Overview

Eligibility

Students may enter the Chemistry programme from the following First Science entry streams: Biological and Chemical Sciences (CK402 entry) and Chemical Sciences (CK406 entry). Students must have passed First Science and both chemistry modules (CM1200 and CM1201). There are 60 places in total available in each year.

Quotas

In filling the quota, places will be allocated to students passing first year CK406 at the First University Examination in Science at the Summer Examination or at the Autumn Supplemental Examination who opt to enter the programme. Remaining places will be allocated to students passing first year CK402 at the First University Examination in Science at the Summer Examination in the first year of registration who opt to enter the programme in order of merit of total marks of Chemistry (CM1200 and CM1201) obtained thereat. Remaining places, if any, will be filled in order of merit without distinction as to when the examination was completed. The decision as to the filling of such remaining places will be made after the results of the Autumn Supplemental Examination are known. 

Table 3: Chemistry Programme Overview

Second Year - Chemistry

The Second Science programme consists of modules of Chemistry to the value of 40 credits and additional modules to the value of 20 credits offered by cognate departments.

Elective MOdules

In Second Year no more than 15 credits may be selected from any one elective subject. The selection of elective modules in Second Science may depend on the student having taken the corresponding prerequisite elective module(s) in First Science.

Optional Module - CM0004 (5 credits)

Students interested in taking this optional module must note their interest to the module co-ordinator in the first week of Semester 1. Places are limited and will be allocated based on results obtained in First Year and subject to the approval of the Programme Co-ordinator. CM0004 is not included for progression to subsequent year and is not counted toward the final degree award. The result obtained in CM0004 will be recorded on the student's transcript.

Transfer from Second Science Chemistry to Biochemistry

Students who have taken Second Science Chemistry with BC2001, BC2002 and ML2901 may apply to the Head of the School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology by the First Friday in August to transfer to the Third Science Biochemistry Degree programme. Awarding of places is subject to the approval of the Head of the School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology and will be included in the Biochemistry quota of 30.

Please complete the transfer form available here and submit to the School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology Administration office 3.19, Western Gateway Building, Western Rd, UCC.

Third Year - Chemistry

Students passing Second Science enter the honours degree programme in Chemistry in Third Year. The Third Year programme consists of core modules of Chemistry (60 credits).

Year Abroad

On the recommendation of the Head of the School of Chemistry and subject to the approval of the College, a student may be permitted to undertake the Third Year of their BSc studies at an approved institution abroad following a study programme equivalent to 60 credits. Where a language other than English is the language of instruction at the approved host institution, up to 20 credits of the programme may be dedicated to formal study of the language of instruction. The detailed programme of study shall be proposed by the student in consultation with the approved host institution and the Programme Co-ordinator of the BSc (Chemistry) degree programme, and shall require the approval of the Head of the School of Chemistry.

The student will be examined by the approved host institution. A student who achieves a pass standard, as defined by the approved host institution, will be deemed to have passed the Third University Examination in Chemistry. A student who fails to achieve a pass standard, as defined by the approved host institution, will be deemed to have failed the Third University Examination in Chemistry and will be eligible to undertake the Third Year programme at UCC in a Repeat Year. The detailed transcript of results will be communicated by the host institution to the Autumn Examination Board, UCC, and will form part of the student's formal academic record.

SEMESTER ABROAD

On the recommendation of the Head of the School of Chemistry and subject to the approval of the College, a student may be permitted to undertake the First or Second Semester of the Third Year of their BSc studies at an approved institution abroad following a study programme equivalent to 30 credits. The detailed programme of study shall be proposed by the student in consultation with the approved host institution and the Programme Co-ordinator of the BSc (Chemistry) degree programme, and shall require the approval of the Head of the School of Chemistry.

The student will be examined by the approved host institution in their semester abroad. A student who achieves a pass standard, as defined by the approved host institution, will be deemed to have passed the semester. A student who fails to achieve a pass standard in their semester abroad, as defined by the approved host institution, will be deemed to have failed the Third University Examination in Chemistry and will be eligible to undertake the Third Year programme at UCC in a Repeat Year. The detailed transcript of results will be communicated by the host institution to the Autumn Examination Board, UCC, and will form part of the student's formal academic record.

Optional Module - CM0005 (5 credits)

Students interested in taking this optional module must note their interest to the module co-ordinator in the first week of Semester 2. Students who have passed the prerequisite CM0004 will be allocated a place, subject to the approval of the Programme Co-ordinator. CM0005 is not included for progression to subsequent year and is not counted toward the final degree award. The result obtained in CM0005 will be recorded on the student's transcript.

OPTIONAL MODULE - CM4211 (5 CREDITS)

Students interested in taking this optional module must secure a work placement relevant to the discipline, subject to the approval of the School of Chemistry. The work placement is to be undertaken in June-August (minimum four weeks) following the Third Year Summer Examination.  CM4211 Work Placement for Chemistry Students is not included for progression to subsequent year and is not counted towards the final degree award.  The result obtained in CM4211 Work Placement for Chemistry Students will be recorded on the student's transcript.

BSc Ordinary Degree - NFQ Level 7, Major Award

Students who pass Third Year may choose not to proceed to Fourth Year and may opt instead to be conferred with a BSc Ordinary Degree.

Fourth Year - Chemistry

The Fourth Year programme consists of core modules of Chemistry to the value of 40 credits, one elective Chemistry module to the value of 5 credits and the Chemistry research project module CM4206 (15 credits), which contains research projects, continuous assessments and the problem paper examination.

Programme Requirements

For information about modules, module choice, options and credit weightings, please go to Programme Requirements. 

Programme Requirements

¹

Students who took MA1012 in First Year cannot take this module again in Second Year.

²

MA2071 is available only to students who have taken MA1011 and MA1012 in First Year.

³

CM2009 is available only to students who took MA1011 Mathematical Methods I and MA1012 in First Year and subsequently cannot make up the required 20 credits from the above options.

⁴

Students interested in taking this optional module must note their interest to the module co-ordinator in the first week of Semester 1. Places are limited and will be allocated based on results obtained in First Year and subject to the approval of the Programme Co-ordinator. CM0004 is not included for progression to subsequent year and is not counted toward the final degree award. The result obtained in CM0004 will be recorded on the student's transcript.

⁵

Students interested in taking this optional module must note their interest to the module co-ordinator in the first week of Semester 2. Students who have passed the prerequisite CM0004 will be allocated a place, subject to the approval of the Programme Co-ordinator. CM0005 is not included for progression to subsequent year and is not counted toward the final degree award. The result obtained in CM0005 will be recorded on the student's transcript.

⁶

Students interested in taking this optional module must secure a work placement relevant to the discipline, subject to the approval of the School of Chemistry. The work placement is to be undertaken in June-August (minimum four weeks) following the Third Year Summer Examination.  CM4211 Work Placement for Chemistry Students is not included for progression to the subsequent year and is not counted towards the final degree award.  The result obtained in CM4211 Work Placement for Chemistry Students will be recorded on the student's transcript.

Examinations

Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards Book and for each module in the Book of Modules.

Programme Learning Outcomes

Programme Learning Outcomes for BSc (Hons) in Chemistry (NFQ Level 8, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Identify, formulate, analyse and solve chemistry problems;
• Outline fundamental aspects of chemistry;
• Design and carry out an experiment to test a hypothesis or theory in chemistry;
• Prepare written laboratory reports that provide a description of the experiment, explain the experiment and reasoning clearly, and provide an appropriate conclusion;
• Communicate effectively with the chemistry communities.

*** Only for Incoming First Years, Repeat First Years, Second Years and Repeat Second Years 2025/2026 ***
*** Click here for Marks and Standards for all other years ***

Marks and Standards

These Marks and Standards should be read in conjunction with the Programme Requirements and the Book of Modules.

Fitness to Practise

All students on programmes subject to Fitness to Practise in UCC will be required to comply with the Fitness to Practise Policy and meet the relevant Fitness to Practise standards, in order to progress to the next year of his/her/their programme. Click here for a list of programmes subject to the Fitness to Practise Policy.

First Year - Marks and Credits

Students are required to take modules to the value of 60 credits.
Total Marks for year: 1200.

First Year - Pass and Progression Criteria

To pass first year and progress to second year, students must achieve:

1. An aggregate mark of 40% across all modules,
2. A pass mark in the module CM1201,
3. A pass mark in modules to the value of at least 50 credits, and
4. A module mark of at least 30% in any remaining modules.

Pass by Compensation: Students who satisfy each of the above criteria are allowed to compensate in modules to the value of 10 credits and pass the year overall.

Second Year - Marks and Credits

Students are required to take modules to the value of 60 credits.
Total Marks for year: 1200.

Second Year - Pass and Progression Criteria

To pass second year and progress to third year, students must achieve:

1. An aggregate mark of 40% across all modules,
2. A pass mark in modules to the value of at least 50 credits, and
3. A module mark of at least 30% in any remaining modules.

Pass by Compensation: Students who satisfy each of the above criteria are allowed to compensate in modules to the value of 10 credits and pass the year overall.

Award of Honours in the Degree Award

Honours are only awarded in the final year of the degree.

Examination Boards

• Provisional marks for Semester 1 examinations are released in January/February of each year. These marks are subject to approval at the University Examination Board.
• Marks for all modules taken in Semester 1 and 2, including those wholly assessed by Continuous Assessment, will be presented to the University Examination Board at the end of Semester 2.

Supplemental Examinations and Assessment

• Students who fail to achieve the progression standard for the year at the Summer Examination Board must complete Supplemental Examinations and/or Continuous Assessment for those specific module(s), where there is provision to do so.
• Please refer to the Book of Modules for requirements governing the Supplemental Examination and Assessment for individual modules. Note: For some modules there is no Supplemental Examination and Assessment.
• The marks achieved in the Supplemental Examinations and/or Continuous Assessment of a repeat module are considered at the Autumn Examination Board.
• The actual mark achieved by the candidate in the Supplemental or Repeat Year Examination will be recorded on the student record (Academic Transcript).
• The maximum mark that will be taken into account for aggregation and progression purposes is a pass level, unless the student has been granted a cap waiver or deferral by the University Mitigation Committee, or a University Examination Board, or has been approved to defer the previous attempt by the University Mitigation Committee.
• At the Autumn Examination Board, marks from all passed modules approved at the Summer Examination Board are carried forward and are combined with the marks achieved in Supplemental Examinations and/or Assessments. The pass and progression criteria are applied to the aggregate mark achieved.

Note: The mark achieved at the last examination/assessment attempt is the mark that is included in the calculation of the aggregate mark for pass and progression purposes.

Study Abroad

• When students study abroad as part of his/her/their degree programme, they will be assessed by his/her/their host university.
• To pass the study abroad period and progress to the subsequent year, a student must achieve a pass standard as applied by the host institution.
• A Pass/Fail judgement will be presented to the UCC Examination Boards:
  • At the Summer Examination Board for students spending Semester 1 abroad.
  • At the Autumn/Winter Examination Board for students spending the full academic year abroad or Semester 2 only.
• For students failing to achieve a pass mark, Supplemental Assessment will be prescribed by the School in UCC, and these results will be presented at a Winter Examination Board.

Exemptions

All passed modules carry an exemption, which is limited to a period of five academic years (or two in the case of Computer Science modules) subsequent to the award of the exemption.

Repeat Year Examinations

Students repeating the year may do so choosing one of the following mechanisms:

1. Students retain module exemptions, if any, and must repeat all failed/absent modules, including those modules where the failing mark previously achieved was greater than the level of compensation (≥ 30%) but who failed to achieve the progression standard for the year (see above). The pass and progression criteria are then applied to the combination of full marks achieved in modules passed at the first attempt, plus capped marks achieved in modules in the Repeat Year Examinations.​

Note: For students selecting different modules not previously taken, there are no restrictions on the marks awarded for those modules at the first attempt in a repeat year. The selection of different modules by the student means that the student foregoes any previous marks achieved in the original modules (including previously passed modules).

2. Students may forego all module exemptions achieved and repeat the year choosing modules to the value of the full 60 credits. In determining pass and progression, there is no restriction on the marks awarded for modules taken at the first attempt of the Repeat Year. Modules taken at the subsequent Supplemental Examination and Assessment are capped at the pass mark.

Subject to capacity, all students - whether they have failed or passed - are allowed to choose this second option, in an attempt to improve his/her/their grade.

Students repeating the final year are eligible for the award of Honours in the first Repeat Year only. Final year students wishing to repeat the year with a view to improving his/her/their degree result may do so only if they have not been conferred.

Three Year Rule

Students must pass/progress within three academic years of the date of first registration for a year, otherwise they cannot continue in the programme.

Terms and Definitions

Programme Description

• The programme description is outlined in the Programme Requirements tab.

Module Descriptions/Assessment

• Module descriptions, including the pass standard for a module, special requirements to pass a module, and assessment elements and their weightings, are contained in the Book of Modules.

Marks and Credits

• A maximum of 100 marks may be awarded for every five credits of a programme.
• Some modules are assessed on a Pass/Fail basis only, i.e. marks are not awarded.

Pass and Progression

• Progression is defined as the permission granted to a student to register in the subsequent academic year for the next set of modules within his/her/their programme of study.
• Compensation is defined as the process by which a student, who fails to satisfy some of the regulations for credit in a specific module, is nevertheless recommended for credit to be awarded on the grounds that the failure is offset by his/her/their performance in the other modules on his/her/their programme of study.