BSc Chemistry and Mathematics

Programme overview

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements are available on the Course Search entry

Programme specification

The information on this page is accurate for students entering the programme in 2023/2024 or before. For students entering the programme from September 2024 or after, you can find the details of your programme: href=https://webprod3.leeds.ac.uk/catalogue/dynprogrammes.asp?Y=202425&P=BSCHEM%26MAT-R">EBSc Chemistry and Mathematics(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)

Chemistry is a central science, 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.



Chemistry is a central science at the core of everything we can see, smell, taste and touch around us while mathematics has always played an intrinsic role in helping comprehend chemistry and unlocking new perspectives in the chemical world. It’s for this reason that these two fundamental disciplines have become invaluable in tackling global challenges faced by society today such as climate change. This is also why a joint honours degree in both could equip you with skills highly sought after by a wide range of industries worldwide and delivering invaluable solutions to global challenges such as climate change, sustainability and health.



This Chemistry and Mathematics BSc degree at Leeds will enable you to understand the fundamental concepts of each field alongside a variety of optional modules available, so you can tailor your degree to what really interests you the most. You will be taught by expert academics, with the unique opportunity to get involved in real-world research happening in the Schools of Chemistry and Mathematics.



You'll have access to specialist facilities right here on campus, alongside exciting opportunities like studying abroad and industrial work placements to ensure you have the best grounding to head out into your professional career.

In your first year you will undertake an even split of work across both disciplines developing the fundamental concepts and principles that underpin both chemistry and mathematics, along with the ability to apply you mathematical understanding to chemical problems.

In year two you will then choose independent pathways in both chemistry and mathematics that allow you to focus your work on the topics that interest you and to develop a deeper understanding of both subjects while also developing your skills as an interdisciplinary scientist, advancing your skills in research, scientific writing, scientific and professional ethics, personal development, planning, and scientific programming

In your final year (either third year or fourth year for programmes with placements) you will have access to a range of options which allows you to follow your interests and investigate a topic at the cutting edge of chemistry and mathematics, while allowing you to focus in on one of these areas through the choice of your research project.

To advance your skill set and boost your experience, you can also apply to take an industrial placement or study abroad at one of the many universities we’re in partnership with worldwide between years 2 and 3.

Year 1

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

This information is applicable to students who entered from or after 2024-25.

Compulsory Modules

CHEMISTRY Students will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CHEM1102	Chemistry in Action: Atoms, Molecules, Matter	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM1204	Fundamental Organic Chemistry for Biology & Synthesis	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CHEM1205	Chemistry of the Material World	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CHEM1302	Introduction to Modern Chemistry	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CHEM1403	Practical and Research Skills for Chemistry and Maths	10	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP
MATH1000	Core Mathematics	40	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)	PFP
MATH1700	Probability and Statistics	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Optional Modules

Discovery Modules

Year 2

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

This information is applicable to students who entered from or after 2024-25.

Optional Modules

Students will be required to study exactly 60 credits in each of Chemistry and Maths.

CHEMISTRY

Students taking the Organic Chemistry pathway will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CHEM2131	Chemical Kinetics and Thermodynamics	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM2192	Molecular Signatures: Spectroscopy and Chromatography	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM2321	Organic Chemistry: Structure, Reactions and the Science of Life	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CHEM2403	Further Practical, Professional and Research skills for Chemistry and Maths	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

In order to progress to year 3 of the honours programme, students must pass at least 100 credits including at least 40 level 2 credits in each subject.

Students taking the Inorganic and Materials Chemistry pathway will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CHEM2112	Chemistry of Materials: what they are and how we know	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM2131	Chemical Kinetics and Thermodynamics	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM2192	Molecular Signatures: Spectroscopy and Chromatography	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM2212	Organometallics: from bonding to catalysis	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CHEM2403	Further Practical, Professional and Research skills for Chemistry and Maths	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Students taking the Physical Chemistry pathway will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CHEM2192	Molecular Signatures: Spectroscopy and Chromatography	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM2293	Specialisms in Chemical Science	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CHEM2331	Molecules, Energy, Quanta and Change	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
CHEM2403	Further Practical, Professional and Research skills for Chemistry and Maths	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

MATHEMATICS

Students taking the Applied Mathematics pathway will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MATH2350	Vector Calculus and Partial Differential Equations	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2380	Calculus of Variations	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH2400	Mathematical Modelling	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Students taking the Applied Mathematics pathway are required to study exactly one module from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MATH2440	Optimisation	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2702	Stochastic Processes	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Students taking the Statistics and Applied Mathematics pathway will be required to study the following modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MATH2350	Vector Calculus and Partial Differential Equations	20	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2701	Statistical Methods	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Students taking the Statistics and Applied Mathematics pathway required to study exactly one module from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MATH2440	Optimisation	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2702	Stochastic Processes	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Students taking the Statistics and Applied Mathematics pathway required to study exactly one module from the following optional modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MATH2380	Calculus of Variations	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH2703	Time Series	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

In order to progress to year 3 of the honours programme, students must pass at least 100 credits including at least 40 level 2 credits in each subject.

Discovery Modules

Year 3

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable

Optional Modules

To be eligible for a classified Joint Honours degree, students must satisfy the following criteria:
- At level 3: Pass at least 100 credits, including any modules required for award, together with a classification average of at least 40.
- Across levels 2 and 3 combined: Pass at least 80 credits of Chemistry and 80 credits of Mathematics, including at least 40 credits of each at level 3.

No more than a total of 20 credits of level 2 modules may be taken at level 3.

Students must undertake 20 credits of independent scholarship from one of these three potential options:
CHEM3650;
MATH3001;
CHEM3666* and CHEM3437.

*Note that 50% of CHEM3666 is project work and so only counts as 10 credits of independent scholarship.

CHEMISTRY

You are required to choose 40-80 credits from the following modules (please ensure that you have the appropriate background before selecting any of these options; if in doubt, consult your Programme Manager):

Students must take a minimum of 20 credits of the following modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CHEM3126	Strategy, Methods and Reaction Technology for Organic Synthesis	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM3136	Energy, Molecules and Chemical Change	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM3146	Medicinal Chemistry	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM3185	Atmospheric Chemistry	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM3211	Properties and Applications of Materials	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM3216	Advanced Organometallics and Catalysis	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CHEM3226	Process chemistry and reactive intermediates in synthesis	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CHEM3281	Topics in Fundamental and Theoretical Chemistry (10cr)	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CHEM3282	Topics in Fundamental and Theoretical Chemistry (20cr)	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CHEM3283	Topics in Fundamental Chemistry	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CHEM3291	Topics in Interdisciplinary and Applied Chemistry (10cr)	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CHEM3292	Topics in Interdisciplinary and Applied Chemistry (20cr)	20	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

- Students may only take one of the following three modules as they are different variants of selecting from the same group of topics: CHEM3281, CHEM3282, CHEM3283.
- Students may only take one of the following two modules as they are different variants of selecting from the same group of topics: CHEM3291, CHEM3292.

In addition to the minimum 40 credits in Chemistry, students may also take the following skills modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CHEM3212	Big Data, Big Science	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
NATS3200	Machine Learning Approaches to Scientific Data Analysis	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

NATS2100, CHEM3212 or a comparable introductory Python module is a prerequisite for NATS3200.

Students taking their independent scholarship credits in Chemistry must take either:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CHEM3650	Laboratory-based Project Work 2M	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Or both of the following modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CHEM3437	Literature-based Project Work	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan), Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CHEM3666	Chemistry into Schools	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Students who are taking CHEM3650 or who have taken MATH2800 (Mathematics into Schools) may not take CHEM3666.

Students not taking CHEM3650 may also take the following module if they are taking 50 or more credits in Chemistry:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CHEM3720	Laboratory Work 2M	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

You may study up to 20 credits from the following, as long as you take a minimum of 40 credits of chemistry at level 3:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CHEM2112	Chemistry of Materials: what they are and how we know	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM2212	Organometallics: from bonding to catalysis	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CHEM2242	Introduction to Drug Design	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

If you are taking 60 or more credits of chemistry, and not taking both CHEM3666 and CHEM3437 as your independent scholarship modules, you may select one of the following:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
CHEM3437	Literature-based Project Work	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan), Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
CHEM3621	Ethical Issues in Chemistry	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
CHEM3666	Chemistry into Schools	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)

Students who are taking CHEM3650 may not take CHEM3437.

Students who are taking CHEM3650 or who have taken MATH2800 (Mathematics into Schools) may not take CHEM3666.

MATHEMATICS

Choose 40-80 credits from the following modules (check the Module Catalogue for pre-requisites and mutually exclusive modules). This must include at least 40 credits at level 3. At most 10 maths credits may be at level 2.

EDUC3060 counts towards the credit requirement for Maths modules.

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
COMP3910	Combinatorial Optimisation	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMP3940	Graph Algorithms and Complexity Theory	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
EDUC3060	Mathematics Education	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan), Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3001	Project in Mathematics	20	Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun)
MATH3017	Calculus in the Complex Plane	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3033	Graph Theory	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3104	Proof and Computation	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3113	Differential Geometry	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3120	Models and Sets	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3143	Combinatorics	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3355	Hamiltonian Systems	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3365	Mathematical Methods	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3385	Quantum Mechanics	15	Not running in 202526
MATH3397	Nonlinear Dynamics	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3414	Analytic Solutions of Partial Differential Equations	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3424	Introduction to Entropy in the Physical World	15	Not running in 202526
MATH3458	Geophysical Fluid Dynamics	15	Not running in 202526
MATH3459	Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3476	Numerical Methods	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3565	Mathematical Biology	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3567	Evolutionary Modelling	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3620	Fluid Dynamics 2	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3714	Linear Regression and Robustness	15	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3723	Statistical Theory	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3772	Multivariate Analysis	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3802	Time Series	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH3823	Generalised Linear Models	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH3860	Introduction to Clinical Trials	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Please note that some level 3 Maths modules are only offered in alternate years; see the online catalogue for further details.

The following modules have a high mathematical content and may be taken to count towards your credits in maths:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
PHYS3011	Cosmology	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PHYS3190	Molecular Simulation: Theory and Practice	15	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE3151	Dynamics of Weather Systems	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SOEE3250	Inverse Theory	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

PHYS3011 is a near equivalent to MATH3532 Relativity and Cosmology.
SOEE3250 has links to applied mathematics and statistics.
SOEE3151 is suitable for students with an interest or background in meteorology.

Students may take up to 10 credits of the following level 2 modules:

Code	Title	Credits	Semester	Pass for Progression
MATH2120	Rings and Polynomials	10	Semester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MATH2140	Introduction to Logic	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2440	Optimisation	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MATH2702	Stochastic Processes	10	Semester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Discovery Modules

Students may study up to 20 credits of discovery modules.

Major-Minor Pathways:

The final year of a joint honours programme is normally divided equally between your two subjects. Alternatively, you may study an imbalance between subjects of 50-70 or 40-80 credits at most. Typically, choosing to take 80 credits in your major subject will open up the chance to do a large 40-credit research project or dissertation, whereas doing only 40 credits will generally prevent you from doing any project in the minor subject. You should ask the Programme Manager for advice on this, and you must be aware of the need to pass a minimum of 40 credits in each of your subjects at level 3 in order to graduate with a joint honours degree.

If you choose to study chemistry 'major' (80 credits) or 'minor' (40 credits):
80 credits: Take CHEM3650 Laboratory-based Project Work 2M with the possible addition of CHEM3437 Literature-Based Project Work (or similar skills module), plus 50-60 credits chosen from the above options (including a maximum of 20 credits of level 2 modules).
40 credits: Choose 40 credits of level 3 chemistry theory options.

If you choose to study mathematics 'major' or 'minor':
80 credits: Choose MATH3001 Project in Mathematics and 60 credits of maths options (may include 20 credits of level 2 options)
40 credits: Choose 40 credits of level 3 maths options.

Last updated: 15/07/2025 16:55:58

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team