MRes Green Chemistry, Energy and the Environment
Preparing students with the skills and experience required to work in the field of green chemistry.
Key information
Duration: 1 year full-time
Start date: October 2022
ECTS: 90 credits
Overview
Chemistry plays a pivotal role in determining the quality of modern life. The chemicals industry and other related industries supply us with a huge variety of essential products, from plastics to pharmaceuticals. However, these industries have the potential to seriously damage our environment. This is being addressed by academics and those working in industry to minimise the impact of these processes on our planet.
There is a growing demand from society for a reduced reliance on fossil fuels, and for greener manufacturing processes. There is also a need for future innovations to be built on more sustainable foundations.
These goals can be achieved by the application of green technologies, many of which rely on the application of chemical concepts.
Green chemistry serves to promote the design and efficient use of environmentally-benign chemicals and chemical processes. This multi-disciplinary course will introduce key aspects of key sustainable chemical practices, with nine months dedicated to a unique research project in an area of green/sustainable/environmental science.
It features the involvement of several world class departments at Imperial, including:
In addition, the aims of the course align closely with those of the Centre for Environmental Policy, the Energy Futures Lab and the Grantham Institute at Imperial and there are many interactions between them and the students and staff involved in the MRes Green Chemistry course.
The course will also feature contributions from the chemical industry, including guest speakers and project supervision. Past presentations have included ones from Syngenta, GSK, SASOL and other potential employers.
These invited talks provide an insight into the use of sustainable chemistry and technology in industry.
Study programme
This full-time programme lasts for one academic year and is made up of both taught and research-based elements.
The taught modules begin in the autumn term and last for the duration of the year. Taught modules cover topics as diverse as:
- green solvents
- renewable chemical feedstocks
- conducting polymers
- solar cells
- fuel cells
- biofuels
- metal recovery and recycling
You meet with the Course Director every week to present and discuss your work. Critical skills are developed by group discussions of key papers in Journal Club sessions led by an expert in the area.
The research project starts in November and you will submit your dissertation in late August.
Careers
This programme is a leader in the area and has been running for over 15 years with more than 270 students graduating in this time.
Graduates of this course can expect to have all the necessary skills and experience to apply green chemical technologies in either commercial or academic laboratories. The extended research project in particular will equip you admirably for PhD studies.
Structure
This page reflects the latest version of the curriculum for this year of entry. However, this information is subject to change.
The curriculum of this programme is currently being reviewed as part of a College-wide process to introduce a standardised modular structure. As a result, the content and assessment structures of this course may change for this year of entry.
We recommend you check this page before finalising your application and again before accepting your offer. We will update this page as soon as any changes are confirmed by the College.
Find out more about the limited circumstances in which we may need to make changes to or in relation to our courses, the type of changes we may make and how we will tell you about any changes made.
Page last reviewed on 25 October 2021.
Structure
Taught modules
Core
You take all of the following taught modules:
- Two assessed lecture courses (Sustainable Chemistry and Recycling Metals from Waste)
- Journal Clubs
- Renewable energy poster project
Optional
You also have access to the following non-assessed elements:
- Plastic Electronics lectures
- Renewable Energy lectures
- Advanced Catalysis lectures
Research project
You undertake a nine-month research project, which includes the following elements:
- Research proposal
- Dissertation
- Oral exam
- Oral presentation
Teaching and assessment
Teaching methods
- Independent research project
- Journal clubs
- Lectures
- Poster project
- Seminars
Assessment methods
- Coursework
- Dissertation
- Oral examination
- Presentations
- Written reports
Entry requirements
We welcome students from all over the world and consider all applicants on an individual basis.
Entry requirements
Minimum academic requirement
Our minimum requirement is a 2.1 degree in chemistry, engineering or a related subject.
International qualifications
We also accept a wide variety of international qualifications.
The academic requirement above is for applicants who hold or who are working towards a UK qualification.
For guidance see our Country Index though please note that the standards listed are the minimum for entry to the College, and not specifically this Department.
If you have any questions about admissions and the standard required for the qualification you hold or are currently studying then please contact the relevant admissions team.
English language requirement (all applicants)
All candidates must demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency for admission to the College.
For admission to this course, you must achieve the standard College requirement in the appropriate English language qualification. For details of the minimum grades required to achieve this requirement, please see the English language requirements for postgraduate applicants.
Competence standards
Our competence standards highlight the core skills students should be able to demonstrate by the end of this course.
View the Department of Chemistry's competence standards [pdf]
We believe in providing the widest practicable access to all of our degree programmes and will make reasonable adjustments wherever possible to support your study. For more information, please contact the Department using the contact details below.
Department of Chemistry
T: +44 (0)20 7594 5864
E: d.pappoe@imperial.ac.uk
How to apply
Making an application
Apply online
All applicants must apply online.
Visit our Admissions website for details on the application process.
You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can usually choose up to two courses.
Application fee
If you are applying for a taught Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course:
- £80 for taught Master's applications (excluding MBAs)
- £135 for MBA applications
There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas or research courses, such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
ATAS certificate (overseas candidates)
An ATAS certificate is required for all visa-nationals, with the exception of EEA/Swiss nationals and nationals of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and the USA.
To apply for an ATAS certificate online, you will need your programme’s Common Aggregation Hierarchy (CAH) code and ‘descriptor’, as well as your university supervisor name. For this course, these are:
| CAH code | Descriptor | Supervisor name |
|---|---|---|
| CAH07-02-01 | chemistry | Professor Oscar Ces |
Your student visa application, or extension of stay, will automatically be refused if you need an ATAS certificate and cannot provide one.
For further guidance on obtaining an ATAS certificate please see the information on our International Student Support website.
ATAS course description
The description of the MRes course that you should use in your ATAS application is the below:
- Title of the research: Green Chemistry
- Description: The MRes course in Green Chemistry at Imperial College London is designed to improve the students’ understanding and experience in all areas of Green Chemistry by promoting the design and efficient use (i.e. resource management) of environmentally benign chemicals and chemical processes. The research project will be based in a multidisciplinary area, supervised by a chemist and another academic. This will often be a chemical engineer, biochemist or biologist, who will provide complementary expertise to the project. The student will be examining areas such as renewable feedstocks, alternative energy sources and environmental technologies. These studies will include a proposal, literature report, dissertation, oral presentations and exams.
Further questions?
Find answers to your questions about admissions. Answers cover COVID-19, English language requirements, visas and more.
Tuition fees and funding
The level of tuition fees you pay is based on your fee status, which we assess based on UK government legislation.
Find out more about fees and funding opportunities.
Tuition fees
Home rate of tuition
2022 entry
£12,800
Fees are charged by year of entry to the College and not year of study.
Except where otherwise indicated, the fees for students on courses lasting more than one year will increase annually by an amount linked to inflation, including for part-time students on modular programmes. The measure of inflation used will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) value in the April of the calendar year in which the academic session starts e.g. the RPI value in April 2022 will apply to fees for the academic year 2022–2023.
Fee status
Whether you pay the Home fee depends on your fee status.
Your fee status is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status.
Find out more about how we assess your fee status.
EU/EEA/Swiss students
The Government has confirmed that EU/EEA/Swiss students who begin a course before the 31 July 2021 will be eligible to pay the same fee as Home students and have access to student finance for the duration of their course, as long as they meet certain requirements which are unchanged from previous years. This includes students who begin the course remotely.
EU/EEA/Swiss students starting a course on or after 1 August 2021 will no longer be eligible for the Home fee rate and so will be charged the Overseas fee. Please note we do not expect this to apply to Irish students or students benefitting from Citizens' rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement respectively. However, we are currently awaiting the formal publication of the amended Fees and Awards regulations.
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website has useful information on the conditions you currently need to meet to be entitled to pay tuition fees at the Home rate for study on a higher education course in England and reflect the regulations as they currently stand (not the amended regulations which are subject to publication).
UKCISA has also provided some information in response to Questions for students starting their course from the 1 August 2021.
Overseas rate of tuition
2022 entry
£35,400
Fees are charged by year of entry to the College and not year of study.
Except where otherwise indicated, the fees for students on courses lasting more than one year will increase annually by an amount linked to inflation, including for part-time students on modular programmes. The measure of inflation used will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) value in the April of the calendar year in which the academic session starts e.g. the RPI value in April 2022 will apply to fees for the academic year 2022–2023.
Fee status
Whether you pay the Overseas fee depends on your fee status.
Your fee status is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status.
Find out more about how we assess your fee status.
EU/EEA/Swiss students
The Government has confirmed that EU/EEA/Swiss students who begin a course before the 31 July 2021 will be eligible to pay the same fee as Home students and have access to student finance for the duration of their course, as long as they meet certain requirements which are unchanged from previous years. This includes students who begin the course remotely.
EU/EEA/Swiss students starting a course on or after 1 August 2021 will no longer be eligible for the Home fee rate and so will be charged the Overseas fee. Please note we do not expect this to apply to Irish students or students benefitting from Citizens' rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement respectively. However, we are currently awaiting the formal publication of the amended Fees and Awards regulations.
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website has useful information on the conditions you currently need to meet to be entitled to pay tuition fees at the Home rate for study on a higher education course in England and reflect the regulations as they currently stand (not the amended regulations which are subject to publication).
Postgraduate Master's loan
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For 2022-23 entry, the maximum amount is £11,836. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Scholarships
We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students to support you through your studies.
See what opportunities you may be eligible for:
British Council scholarships for women in STEM
This course is eligible for the British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM, which Imperial is offering for the 2022/23 academic year. These are for women from Brazil, Mexico or Peru who apply to one of our eligible STEM Master's courses. Find out more about this scholarship.
Accommodation and living costs
Living costs, including accommodation, are not included in your tuition fees.
You can compare costs across our different accommodation options on our Accommodation website.
A rough guide to what you might expect to spend to live in reasonable comfort in London is available on our Fees and Funding website.
Further information
Got a question?
Dr Mike Ray and Dr Dipa Gurung
T: +44 (0)20 7594 2678 and +44 (0)20 7594 1241
E: chemres@imperial.ac.uk
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