BSc in Chemistry

Duration: 3 years

Fee Paying: No

Admission Requirements

Besides the general University admissions requirements, candidates seeking admission into the BSc degree program in Chemistry must have pass grades in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry at the GCE O' Level. At the GCE A' Level, they must possess good pass grades in at least two science subjects, one of which must be Chemistry (minimum grade of "D"). Candidates with equivalent certificates will also be considered.

Objectives

The Department of Chemistry seeks to train students to acquire the basic knowledge and skills in chemistry. All students majoring in Chemistry are encouraged to choose any one of the professional minor programmes offered by the departmentChemical Process Technology (CPT); Materials Science Technology (MTS) and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (PCH). The training is aimed at enabling chemistry graduates find gainful employment in all areas where chemical knowledge is of essence.

Graduation Requirements

The University regulations require that a student earn at least 180 credits to graduate with a bachelor’s degree. These credits are divided into three categories University (UC), Compulsory (C) and Electives (E). A student must earn 18 University credits from the following courses English Language (4 credits), French (4 credits), Basic Information Technology Skills (4 credits), Sports (2 credits) and Civics and Ethics (4 credits). The other 162 credits are determined wholly or partly by the Department and/or the student.

Skills Acquired

Upon graduation, the student shall be capable of the following1) carrying out basic chemical analysis and simple chemical transformations; 2) operating, after some orientation, laboratory equipment that is based on commonly used analytical techniques, and interpreting the data obtained from these instruments; and 3) successfully running moderately complex experiments under supervision. Moreover, the student should be able to teach chemistry at the secondary and high school levels, and to design and conduct experiments meant for these levels.

Employment Opportunities

Chemistry majors can find employment in secondary education, medical or agricultural fields, industry or entry into postgraduate schools. Those majors who have a minor in Chemical Process Technology will find employment in many industrial sectors involving chemical and allied products; process plant/equipment design and construction, petroleum industry, energy and materials industry, water industry, food and breweries industry, environmental industrial sectors and project management. For those with a minor in Materials Science and Technology, self employment is possible in pottery, woodwork, brick-making, foundry work and recycling of wastes. In the construction industry, they can find gainful employment involving cement, stone and paintwork. In the manufacturing industry, they are trained for product and process design, testing and quality control. In the chemical industry, employment is possible in materials selection, inspection, protection and prevention of failure. The minor in Pharmaceutical Chemistry is designed to expand career options at the interface between chemistry and biology (pharmacy, pharmaceutical industry, research in herbal medicine, quality control laboratories). In addition, students graduating with this minor will be able to transition smoothly into postgraduate programs in pharmaceutics, medicinal/pharmaceutical chemistry and pharmacy.