Organic Chemistry DPhil

University of Oxford

About the course

This is a research degree leading to the award of a DPhil in Organic Chemistry. Many training opportunities are available throughout the course, including seminar series throughout the department and a world-class annual visiting speaker programme, but the focus of the course is the research project.

The variety of research areas available within this course depend on supervisors’ current interests, as detailed on the Department of Chemistry website.

The nature of each student’s working week depends on their project, but students would typically carry out their research in one of the Department’s buildings, engaged in full-time experimental or theoretical/computational work (or a mixture of the two).

During the first year, in addition to starting work on their research, students are encouraged to follow training courses chosen from the vast number offered by the department and the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS) Division Graduate School, and it is recommended that they attend at least three of these. A quarterly report on each student’s progress is submitted by their supervisor throughout the course.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Department of Chemistry and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Department of Chemistry.

In the case of students who require specific help to adjust to an academic programme or to a new range of skills, the supervisor will work with them to ensure that they have additional support.

Assessment

Students are admitted as Probationary Research Students. At the end of the first year, they undergo a Transfer of Status assessment, which is to ensure that they have the potential to gain a doctorate. This assessment is made on the basis of a report and oral examination.

Research proceeds with quarterly reporting throughout the next two years, and there is the opportunity to follow further courses during this period. By the end of the third year, students must pass the Confirmation of Status assessment, which is to ensure that they are on track to complete the thesis within a reasonable time.

The degree is examined by thesis and oral examination by two examiners, one of whom is normally from Oxford and one from elsewhere.

Graduate destinations

Most students who have studied the DPhil in Organic Chemistry remain in chemistry, some in the educational sector, and some go into industry, particularly the health-related industries such as pharmaceuticals. There is a wide variety of other destinations, including scientific writers, patent attorneys, government and the civil service; and a few go into financial services.

The department runs an annual careers conference for graduate students and the careers service offers a wide variety of support, including CV workshops. The department also hosts a large number of visits from prospective employers, where students can find out more information. There is an alumni officer, who keeps in touch with graduates, and the department runs a number of social and scientific events for them.