THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2026/2027

Draft Edition - Due to be published Thursday 9th April 2026

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.
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Degree Programme Table: Chemical Physics (MChemPhys) (UTCHPHYMCHEM)

Jump to: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5

Year 1 Academic year: 2026/27, Starting in: September

Notes:
Before selecting your non-compulsory courses please ensure that you have reviewed the information from your Student Adviser. You must attend your Student Adviser meeting in Welcome Week.

Compulsory courses

You must take these courses
Chemistry 1A

Must be passed and taken during Semester 1

CHEM08016 20 credits
Chemistry 1B

Must be passed and taken during Semester 2

CHEM08017 20 credits
Physics 1A: Foundations

Must be passed and taken during Semester 1

PHYS08016 20 credits
Physics 1B: The Stuff of the Universe

Must be passed and taken during Semester 2

PHYS08017 20 credits
Mathematics for Physics 1

Must be passed and taken during Semester 1

PHYS08035 20 credits
Mathematics for Physics 2

Must be passed and taken during Semester 2

PHYS08036 20 credits

Year 2 Academic year: 2026/27, Starting in: August

Notes:
Before selecting your non-compulsory courses please ensure that you have reviewed the information from your Student Adviser. You must attend your Student Adviser meeting in Welcome Week.

Students cannot progress to Year 2 without having passed Chemistry 1A, Chemistry 1B, Mathematics for Physics 1, and Physics 1b. Students will be permitted to conditionally progress if they have not passed Mathematics for Physics 2, or Physics 1a, but meet all other requirements for progression.

Compulsory courses

You must take these courses
Physics of Fields and Matter

Must be passed and taken during Semester 2

PHYS08046 20 credits
Dynamics and Vector Calculus

Must be passed and taken during Semester 2

PHYS08043 20 credits
Linear Algebra and Several Variable Calculus

Must be passed and taken during Semester 1

PHYS08042 10 credits
Modern Physics

Must be passed and taken during Semester 1

PHYS08045 10 credits
Chemistry 2

Must be passed and taken during Full Year

CHEM08019 40 credits

Course options

Courses from School(s) L - ChemPhysY2forContinuing - Level(s) 8

Select exactly 20 credits of the following courses
Notes:
This set of course options is for Chemical Physics students continuing from Year 1.
Programming and Data Analysis
PHYS08049 10 credits
Experimental Physics 2
PHYS08058 10 credits
OR

Courses from School(s) L - ChemPhysY2DirectEntry - Level(s) 8

Select exactly 20 credits of the following courses
Notes:
This set of course options is for Direct Entry Chemical Physics students only.
Physics and Mathematics for Direct Entry
PHYS08057 20 credits

Year 3 Academic year: 2026/27, Starting in: August

Compulsory courses

You must take these courses
Chemical Physics 3S1

Must be taken during Semester 1

CHPH09007 20 credits
Chemical Physics 3S2

Must be taken during Semester 2

CHPH09006 20 credits
CP3 Physical Chemistry Laboratory

Must be taken during Full Year

CHPH09005 10 credits
Fourier Analysis

Must be taken during Semester 1

PHYS09054 10 credits
Statistical Mechanics

Must be taken during Semester 2

PHYS09019 10 credits
Electromagnetism

Must be taken during Full Year

PHYS09060 20 credits
Quantum Mechanics

Must be taken during Full Year

PHYS09053 20 credits

Course options

Group A

Select exactly 10 credits in this group.

Option

Select exactly 10 credits of the following courses
Computer Modelling
PHYS09057 10 credits
Experimental Physics 3 (CP10)
PHYS09062 10 credits

Year 4 Academic year: 2026/27, Starting in: August

Notes:
Progression to year 4 requires: a pass in both CP3 Physical Chemistry Laboratory (CHPH09005) and Computer Modelling (PHYS09057), and a mean mark of at least 50% across all Chemical Physics 3 courses.

Per Institute for Physics accreditation requirements, in order to progress to Year 4 students must pass the three core Physics courses (Electromagnetism, Quantum Mechanics and Statistical Mechanics) and must achieve an average of at least 40% across these three courses.¿This is in addition to existing progression requirements for this programme.

Students are required to take Chemistry 4P in either Semester 1 or Semester 2. Students are required to consult with the Chemical Physics programme director or the Academic Cohort Lead before making this decision, as it may have a bearing on their other optional courses and workload through the year.

You must attend your cohort event in Welcome week.

Compulsory courses

You must take these courses
Introduction to Condensed Matter Physics

Must be taken during Semester 1

PHYS10099 10 credits
Quantum Physics

Must be taken during Semester 2

PHYS10043 10 credits
Statistical Physics

Must be taken during Semester 2

PHYS11024 10 credits
Advanced Physical Chemistry

Must be taken during Semester 1

CHEM10056 20 credits

Course options

Group A

Select exactly 20 credits in this group.

Chemistry 4P

Select exactly 20 credits of the following courses
Chemistry 4P: Group Research Project (Semester 1)
CHEM10059 20 credits
Chemistry 4P: Group Research Project (Semester 2)
CHEM10060 20 credits
AND

Group B

Select exactly 50 credits in this group.

Chemical Physics Year 4 Options

Select exactly 20 credits of the following courses
Notes:
Note: Students may, if they wish, select both Advanced Materials Chemistry AND Analytical Chemistry if they wish. These courses are included in both sections of this group to explicitly permit this.
Analytical Chemistry Level 10
CHEM10012 20 credits
Advanced Materials Chemistry
CHEM10058 20 credits
AND

Optional courses

Select exactly 30 credits of the following courses
Notes:
Inclusion in this list does not mean that all possible combinations of optional courses can be taken. Every effort is made when setting the timetable to take into account commonly chosen options, however, students should consult the timetable when making their choices.

The course Modelling and Visualisation in Physics requires a pass in Computer Modelling in 3rd year as a pre-requisite.
Analytical Chemistry Level 10
CHEM10012 20 credits
Advanced Materials Chemistry
CHEM10058 20 credits
Modelling and Visualisation in Physics
PHYS10035 10 credits
Solid State Physics
PHYS10095 10 credits
Soft Condensed Matter Physics
PHYS10097 10 credits
Biological Physics
PHYS11040 10 credits
Lasers and Applications
PHYS11044 10 credits
Electronic Structure Theory
PHYS11061 10 credits

Year 5 Academic year: 2026/27, Starting in: August

Notes:
Per Institute of Physics accreditation requirements, the programme capstone project (either CHEM11054, CHEM11055, or CHEM11056) cannot be awarded credits on aggregate, or discounted from the calculation of credits required for award or classification purposes.

You must attend your cohort event in Welcome week.

There are no compulsory courses in this year of this programme.

Course options

Group A

Select exactly 120 credits in this group.

course choices

Select exactly 120 credits of the following courses
Chemistry/Chemical Physics International Research Project
CHEM11054 120 credits
Chemistry/Chemical Physics Research Project
CHEM11055 120 credits
Chemistry/Chemical Physics Industrial Research Project
CHEM11056 120 credits
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