Astrophysics and Chemistry

Astrophysics and Chemistry - BSc (Hons)

Discover more about the nature of our Universe and learn how to develop solutions to society’s global challenges, from saving habitats through to contributing towards medical advances. Our Astrophysics and Chemistry BSc will equip you with the knowledge and skills to enter a huge variety of careers or to pursue further study.

Year of entry

2023

Course type

Combined Honours

Location

Keele University campus

Subject area / School

School of Chemical and Physical Sciences

UCAS code

FF15

Duration of study

3 years / 4 years with international or placement year

Enquire about this course Book an open day Chat to students

Why study Astrophysics and Chemistry at Keele University?

Develop your practical skills in Keele's state-of-the-art Central Science Laboratories

Professional accreditation pathways are available

Authentic assessment methods replicate the type of tasks you would likely carry out during a career in chemistry

Enhance your employability by choosing to spend a year gaining work experience in a chemistry-related environment

Course overview

Choosing our combined honours in Astrophysics and Chemistry will help you develop skills and experience in two engaging and exciting subjects.

In astrophysics you will apply physics to understanding how the universe works and you could possibly explore questions like 'Is there an Earth-like planet around another star?' 'Is there a black hole at the centre of every galaxy?' And 'Why is the expansion of the Universe accelerating?' These are questions that astrophysics helps you discover the answer to. From the technology we use to how we treat illnesses, chemistry is essential to our modern life and offers a wide variety of career opportunities in many fields from pharmaceuticals and food technology to forensics and teaching.

This course will provide you with a solid grounding in the underpinning theory of both subject areas with plenty of hands-on practical experience in Keele's state-of-the-art laboratories and opportunities to personalise your learning by choosing from a range of optional modules.

Astrophysics will give you the quantitative and analytic skills needed for analysing data and solving problems and is underpinned by a core physics curriculum as set out by the Institute of Physics. This includes the fundamentals of classical and quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, optics, thermodynamics, solid state, atomic and nuclear physics, together with the mathematics that is used to describe them. We have our own observatory here at Keele that students on this combined honours programme can get involved with on a volunteer basis with the potential to learn some astronomical techniques.

As you progress, you will build on your existing knowledge in familiar core areas of astrophysics including mechanics, special relativity, nature of matter, gravitation, electricity, oscillations, and waves. You will also focus on areas like the basics of stellar structure and stellar astrophysics. Later in your degree you will study electromagnetism at a deeper level, and have the option of studying cosmology, binary stellar systems and exoplanets, black holes and gravitational waves. In your final year you will be involved in a group project. In recent years these have been based on the analysis of data from NASA's Kepler and Tess missions and Keele's own robotic observatory in South Africa. The projects often contribute to the research conducted within the Keele astrophysics group.

The course will also enable you to build a strong grounding in core chemistry knowledge and will carefully guide you in understanding the mathematics underpinning chemistry. Particular attention is paid to building your practical skills and you will have access to various types of research standard equipment - such as our ultra-violet visible spectrometry which is used to follow the rate of reactions of molecules that contain chromophores. Chemistry laboratory work is an integral part of our programme that helps you to develop a variety of practical, computational and transferrable skills that employers value.

To provide context to the knowledge you are learning, you will also look at ways in which chemistry is applied to sustainable development and the environment. You will examine the political, social and economic impacts and explore topics like nuclear chemistry and energy, geochemistry, health and toxicology and green chemistry.

Throughout the course you will expand your theoretical knowledge and practical skills and start to specialise in studying areas like spectroscopy and investigate core advanced modules including physical and inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and a wide range of analytical techniques and their applications to solving problems in analytical chemistry.

To develop your appreciation of the wider context of chemistry, optional modules provide the opportunity to also explore the economic, international and sustainability issues surrounding industrial chemistry. We provide you with the opportunity to align your Astrophysics and Chemistry BSc to your career aspirations and interests by choosing from a variety of optional modules in your final year.

Industrial Placement Year

In an increasingly competitive job marketing, employers are seeking to recruit employees who have high-level knowledge, skills and an understanding of the workplace. Between years two and three of your degree, you can spend a year gaining practical experience with a chemistry focussed company or organisation. This will benefit you by providing familiarisation with the professional working environment and the opportunity to apply the chemistry skills and theories you have learnt.

International year

In between years two and three of your studies you can choose to spend a year studying abroad. This exciting opportunity enables you to experience different cultures and to establish international networks. It also shows you have the personal attributes to embrace new experiences which can enhance your employability. We offer exchange opportunities with a wide variety of partner institutions.

Personalised learning

Our small cohort size enables you to gain a more personalised learning experience and as a result we will have the resource to get to know you better and give you customised guidance throughout your studies.

Support

We offer a multi layered support structure to help you meet your academic and personal needs. This includes regular tutorials, a dedicated academic mentor, and access to Keele's Student Experience and Support team. Our open-door policy enables you to engage with us directly, meaning you can seek support, gain feedback or discuss any matters related to your course.

Societies

We have a wealth of student-led societies here at Keele which cover a diverse range of interests. Joining a society related to astrophysics or chemistry is a great opportunity to continue to develop your skills away from your studies. This is another excellent way of demonstrating your genuine interest for the area and can be beneficial when it comes to applying for graduate roles. It’s also a great way to make friends and share interests with fellow students.

Next Steps

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Accreditation and professional recognition

This programme is accredited by the Institute of Physics or the Royal Society of Chemistry if you specialise in Chemistry. ‌

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Additional opportunities

Foundation year Placement year International year Explore more

There are a range of additional opportunities available when studying this course.
Please note, undertaking one may impact upon the availability of another.

Entry requirements

Keele strives to be a place where learning, living and working is a positive experience for our entire community, and we're committed to ensuring equality of opportunity to all our applicants with the potential and motivation to succeed, regardless of background. That's why we operate a range of 'alternative offer' schemes with clear eligibility criteria, including contextual offers, offers for those studying within the Keele region, and recognising a range of additional qualifications in your offer.

The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the likely offer or range of offers which would be made to candidates along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application.

Read more about our undergraduate entry requirements for United Kingdom and International students.

A Level requirements

A Level requirement BBC to include:

A Level Chemistry at Grade B (with Pass in Science Practical where possible)
AND
A Level Physics or Maths at Grade B

If Maths is presented without A Level Physics, please contact Admissions.

GCSE requirements

Maths at C (or 4)
English Language or English Literature at C (or 4)

BTEC

BTEC requirements DMM
You must have taken sufficient Maths, Physics and Chemistry units, please contact us for advice

International Baccalaureate

29 points to include Higher Level Physics at 6 or above or Higher Level Maths at 6 or above plus Higher Level Physics at 4 or above AND Higher Level Chemistry at 6

Access to HE Diploma requirements

Obtain Access to Higher Education Diploma with 112 UCAS Tariff points including a minimum of 30 Level 3 credits at Distinction, to include sufficient Maths/Physics and Chemistry units, please contact us for advice.

If you don't think you'll meet the entry requirements specified, you may be able to gain entry to this course via a Foundation Year.

Preparation programmes for international students

International students who do not meet the direct entry requirements for this course have the opportunity to study an International Foundation Year programme.

These courses are designed to prepare international students to enter into Keele University undergraduate degrees.

Next Steps

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"As a Fraud Analyst, I use the skills I developed as an astrophysics undergraduate to identify and solve complex problems"

David, Astrophysics with Business Management

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What is it like to be a Chemistry student at Keele?

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Your future career

96% of Keele graduates were in a job or further study within six months of graduating (HESA, 2017)

Our Astrophysics and Chemistry BSc will equip you with a diverse range of transferrable skills including; advanced problem-solving, numeracy, computation, communication and data analysis skills. These are highly valued by employers and relevant to a wide range of industries. You will have the opportunity to graduate with strong laboratory techniques and an awareness of the ethical implications and issues relating to environmental impact and sustainability. Please note many of the careers listed below would require further study.

Jobs that a graduate of this course could go on to do include:

Scientist
Engineer
Physicist
Medicinal chemist
NHS research scientist
Synthetic chemist
Academic researcher
Astronomer
Secondary school teacher
Analytical chemist
Academic chemist
Associate scientist
Environmental scientist
Material scientist
Research assistant
Toxicologist
Chemical engineer
Forensic scientist
Nuclear engineer
Science teacher
Policy advisor

Typical employers include:

Health and medicine
Business
Engineering
Science and telecommunications
Renewable energy
Education
Law
Journalism
Manufacturing
Oil and gas

Many students of this programme also further their knowledge by undertaking study at Masters or PhD level.

Keele Careers and Employability Team

Our Careers and Employability team (Shortlisted for Best University Careers Employment Service - National Undergraduate Employability Awards, 2021), offer a variety of personal and career development opportunities to enhance your employability. From mock interviews, careers guidance and CV advice, to careers fairs, alumni mentoring and networking events, along with helping you find part-time and graduate employment - the team will support you throughout your studies and beyond.

Find out more about our careers and employability services, including career planning, alumni mentoring, jobs, internships, starting your own business and much more.

Next Steps

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Sector-leading in sustainability education

At Keele we're leading the sector in sustainability, not just in our ambitions to become carbon neutral by 2030 but also through our teaching and our ground-breaking research into climate change and renewable technologies. In 2021 we were awarded the prestigious title of Global Sustainability Institution of the Year (International Green Gown Awards, 2021). Within the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences our award winning staff promote sustainability through their teaching to raise awareness of the environmental issues within chemistry.

Find out more about Keele’s commitment to sustainability.

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Teaching, learning and assessment

Teaching in Astrophysics

The student voice is at the heart of our teaching and we regularly seek student feedback on our programmes and make improvements through meetings with student representatives and by asking students to provide anonymous feedback on module content. In addition to our variety of teaching methods, great emphasis is placed on teaching in smaller groups and collaborative working. This is supported by a diverse mixture of digital learning materials that are available on our Keele Learning Environment (KLE) and the assistance of PhD student demonstrators during practical sessions.

Our teaching focuses on problem solving. This occurs in problem classes where practice problems are solved with staff and postgraduate research students, acting as graduate teaching assistants are available to help; in laboratory teaching where practical and computational problems are addressed; and in directed work for assessment.

Methods of teaching include:

Lectures
Tutorials
Laboratory classes
Computational laboratory classes
Exercise/problem-solving classes
Individual progress interviews
Problem sheet assignments
Group and individual projects
Directed reading and independent study
Literature research tasks
Use of e-learning/the Keele Learning Environment (KLE)

Assessments in Astrophysics

The wide variety of assessment methods used on this programme at Keele reflects the broad range of knowledge and skills that are developed as you progress through the degree programme. Teaching staff pay particular attention to specifying clear assessment criteria and providing timely, regular and constructive feedback that helps to clarify things you did not understand and helps you to improve your performance. Methods of assessment include:

End of module examinations
Assessed problem sheets
Laboratory and project reports
Observation of laboratory skills and laboratory notebooks
Oral and/or poster presentations
In-class exercises and tests
Group oral presentations and reports
Engagement with problem classes
Dissertation
Mini-projects

Teaching in Chemistry

We have a dynamic group of teaching staff within Chemistry who have with a broad range of expertise and bring a wealth of experience acquired through fundamental and applied research across a diverse range of areas. A number of our academic staff have also achieved national recognition for their excellence and innovation in teaching and hold awards from a variety of institutions, including the Royal Society of Chemistry. In testament to our teaching excellence, many of the teaching methods we use have been adopted by other chemistry departments in the UK and beyond. Many of our teaching staff are Fellows or Senior Fellows of the Higher Education Academy, the professional body for teachers in Higher Education. Fellowship provides individuals with recognition of their practice, impact and leadership of teaching and learning.

To ensure you receive a high-quality learning experience, teaching will be delivered through a range of authentic methods.

Methods of teaching may include:

Lectures
Seminars
Interactive personal response systems
Screencasts
Recorded lectures
Tablet PCs
Demonstrations
Detailed personalised and generic written and face-to-face feedback
Electronic submission and return of marked coursework (with feedback)
Audio feedback
Pre-laboratory and post-laboratory exercises
Laboratory classes
Research projects
Small group tutorials
Problem classes and workshops
Team based learning
Problem-based and context-based activities
IT instruction (spread sheets, word-processing, chemical structure drawing, databases and processing of spectroscopic data)
Group work
Self and peer-assessment for learning
Information literacy activities
Computer-aided learning (simulations and animations, online activities and exercises)
Case studies
Chemical Sciences Seminar Series
Use of e-learning/the Keele Learning Environment (KLE)

Assessments in Chemistry

Our methods include a mix of examinations and a variety of authentic assessments that mirror the type of tasks you may be asked to complete in your future career working in the field of chemistry.

Methods of assessment may include:

Unseen written examinations
Pre-laboratory exercises
Laboratory reports and diaries
Practical and oral examinations
Class tests
Information retrieval exercises
Research projects and reports
Oral and poster presentations and reports
Video/screencast presentations
Problem sheets
Design exercises

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Central Science Laboratories

Develop your practical skills in Keele's state-of-the-art Central Science Laboratories

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Foundation year

Our Foundation Year provides an excellent alternative route to Keele, providing a unique opportunity to better prepare for your chosen degree, and with guaranteed entry onto your undergraduate course once you successfully complete your Foundation Year.

This extra year of study can improve your academic skills, expand your subject knowledge, give you a better understanding of higher education and, perhaps most importantly of all, build your confidence.

Keele University is consistently ranked among the top universities for student satisfaction, and we have over 70 years' experience of teaching a foundation year to students. On the Keele Foundation Year, you'll study on campus, joining our undergraduate community from the outset, with access to all the facilities and support that you'd get as an undergraduate student at Keele.

Course Content

Our Foundation Year allows you to develop your critical thinking, academic reading, writing, and communication study skills along with subject-specific knowledge and skills. Upon meeting the progression criteria and successfully completing our Foundation Year, you will automatically progress into your Keele undergraduate degree with the confidence that you have the skills, and knowledge needed to successfully complete your course.

The Keele Foundation Year is a two semester programme that provides a tailored pre-degree programme of study to better prepare you for the BSc (Hons) Astrophysics and Chemistry degree. For example, the Foundations of Physics module will introduce you to the mathematical skills needed to solve problems in physics at level 3 while studying fundamental equations and concepts in classical physics. In addition, the Advancing Chemsitry module aims to increase your knowledge and understanding of the principles and concepts of chemistry in a theoretical context, while also demonstrating the application of concepts in a practical environment. All of the modules you take will prove useful in your degree and professional career. Course content has been developed in collaboration with degree teaching teams, so that by the time you begin Year 1, you will be ready to excel at your studies, as the majority of our Foundation Year students do.

Find out more about the Keele Foundation Year, including information about teaching and assessment methods by visiting the Foundation Year homepage.

Course Structure

The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.

Semester One Modules

FYO-00185	Practical and Academic Skills in Science	15 credits
FYO-00215	Foundations of Mathematical Methods	15 credits
FYO-00189	Foundations of Chemistry	15 credits
FYO-00205	Foundations of Physics	15 credits

Semester Two Modules

FYO-00209	Advancing Physics	15 credits
FYO-00231	Advancing Mathematical Methods	15 credits
FYO-00191	Advancing Chemistry	30 credits

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Between 40-56 UCAS points from at least 1 A level/level 3 qualification or equivalent, or
Relevant work experience

AND

GCSE English Language at grade 4 (C), or Level 2 Functional Skills, or
IELTS 5.5 (with 5.5 in all subtests)

AND

GCSE Mathematics at grade 4 (C) or above

How to apply

Students will need to apply for BSc (Hons) Astrophysics with Foundation Year (UCAS code: F513) through UCAS at www.ucas.com. You will then be contacted to confirm your second subject by a member of our team.

Direct entry students

If you already have your qualifications, are not expecting any further results and only wish to apply to Keele, please contact the Admissions Office directly.

We also offer a January start for some of our Foundation Year courses. Adopting a blended learning approach, the January start is particularly useful for students wishing to return to education following time out of studying, or who are seeking a flexible approach to their Foundation Year studies. Our January start is available across most of our Science, Humanities, Social Science and Business courses.

Whilst still being a full-time course, our blended delivery model combines live teaching sessions - both online and on-campus - with self-directed study, enabling you to predominantly study at a time that suits your lifestyle. You will benefit from weekly online taught sessions which encourage you to engage with your teachers and peers.

In addition to online study there will be a series of full study days that you will be required to attend throughout each semester. These sessions may include lab-based activities, group work, review of course and assessment materials studied online. They will emphasise opportunities for you to deepen your knowledge and understanding of your chosen route.

Please refer to the September start tab for more information about the entry requirements, what you will study, and how to apply for a Foundation Year. The modules that you will take on a January start Foundation Year will be similar to those for the September start, but in a slightly different order and pattern.

For more information, including fees and how you will be taught, please visit our January Start Foundation Year webpage.

Our International Foundation Year is delivered on campus through Keele University International College (KUIC). Find out more about the International Foundation Year options on the KUIC website.

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