CHMRP1: MSc Chemical Research Project

Module code: CHMRP1

Module provider: Chemistry; School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy

Credits: 140

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Dr James Cooper, email: james.cooper@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): Before taking this module, you must have a 2:2 in BSc or MChem in Chemistry (or closely related subject). (Open)

Co-requisite module(s): IN THE SAME YEAR AS TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE CHMRS1 (Compulsory)

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This programme aims to provide a flexible course that enables students to acquire specialist research techniques and expertise in their chosen area of Chemistry. The ultimate aim of the programme is to prepare students for a career in research and development, or for taking a higher degree by research. Students will be trained to undertake practical and theoretical research in their specialist area of chemistry with guidance from an experienced researcher. This necessitates that all students will be able to establish the extent of published knowledge in the chosen field, understand and summarise that knowledge and be able to report formally, both orally and in writing. In addition, all students will be provided with a solid theoretical grounding of important concepts associated with their chosen research area and will be provided with training in relevant database searching skills.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Increase their knowledge about a specialised area of chemical research.
2. Gain an appreciation of how chemical research is conducted.
3. Develop their practical and investigative skills to enable them to conduct independent research.
4. Develop their ability to describe their research orally and in writing and discuss their research in the context of the wider literature.
5. Strengthen their ability to identify, tackle and solve problems by drawing on the existing literature and discussing research with their colleagues.

Module content

Students will perform a research project in all its ramifications. Students will choose to work with a member of staff and the range of topics available for selection will reflect the research interests of the member of staff. For example, topics currently spread from theoretical chemistry through computing, physical chemistry, surface chemistry, catalysis, spectroscopy, inorganic chemistry, synthesis, mechanistic chemistry, photochemistry, high pressure chemistry, polymer chemistry and supramolecular chemistry to the more biological aspects of inorganic and organic chemistry.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Students will be trained in the necessary research methods via day-to-day interactions with the supervisor, the research team and technicians.

Study hours

At least 900 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

An interim report is assessed approximately halfway through the course and formative feedback provided by the Supervisor and the Internal Assessor. In addition, feedback is provided through weekly meetings between student and Supervisor.

Reassessment

Additional costs