Innovative Doctoral Training in Chemistry Programme Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Extended Registration 1-3 months Becoming an Effective Research Chemist Up to 2 Techniques courses as required for your project Research project Essential Chemistry Research Skills Developing as a Professional Chemist Level 2 Concepts Course 2 Hot Topics Research project Write PhD Thesis 4-12 months Level 1 Concepts Course Next stage Write MSc by research thesis or continue to Year 2 of PhD / MPhil Write MPhil thesis or continue to Year 3 of PhD Write PhD thesis Submit PhD Thesis This framework is a guide that spreads the course requirements throughout your programme. However, if you wish to complete your courses sooner, you may do so.
In addition to the Core Chemistry Training that all graduate students are required to complete, there is more specific training available that aims to enhance your skills in your own research area. The courses are theme specific, but you can choose to take courses from outside of your theme if they are more relevant to your research. This section of the Handbook will explain the courses that are available and the themes they fall under – some courses are appropriate to multiple themes. Research themes: Healthcare and Medicinal Synthetic Chemistry (HMSC) Sustainability and Green Technologies (SGT) Functional Materials (FM) Atmospheric Chemistry (AC) Analytical and Data Analysis (ADA) Spectroscopy, Computation and Simulation (SCS) Although some courses are more suited to particular themes, you should not feel restricted by your theme. You should discuss the courses with your supervisor and agree which courses are most relevant to you. You can then sign up for courses you wish to attend using Skills Forge: Timetables for graduate courses can be found on the Google Drive, accessible from your University email account. Some courses are organised by other departments and will therefore need the agreement of both your supervisor and the course organiser for you to attend. Techniques Training: usually taken in Year 1, techniques training is to familiarise you with the theory and operation of equipment that you will need to use in order to carry out your research. You should attend any techniques training required for your research project. Concepts courses: Level 1: Underpinning Research: these courses are usually taken in Year 1 and provide a general knowledge for non-specialists in that area. All students should aim to take at least one of these courses. Level 2: Advanced concepts: these courses are usually taken in Years 2 as they will delve deeper into a subject to a more advanced, specialist level. PhD students should aim to take one of these courses in year 2 or 3. Hot Topics: These courses are taken in Years 2 or 3. They aim to discuss cutting edge chemistry research in a number of important areas and help to broaden your knowledge of the latest significant advances in literature. Students should aim to take two of these courses over these courses of their PhD. The iDTC research themes are:
Theme-specific Training Course Type Healthcare and Medicinal Synthetic Chemistry (HMSC) Sustainability and Green Technologies (SGT) Functional Materials (FM) Atmospheric Chemistry (AC) Analytical and Data Analysis (ADA) Spectroscopy, Computation and Simulation (SCS) Techniques Advanced Practical Techniques Students to choose from other themes Students to choose from other themes Practical Gas Chromotography Introduction to NMR & Mass Spectrometry Electronic and Vibrational Spectroscopy Gas Cylinder Training Experimental Design, Data Processing and Error Analysis Introduction to Linux Computing Introduction to the Chromotography Service Introduction to Practical Quantum Chemistry Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction Introduction to Programming Concepts Level 1 Problem Solving in Organic Chemistry Introduction to Green Chemistry and Control of Environmental Impact British Liquid Crystal Society Winter Workshop Air Quality Measurement Techniques Basic Statistics for Chemical and Biological Analyses Gaussian for Beginners Quantum Chemistry NMR Spectra and Interpretation Characterisation of Solid State Materials Solid State NMR Alternative Reaction Media and Catalysis in Green Chemistry Material: Soft Matter CHEM 21 Online Platform: green and sustainable methodologies
Concepts Level 2 Problem Solving in Organic Chemistry Clean Synthesis and Renewable Resources Students to choose from other themes Students to choose from other themes Modern Mass Spectrometry: Fundamentals of Instrument Design and Function Database and Web Applications in Python Contemporary Organic Synthesis Energy Efficient Synthesis and Clean Technology Multivariate Statistics for Data Analysis Drug Discovery Hot Topics Proteins Technology and Business Strategy within the Chemical Industry Advanced Materials Environmental & Analytical Chemistry Environmental & Analytical Chemistry Photochemistry Catalysis in Synthesis Supramolecular and Nanoscale Chemistry Lasers in Chemistry Activation of Small Molecules and Catalysis of Transition Metals Chemical Biology YSBL Journal Club RENEWCHEM: Sustainable Manufacturing for the Chemical Industry Depending on your research area, you may find that other departments offer courses that would be appropriate for you. If you find a course outside of the department that you wish to take, you can do so as long as your supervisor and the course organiser agree. The course may be used to fulfil the iDTC requirements.