MSc Chemistry

Chemistry, which is a challenging yet rewarding field of study has seen innumerable developments and advancements over the centuries. This popular discipline along with other branches of science such as Agriculture, Biology, Medicine, Geology, etc, have continued to influence our lives in one or the other way. Chemistry is the study of matter, its properties, composition, and reactions in order to form new substances. In this blog, we will collate all the information pertinent to MSc Chemistry program and its career prospects. 

Highlights

Course Name	Master of Science in Chemistry (MSc Chemistry)
Duration	2 years
Minimum Eligibility	BSc degree in Chemistry or related subjects with at least 50% or more
MSc Chemistry Subjects	Photochemistry, Industrial Catalysis, Inorganic Chains, Group theory and Quantum Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Rings, and Clusters, Stereochemistry and Reaction Mechanism, Green Chemistry, etc.
Top Entrance Exams Abroad	GRE/GMAT and IELTS/ TOEFL
Top Entrance Exams India	BHU PET, JNUEE, DUET, IPU CET, etc.
MSc Chemistry Job Profiles	-Food and Drug Inspector -Biomedical Chemist -Laboratory Assistant -Production Chemist -Chemist -Chemical Analyst
Top Recruiters	Tata Chemicals, Bodal Chemical Ltd.,Camlin Fine Sciences, Oriental Carbon and Chemicals, etc
Average Salary	INR 4- 10,00,000 PA

MSc Chemistry Overview

MSc Chemistry, one of the most famous courses after BSc Chemistry, is a postgraduate program that spans over a period of two years and in some cases, can extend up to four years depending on the university. Covering various branches of the field such as organic, inorganic, analytical and physical sciences, the degree program opens doors for students in an array of research-oriented domains, pharmaceutical companies, government and private organizations, etc.

MSc Chemistry Subjects and Syllabus

BSc Chemistry subjects build a strong foundation in the basic concepts related to the field but the MSc Chemistry program covers various topics that acquaint students with advanced knowledge and skills required to build a strong career in this field. Tabulated below are some of the major subjects which are taught under this course: 

Analytical and Structural Chemistry

This module taught in MSc Chemistry aims to provide the students with a deep understanding of: the principles of NMR spectroscopy and the analysis of NMR spectra of some of the organic and inorganic compounds, laws and application of X-ray diffraction by single crystals, the impact of modern mass spectrometry and interpretation of vibrational spectra of organic and inorganic molecules

Methods and Techniques for Drug Chemistry

Providing the students with in-depth knowledge of synthetic organic transformations, this subject imparts knowledge on: Spectroscopic techniques for studying organic molecules and use the data to determine the structure of organic molecules, Identification of the practical confinements in the designing of artificial procedures, Unfolding various experimental techniques in chromatography and others.

Organic Synthesis and Characterization of Biologically Active Compounds

This module develops a deeper understanding of the topics related to the synthesis of relatively complex organic molecules. The various topics included in this are:

Controlled formation of C-C bonds and functional group transformation, retrosynthetic analysis and synthesis of biologically essential molecules, Structure explanation of complex molecules, etc. 

Research Preparation and Independent Studies

This module provides students with all the knowledge and techniques related to conducting research for independent studies. They will be required to carry out a literature review and form a research project.

Drug Detection, Analysis and Screening

Analysis of methods like NMR and IR spectroscopic techniques, Multivariate data processing, Spectroscopy, GC/HPLC, Hyphenated techniques, Biophysics, Other disciplines related to drugs and its analytical chemistry, etc.

Inorganic Chemistry Beyond Molecules

Through this subject, the MSc Chemistry students will acquire knowledge related to the supramolecular and biomimetic approaches in material chemistry. The students will also learn why interfaces in structural regulation and regulation of next-gen materials are important.

Now lets us take a look at the syllabus of MSc Chemistry-

Semester 1	Semester 2
-Stereochemistry and Reaction Mechanism -Inorganic Chains, Rings, and Clusters -Inorganic Semimicro -Analytical Chemistry -Physical Chemistry Experiments Lab	-Synthetic Strategies and Pericyclic Reactions -Thermodynamics and Equilibria -Solid State Chemistry and Materials Science -Spectroscopic Methods in Chemistry -Inorganic Quantitative Analysis Lab
Semester 3	Semester 4
-Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry -Bioorganic and Heterocyclic -Organic Quantitative Analysis Lab -Electrochemistry -Medicinal Chemistry	-Chemistry of Biomolecules -Kinetics -Photochemistry -Industrial Catalysis -Surface Science and Coating Technology

Also Read: Tricks to Learn Periodic Table

Eligibility Criteria

To be able to enroll in an MSc Chemistry program, the students are required to fulfill certain eligibility parameters set by the university. Though the criteria may vary from one educational institution to another, here are some common guidelines followed by most of the universities: 

• The applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or equivalent from a recognized university. 
• The candidate should have passed the GRE with a good score and should be able to produce the scorecard at the time of admission.  
• The candidates need to prove their English language proficiency through the IELTS/TOEFL/PTE exams.
• In case the university conducts its own admission entrance test, the candidates need to qualify that as well.

Top Universities Offering MSc Chemistry

With the advancements in the field of Chemistry and its continuous development, more students have started opting for courses so as to build a career in this domain. Catering to the demand, listed below are the best universities that offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs like BSc and MSc Chemistry while providing world-class educational facilities and direct industry exposure for polishing the skills of students. 

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Newcastle University 
• Ghent University
• University of Oxford 
• Nottingham Trent University
• The University of British Columbia
• ETH Zurich
• University of Birmingham
• National University of Singapore
• University of Toronto
• Princeton University
• Flinders University

Note: It is advised to visit the official website regularly to be updated with any entrance exams or circulars essential to your admission process for MSc Chemistry. 

MSc Chemistry Colleges in India

Listed below are the popular MSc Chemistry colleges in India-

• Hindu College
• Miranda House
• Hansraj College
• Fergusson College
• Stella Maris College
• Ramjas College
• The Oxford College of Science
• Christ University
• Sri Venkateswara College
• Stella Maris College
• Chandigarh University

MSc Chemistry Distance Education 

Apart from pursuing this degree abroad or through a full-time course in India, candidates can also seek a degree in the same course through distance education. Let us take a look at some important points related to it-

• Students need to have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university from India or abroad
• The usual duration of this course  is 2 years and the maximum duration of the same is 5 years
• The estimated fee of this course in distance education ranges around INR 12,000 to 60,000 annually. 
• There is no age limit set for the candidates looking forward to pursuing this course from distance.
• You can seek admission to MSc Chemistry on the basis of scores obtained at the graduation level.

Career Prospects 

Since the usage and application of chemistry are in almost every field, an MSc Chemistry graduate can discover diverse career opportunities in various industries. The common areas of employment where such graduates are in-demand have been listed below:

• Medical Research
• Manufacturing and Processing Industries
• Oil and petroleum Industries
• Pharmaceutical Companies
• Agriculture 
• Biotechnology Firms
• Chemical Industries
• Forensic Laboratories
• Hospitals
• Research and Development (R&D) Firms
• Education
• Cosmetic Industries

MSc Chemistry Jobs

Now that you know the various areas where an MSc Chemistry graduate can work, take a look at the various job profiles available for them:

• University Lecturer
• Food and Drug Inspector
• Biomedical Chemist
• Laboratory Assistant
• Production Chemist
• Chemist
• Chemical Analyst
• Materials Technologist
• Quality Controller
• Analytical Chemists
• Healthcare Scientists
• Research and Development Manager
• Health and Environment Safety Specialist

Average Salary

Tabulated below are the average salaries of the popular job profiles after co pelting a degree in MSc Chemistry-

Profiles	Average Salary
Chemist	INR 9,00,000
Clinical Research Associate	INR 7,00,000
Lab Assistant	INR 5,00,000
Toxicologist	INR 8,00,000
Pharmaceutical Sales Executive	INR 6,00,000

MSc Chemistry Scope 

Over the past few years, a sudden inclination has been observed in terms of the scope of this course as the field of chemistry has now become a part of various other prominent domains. Those who earn this degree can opt to pursue a job in the corporate sector or government sector under various profiles. Apart from this, students can also opt to explore the field of higher education in the related or the same domain. Major courses that can be pursued are Ph.D. in Chemistry or Mphil in Chemistry. After completing such courses, students can take over academic jobs in schools, colleges, and universities or may continue with their research projects.

Also read: Universities in Sydney

Top Study Destinations

As a graduate in Chemistry who wants to take their education to the next level, choosing the right program and the study place is of utmost importance. Here is a list of countries which are considered to be the top study abroad destinations for students aspiring to pursue MSc Chemistry:

• Germany: With a combination of affordable tuition fees and high quality education, Germany is one of the top study destinations to pursue MSc Chemistry. Many universities in the European nation offer several programs related to the field of Chemistry with English as a medium of instruction. 

• United States of America: MSc Chemistry is one of the most sought after and preferred courses among the science stream aspirants in the USA. Even though the tuition fee is quite expensive but there are a number of scholarships for MS in USA through which the students can get the best-in-class education without facing monetary constraints.

• Australia: Home to some of the top universities in the world, studying Masters in Australia is a viable option for those who want to pursue higher education in this field. Through an exceptional education system of Australia and extensive theoretical and practical curriculum provided to students, the MSc Chemistry aspirants can seek a number of job opportunities in various industries.

• Netherlands: Being one of the affordable destinations for attaining education in the world, the Netherlands welcomes international students by providing world-class educational infrastructure, a healthy study environment and a number of degrees and short term courses. One of which is MSc Chemistry. The students having limited monetary resources can consider studying in the Netherlands due to the low cost of living and studying there.

• Canada: Canada is a famous country among Indians to pursue higher education in different disciplines. With thousands of career opportunities entailing, studying MSc Chemistry can be fruitful owing to the fact that there is no language constraint and ample of scholarships to study in Canada.

With the omnipresence of chemistry in almost every other field of study, it can become difficult for young aspirants to choose the right program. If you are confused about whether to pursue an MSc Chemistry or some other associated degree program then just reach out to us at Leverage Edu where the experts will help you identify your true potential through our AI-enabled tool and assist you in choosing the best program and university based on your interests and skills.