Chemistry Degrees - with a little extra!

Year in Industry or Year Abroad

Dr Steven Henderson

The University of Edinburgh

Caveat

• All of the information in this presentation relates to Edinburgh Chemistry degrees –other universities may adopt different practises.

Year in Industry

• Available on the MChem degrees – not BSc.

– Makes the degree five years in duration

• UNLESS your exams results allow entry into second year.

• The Year in Industry is taken in year 4.

• By the time you are on placement, you have an ordinary degree – means you know enough Chemistry to be useful to an employer!

Year in Industry

• In 2011-12, the average salary was £16,700

• The placement is a full year in duration

• You work in an industrial research lab on a defined project

• You are visited twice by your academic supervisor for assessment purposes

• On your return, you present your work to your peer group and staff - assessed

Year in Industry

• The placement marks contributes 20% to your final degree classification – the same contribution as your from year 3.

• Placements are competitive – the Industrial company decide which students they will take.

• Placement locations are all over the UK and abroad

– USA, Europe and Far East

Year Abroad (with Industry)

• Year Abroad degrees are based in Universities*

• Within Europe, under the Erasmus scheme

• Elsewhere, normally as exchanges.

• Normally the exchanges are with other Universitas 2 institutions

* Singapore NTU combines with Industry

Why take the extra year?

• Gives extra value to your CV

– Industrial placement let you see if you like Industrial Chemistry as a career

– Many companies are multinational

• Shows that you are capable of moving out of your comfort zone

• The company gets to have a year long interview!

• So do you!

Why take the extra year?

• Year abroad can allow you to experience cultures which are new to you

• If the language used is not English….

• Opportunity for further travel when not working

• Tremendous fun!

Overall

• The best reasons for doing an integrated Masters degree (in my opinion)

• 100% satisfaction from our students

• Industrial students earn money!

• Quote “the best year of my life, I didn’t want to come home!”