for consideration for a course an applicant must possess the minimum entry requirements for that course. Entry requirements are outlined above.
CAO offers are determined on the basis of examination score except in the case of courses which involve suitability tests, interviews and other assessment procedures. All suitability tests/interviews/auditions/portfolio reviews etc will generally be carried out during the period March - May each year.
Where a specific grade is required in a subject (H4, O3 etc) an applicant must achieve that grade or better in order to be eligible for consideration (H = Higher Level; O = Ordinary Level). Where a requirement is 2 or 3 honours, grade H5 or better on Higher Level
Leaving Certificate papers is needed to meet such a requirement.
In the case of both Higher and Ordinary Level Leaving Certificate results, grades lower than H7 (Higher) or 06 (Ordinary) are not acceptable for eligibility purposes or for points calculation.
For the purpose of meeting minimum entry requirements, results from any number of sittings of the Irish Leaving Certificate Examination may be combined.
An applicant’s examination score will be calculated by adding together the points scored in the best six subjects in a single sitting of the Irish Leaving Certificate Examination.
Matriculation Examinations will not be accepted either for the purpose of meeting minimum entry requirements or for calculating examination scores.
Demand usually exceeds the number of places available and therefore examination results better than the minimum entry requirement are likely to be required.
When a number of applicants have the same points score, a random number is attached to the score for each course preference. This will then determine the position of each applicant on the waiting lists for offers.
Bonus Points Maths (Irish Leaving Certificate)
25 bonus points will continue to be awarded for Higher Level Mathematics for H6 grades and above. Bonus points are only counted where that subject is scored as one of the applicant’s best six subjects for points purposes.
Foundation Level Mathematics
We accept Foundation Level Mathematics for the purposes of entry requirements the case of any course where Higher or Ordinary Level Mathematics is not a requirement. Please check above to ensure you are aware of the individual math requirement.
Points are awarded as follows:
F1 = 20 points
F2 = 12 points
Foundation Level Irish
For the most part the University will not consider Foundation Level Irish for the purposes of entry requirements or for points, however a grade F3 in Foundation level Irish is acceptable for meeting the minimum entry requirements for some Higher Certificate courses. Students with an F3 in Foundation level Irish must have passed five other subjects with a minimum grade of O6 including Math, students should check on individual course pages to determine if their foundation Irish grade is sufficient.
Leaving Certificate Vocational Progamme LCVP
Distinction 66 points
Merit 46 points
Pass 28 points
The Link Modules can be used as one of the six subjects for overall points calculation and may also be considered as a subject for the purposes of minimum entry requirements, dependent on the programme for which you are applying.
Leaving Certificate Applied Programme LCAP
QQI FET Applicants General Information
How to Apply
You must apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO).
In order to apply, you must have obtained a full major award. A Component Certificate (minor award) is not sufficient.
The best 8 modules of your award are used for ranking purposes.
In addition to the QQI minimum entry requirements, QQI quotas and QQI points apply. The max QQI points awarded is 390.
If you’ve accumulated your major award over more than one academic year, you’ll need to apply to the QQI for a major award.
If you present full QQI Level 5/6 awards, you won’t be required to meet minimum entry requirements based on Leaving Certificate results. The QQI Level 5/6 award is accepted in its own right.
Careers / Further progression
What are my career opportunities?
Chemistry Teacher
Chemistry Technician
Development Researcher
Pharmaceutical Analyst
Pharmaceutical Developer
Graduate Employers
Amgen
Henkel
MSD
Pfizer
SK Biotek
Progression
On graduation you may continue to postgraduate study at TU Dublin or in other higher education institutions. The programme meets the requirements as an approved undergraduate degree for the Professional Master of Education (Post Primary) for those who want to teach chemistry and science in secondary schools.
Further information
Whatever your reason for coming back to education – to update your skills, gain a new qualification, achieve a personal goal or ambition, etc. TU Dublin welcomes applications from all mature students aged 23+.
It may be daunting but you’re not alone. TU Dublin has a range of supports in place to help you decide what course to take, get through the application process and get settled into college life.
For further information go to https://www.tudublin.ie/study/undergraduate/cao/entry-routes/mature-applicants/
EU Applicants
We welcome EU Applicants with high-school qualifications from a European Union or European Free Trade Association country.
A Level GCSE Applicants
We welcome students who have completed their GCSE or A Level exams.
TU Dublin Access Routes
We aim to ensure that students of all backgrounds and nationalities can find a pathway to higher education that suits their circumstances at different stages of their lives and careers. Please take some time to look at the various Access entry routes outlined below and feel free to contact us for further information. We are more than happy to give you advice on which entry route might be suitable for your individual needs and to support you in making your application.
For more information on these entry routes go to https://www.tudublin.ie/study/undergraduate/cao/entry-routes/
25
Entry 2024
Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2024 at 5pm
Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2024 at 5pm
Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2024 at 5pm
Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2024 at 5pm
Exceptional online late application (see page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook): Fee €60 Closing Date: 22 July 2024 at 5pm
Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.
LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2024. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2024, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5 March 2024 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.
Exceptional Late Applications (Exception to the timetable)
The exceptional closing date of 22 July at 5pm applies only to applicants who are registered as an undergraduate student on 1 May 2024 in any year in any one of the participating HEIs (subject to the exclusions listed below). In order to avail of the Exceptional Late Application facility you must have entered the HEI through the CAO system. This is an exceptional late closing date and all steps must be completed by 5pm on 22 July. No changes may be made after this date.
If you did not enter your current course through the CAO system, you must first contact the Admissions Office of the HEI to which you wish to apply and they will inform you if you may submit an application direct to the institution.
Exclusions:
You may submit a late application only for entry to courses other than your existing course. If you wish to repeat the year in the same course you must arrange this within your HEI.
Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Marino Institute of Education, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick and Maynooth University have special procedures in place in the case of current or previous students who wish to apply for entry to another course in the same HEI. Such applicants must contact their Admissions Office to determine the application procedure. However, if you are a student in another HEI and you wish to apply to any of these five HEIs, you should apply through CAO.
Refer to page 34 of the 2024 CAO Handbook on how to make an Exceptional Late Application.
Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2024 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:
General Restrictions
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices
Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course
Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants
Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR
Is Sciences & Health for you?
At its core, science builds and organises knowledge using testable explanations about the physical and natural world. But you already know that – you have been following the many scientists who have explained the current COVID19 pandemic to us. You have been intrigued by the forensic detail of their knowledge and how it can be directly applied to the life you are leading. So, if this is your passion you will spend lots of time in labs but what you learn will have a real world application. Whether it’s physics or pharma, biology or food science, computing or mathematics...infinite possibilities await you.
What is Chemical Sciences with Medicinal Chemistry?
This chemistry degree focuses on how chemistry can be used for medicinal applications, including drug design, synthesis, and delivery.
It will give you skills and expertise in synthetic chemistry that can be applied in the pharmaceutical and other industries. You can anticipate working in the pharmaceutical industry, facilitating the development of new and better medicines, as well as the chemical (paints, dyes, adhesives, inks) and allied industries (food, beverages, medical devices, cosmetics, semiconductors).
The skillsets you'll acquire will provide you with an excellent basis for working in a variety of areas including production, quality and assurance, technical services, research and development, technical sales or towards a career in the teaching profession.
The course is designed around a core chemistry syllabus in organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, and incorporates analytical chemistry. The medicinal chemistry component is introduced in first year and built on in subsequent years. All science subjects in Year 1 are taught on the basis that you may not have studied them at Leaving Certificate. In Year 2, chemical and pharmaceutical processes and technology are explored; in Year 3, you will expand your knowledge of chemistry and its applications to medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutical processes.
Study Abroad Opportunities
Year 3 includes a 6-7 month international placement as part of the Erasmus scheme.
Professional Accreditation
The course is recognised by the Institute of Chemistry in Ireland for Graduate Membership and accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Equipment Requirements
Laboratory glasses, laboratory coat and spatula (details provided at induction).
Year 1
Career Development and Information Technology
Cell and Microbiology
General and Organic Chemistry
Mathematics
Medicinal Chemistry
Physics
The Human Body & Disease
Year 2
Semester 1
Bonding and Reactivity in Inorganic Chemistry
Chemical Polymer and Pharmaceutical Processes
Environmental Chemistry
Organic Chemistry and Spectroscopy
Spectroscopy and Thermodynamics
Statistics and Classical Analysis
Semester 2
Kinetics and Electrochemistry
Materials, Bio-structures and Spectroscopy
Organic Chemistry and Stereochemistry
Principles of Drug Action
Spectroscopy and Chromatography
Work Place Regulations and Professional Development
Year 3
Semester 1
Analytical Chemistry
Carbonyl and Stereochemistry
Inorganic Chemistry in Action
Kinetics
Medicinal Chemistry and Formulation
Physical and Organic Spectroscopy
Thermochemistry and Electrochemistry
Work Place Regulations and Professional Development
Semester 2
Year three includes a 6-7 month international placement as part of the ERASMUS scheme.
Year 4
Semester 1
Advanced Analytical Chemistry
Advanced Inorganic Topics
Advanced Organic Chemistry
Chemical and Pharmaceutical Processes
Pharmaceutical and Solid State Analysis
Surface Chemistry and Photochemistry
Semester 2
Advanced Organic Synthesis
Kinetics and Spectroscopy
Topics in Medicinal Chemistry
Final Year Project
In your year four research project, you will team up with a research supervisor and use your chemical knowledge and initiative to explore a topic and answer a research question.
Campus Location: Grangegorman
Contact hours:
23 hours a week approximately (please note the programme entails 40 hours a week work in total). 4 - 5 days on site; no days online.
Contact Us
Dr Gavin Sewell, Year 1 Tutor
gavin.sewell@tudublin.ie
+35312205568
Contact Us
Gráinne Hargaden, Programme Chair
grainne.hargaden@tudublin.ie
+35312205565
Contact Us
School of Chemical & BioPharmaceutical Sciences
school.cbps@tudublin.ie