Generally offered as a one or two-year program, MSc Chemistry is a postgraduate-level course that encompasses a diverse range of interdisciplinary subjects and branches of chemistry like Quantum Chemistry, Surface Chemistry, Thermodynamics and Equilibria, and Polymer Chemistry, amongst others. It is generally opted by those wanting to explore opportunities in the field of Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Molecular Biology, and Nanotechnology, to name a few. If you are interested in pursuing this master’s degree, you must familiarise yourself with the syllabus and subjects covered during the course. Here’s a blog that aims to provide you with an MSc Chemistry syllabus, key subjects as well as career scope.
Course | MSc Chemistry |
Full-Form | Master’s in Science in Chemistry |
Education Level | Postgraduate |
Duration | 1-2 years |
Minimum Eligibility | BSc degree with 50% or more with Chemistry as one of the main subjects. |
Average Fees | INR 30,000 to INR 3 lakhs (more if opting for study abroad) |
Major Subjects | Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Quantum Chemistry, Inorganic Reaction Mechanism, Thermodynamics, etc. |
Career Prospects | Chemist, Toxicologist, Chemical Research Assistant, Pharmacy Assistant, Lab Scientist, etc. |
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Recommended Read: Courses After BSc Chemistry
MSc Chemistry Syllabus
Though the actual course offerings might differ from one program to another, MSc Chemistry mainly focuses on providing students with advanced-level knowledge of subjects covered under the BSc Chemistry syllabus like Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry, amongst others. Further, it also includes extensive laboratory work as students are taught about chemical structures, experiments, etc. Take a look at the major subjects included in the MSc Chemistry syllabus during a 2-year program.
Year 1
Semester I | Semester II |
Introduction to Nanoscience and Nanotechnology | Organic Chemistry -II |
Heterocyclic Chemistry And Chemistry Of Biomolecules | Physical Chemistry -II |
Surface, Interfaces, and Catalysis | Analytical Chemistry II |
Organic Chemistry -I | Chemistry of Life |
Physical Chemistry -I | Supramolecular and Medicinal Chemistry II |
Analytical Chemistry | Surface, Interfaces, and Catalysis |
Advanced Instrumental Methods of Analysis | Separation Techniques |
Organic Chemistry -I | Inorganic Chemistry II |
Physical Chemistry -I | – |
Year 2
Semester III | Semester IV |
Organic chemistry III | Major Project |
Advanced Organic Chemistry -III | Functional Inorganic materials |
Advanced Organic Synthesis -III | Advanced functional organic materials |
Green Chemistry III | Advanced spectroscopy and applications in structural analysis |
Inorganic Chemistry | Advanced electroanalytical techniques |
Advanced Inorganic Chemistry III | Advances in surface, interface, and catalysis |
Organometallics-III | Advanced materials energy storage and conversion devices |
Solid-state chemistry and Advanced Materials -III | Advanced polymer science and technology |
Water Chemistry and Treatment Technology-III | Practicals |
Environmental Chemistry and Applied Analysis | – |
Check Out: PhD in Chemistry
Note: The aforementioned semester-wise syllabus is only for indicative purposes. The actual syllabus and course offerings might differ as per the program and university.
MSc Chemistry Important Subjects & Topics
Now that you know the semester-wise MSc Chemistry syllabus, we have detailed some of the core subjects taught in this course:
Subject | Topics |
Principals of Organic Chemistry | Review of structure and bonding; Methods of resolution; Stereochemistry; Thero and erythroid isomers; Elements of symmetry; Asymmetric synthesis; Thermodynamics; The Hammett equation; Different Oxidation Processes; Different Reductive processes. |
Inorganic Reaction Mechanism and Organometallics | Marcus theory; Adamson’s rules; Substitution of Octahedral planar complexes; Inorganic photochemistry; Homogeneous catalysis; Organometallic Chemistry; Spectral and magnetic properties; Fluxional molecules; Metal arene complexes; Photoredox reactions. |
Quantum Chemistry | Tunnelling; Rigid rotator; Inorganic Reaction Mechanism and Organometallics; Separation energies; Review of essential mathematics concepts; Hydrogen atom; Linear variation principle; Perturbation theory. |
Classical and Statistical Thermodynamics | Classical Thermodynamics; Review of the laws of thermodynamics; concept and determination of fugacity; coefficient of electrolytic solutions; Equilibrium conditions and constraints; Basic postulates; Statistical concepts and examples; Fermi-Dirac equation and statistics; Probability calculations. |
Group Theory and Spectroscopy | Definition of a group, point groups, symmetry, character table, derivation of projection operator, Spectroscopy- Electromagnetic Radiation and its interaction with matter, Rigid Rotor Model. |
Organic Reactions & Mechanisms | Aliphatic Nucleophilic Substitution; Classical and nonclassical carbocations; The SNi mechanism; Reactivity effects of substrate structure, attaching nucleophile, leaving group and reaction medium; Nucleophilic substitution at an allylic, aliphatic trigonal and a vinyl carbon; Electrophilic; electrophilic substitution accompanied by double bond shifts. |
Bio-organic Chemistry | Selective Transport and Storage of Iron; Electron Transfer; Metalloproteins & Metalloenzymes; Fes Clusters, ionophores, etc. |
Why Pursue MSc in Chemistry
Would you be interested in learning more about the smallest parts that make up the cosmos around us? You may go further into a variety of areas with an MSc in chemistry. Everything is possible, including the creation of new matter and materials, running experiments, looking into things, and doing analyses, as well as modelling and simulating chemical reactions and processes. You can respond to challenges numerically, conceptually, or empirically. Other elements might include:
- An essential field.
- Employment opportunities.
- Experiential learning.
Top Courses and Universities
MSc Chemistry is offered by numerous universities across the globe. Further, as a postgraduate degree, it is also available in different specializations of chemistry that students can choose from. Here are the top universities for MSc Chemistry and its variants.
Courses | Universities |
MSc Chemistry | Technical University of Berlin University of Leeds University of Bayreuth University of Victoria National University of Singapore University of Calgary Free University of Berlin Rochester Institute of Technology |
MSc in Chemistry and Advanced Chemical Methodologies MSc in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology |
University of Camerino |
MA in Organic Chemistry | Stockholm University |
Master of Applied Science (Chemistry) | University of Tasmania |
Master’s Degree in Theoretical Chemistry and Computational Modelling | Universidad Autonoma de Madrid |
MSc Petroleum and GeoScience | Aalto University |
MSc Chemistry Career Scope & Salary
Completing a master’s degree in Chemistry, graduates can explore a wide range of opportunities in academia, research as well as other sectors. Here are the key career prospects you must consider after completing MSc Chemistry:
- Scientist – Synthetic Lab (Computational Chemistry)
- Toxicologist
- Pharmacy Assistant
- Chemistry – Content Developer
- Chemistry Lecturers/Assistant/Associate Professors
- Chemistry Research Officer
- Scientist – Soil Chemistry/Fertility/Microbiology
- Application Specialist – Analytical Chemistry
The following are some of the most common MSc Chemistry careers accessible to successful MSc Chemistry graduates, along with the associated salary (average).
Job Prospects | The average estimated annual salary in INR |
Chemist | 7-9 lakhs |
Clinical Research Associate | 7-9 lakhs |
Lab Assistant | 5-6 lakhs |
Toxicologist | 8 lakhs |
Pharmaceutical Sales Executive | 4-6 lakhs |
Must Read: How to Build a Successful Career in Chemistry?
FAQs
Some of the important and prominent subjects in MSc Chemistry are:
Inorganic Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
Analytical Chemistry
Inorganic Reaction Mechanism and Organometallics
Organic Reactions Mechanisms
Principles of Spectroscopy
Organic Synthetic Methods
The entire curriculum is divided into 4 semesters.
In general, someone with an MSc Chemistry degree would look for work in pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, medical schools, private clinics, research institutes, and so on. Postgraduates in chemistry earn between INR 3 and INR 6 lakhs per year on average.
If you have an MSc Chemistry degree and want to work with ISRO, you should apply for positions such as Junior Research Fellow if you are a newcomer; if you have expertise in the same sector, you will have an edge. You can only apply if you have a grade point average of at least 60%.
Hence, we hope that this blog has helped you comprehend the key essentials of the MSc Chemistry syllabus. If you are aspiring to study for a degree in Master of Science in Chemistry, reach out to our study abroad experts and we will guide you in finding a suitable university as well as throughout the admission process to ensure that you get successfully shortlisted!
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detailed information about M.Sc. in organic chemistry from starting to end……
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Hi Shailesh! Please check out this blog on MSc in Organic Chemistry- https://leverageedu.com/blog/msc-organic-chemistry/
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2 comments
detailed information about M.Sc. in organic chemistry from starting to end……
Hi Shailesh! Please check out this blog on MSc in Organic Chemistry- https://leverageedu.com/blog/msc-organic-chemistry/