Overview
Our MRes in Interdisciplinary Chemical Research offers a unique opportunity to undertake an interdisciplinary research project in a field of your choice, exploring cutting-edge chemistry across subject boundaries.
You'll be trained in key interdisciplinary research skills and work with two academic supervisors from multiple disciplines to conduct open-ended, novel research. Projects are available across a huge range of areas, including physical, biochemistry, computational, organic, inorganic, pharmaceutical, and analytical chemistry.
By undertaking this substantial research project, you’ll gain essential workplace skills, including project management, data analysis, and communication, as well as the ability to problem-solve and think innovatively. This experience will train you to become a research scientist, whether you decide to pursue a career in the multiple industries where lab and research skills are highly sought after, or continue to a PhD and career in academia.
Key benefits
- 8th in the UK for Chemistry (QS and Times Higher Education 2025 subject rankings).
- 75% of the course is open-ended research, contrasting significantly with other MSc programmes which are more classroom based.
- Pursue an interdisciplinary research project of your choice, working outside of the traditional boundaries of chemistry to address cutting-edge research topics and real-world issues.
- Research supervisors can be from multiple disciplines including Engineering, Physics, Imaging Sciences, Dentistry, Neuroscience, the Francis Crick Institute and the Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics.
- Study innovative modules covering interdisciplinary research skills as well as emerging fields and cutting-edge innovations in Chemistry, informed directly by our scientists' pioneering research.
- Access state-of-the-art labs and research facilities in the heart of London at the Department of Chemistry’s Britannia House (near London Bridge).
- 6th in the UK for producing the most employable graduates (Times Higher Education Graduate Employability rankings 2024/5).
I chose to study at King’s as I was drawn to the rapport between staff and students in the Chemistry department.
Course essentials
The MRes in Interdisciplinary Chemical Research is a highly research-focused programme, with 75% of the course dedicated to a major research project and 25% to taught modules that cover essential research skills.
The first three months provide a rigorous foundation in conducting novel research. You'll learn planning and problem-solving, as well as how to execute your research, whether experimentally, computationally, or theoretically, depending on the project. The modules also explore cutting-edge scientific research areas at King's, alongside broader skills like understanding ethics, inclusivity in research, and effective communication and presentation of research.
For the remainder of the course, you’ll conduct an open-ended, independent research project under the close supervision of two supervisors, including the opportunity to work with a supervisor outside of Chemistry such as in Physics, Imaging Sciences, the Francis Crick Institute or King’s teaching hospitals.
You’ll choose from an extensive list of projects on topics such as peptides for new antimicrobials, next gen drug-delivery materials, nano materials for sustainability, computational protein design, or machine learning for designing polymers. This could involve working across two laboratories (bridging two different fields of chemistry), a fully computational topic, or combining cutting edge chemistry with parallel sciences, such as pharmacy, physics, biophysics, biology, biomaterials, biochemistry and more.
The project is designed to train you to be an active scientist and researcher. You’ll be assessed throughout on those skills, including on writing literature reviews, research proposals, computational and experimental laboratory reports, poster presentations, oral presentations and oral vivas. Your research will culminate in your thesis, which will be written in the style of a scientific article. Some students even get the opportunity to present their work at conferences.
Initial learning for this degree takes place at the Department of Chemistry’s research-dedicated building, Britannia House (close to Guy’s Campus, and London Bridge). If required, some learning activities such as lectures will be held at the Franklin Wilkins Building, at the Waterloo Campus. However, please note that the locations of the research projects are determined by which research project you are assigned; while it will certainly be within London, time might be spent in research labs at any of the King’s Campuses.
Key Information
Course type:
Master's
Delivery mode:
In person
Study mode:
Full time
Duration:
1 year full-time, September to September
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2026
Administrative bodies
Regulating body
Application closing date guidance
We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed and we may need to request further information from you during the application process.
ATAS clearance if you receive an offer: this programme requires all non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals (with some exceptions) to have an ATAS certificate before they can enrol at King’s – this clearance can take a number of months (minimum 30 working days) and expected to be longer particularly during April and September. We therefore advise applying as soon as possible and earlier than the below deadlines to avoid any delay in obtaining this certificate.
Our first application deadline is on 9 March 2026 (23:59 UK time). The final application deadlines for this programme are:
- Overseas (international) fee status: 25 July 2026 (23:59 UK time)
- Home fee status: 25 August 2026 (23:59 UK time)
After the first application deadline in March:
- if the programme is not yet full, we will continue to accept applications until all available places are filled up to the final application deadlines above
- if the programme becomes full before the final application deadlines stated above, we will close the programme to further applications
Please note, you will not be eligible for an application fee refund if you apply after the first application deadline, and we are unable to process further offers because places are filled and we close the course before the final application deadline.