DPhil in Inorganic Chemistry
About the course
This is a research degree leading to the award of a DPhil in Inorganic Chemistry.
Inorganic chemistry research at the University of Oxford covers the entire spectrum of the discipline, with subject areas including:
- Synthetic solid-state chemistry
- Electronic properties of solids
- Computational materials chemistry
- Order and disorder in functional materials
- X-ray crystallography
- Homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis
- Synthetic main-group chemistry
- Synthetic organometallic chemistry
- Coordination chemistry of the f elements
- Supramolecular chemistry
- Energy materials chemistry
- Functional molecular interfaces
- Computational inorganic chemistry
- Chemical biology
- Design of anti-cancer drugs
- Genetic modification of iron haem enzymes
- Protein dynamics
- Electron spin resonance spectroscopy
- Magnetic field effects.
The major focus of the course is the research project, and a typical week will therefore be devoted mostly to lab work (in its broadest definition), supplemented by literature surveys, preparation of reports and group meetings. During the first year, in addition to starting work on your research, you will be 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 you attend at least three of these. The department also hosts a variety of seminar series, some of which feature invited speakers from around the world.
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.
You will join a research group supervised by one or more members of the Department of Chemistry, sometimes in collaboration with other departments. You should normally expect to meet your supervisor or a senior member of the research team on a weekly basis. 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
You will be admitted as a Probationary Research Student and at the end of the first year you will undergo a Transfer of Status assessment, which is to ensure that you have the potential to gain a doctorate. This assessment will be 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 you must pass the Confirmation of Status assessment, which is to ensure that you 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 Inorganic 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.
Changes to this course and your supervision
The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic (including Covid-19), epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.
Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.
For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.
Other courses you may wish to consider
If you're thinking about applying for this course, you may also wish to consider the courses listed below. These courses may have been suggested due to their similarity with this course, or because they are offered by the same department or faculty.
Courses suggested by the department
Inorganic Chemistry MSc by Research
Inorganic Chemistry for Future Manufacturing (EPSRC CDT)
Synthesis for Biology and Medicine CDT
All graduate courses offered by the Department of Chemistry
EPSRC iCASE studentships
The Department of Chemistry, supported by EPSRC, iCASE and a number of industrial partners, is offering two, fully-funded studentships in a range of research areas. Both projects are offered on both a full-time and part-time basis.
The studentships include the opportunity to undertake a work placement with the industrial partner listed for each project. To comply with EPSRC Industrial Case conditions, no application fee will be charged to apply for any of the projects listed below.
More information about iCASE studentships can be found on the UKRI website.
The How to apply section of this page provides further information about the application process and links to the application form.
Project 1:
More sustainable biocatalytic imine reductions to chiral amines with hydrogen-driven NADPH recycling operated in batch and continuous flow
Supervisor and Industrial Partner
Professor Kylie Vincent and AstraZeneca
Description
Biocatalytic imine reductions are a valuable component in the synthetic tool-box for synthesis of chiral amines for pharmaceuticals or other fine chemicals. Imine reductase enzymes depend on nicotinamide cofactors, usually NADPH, for hydride transfer to an enzyme-bound imine substrate, and conventional approaches for regenerating NADPH during these reactions usually rely upon glucose as the reductant. Use of the C6 sugar for a single hydride-transfer makes the overall process atom-inefficient in contrast to metal-catalysed hydrogenations where H2 is added across the C=N double bond giving no by-product. This project exploits approaches that fall neatly between these alternatives, offering the chiral and functional-group selectivity of biocatalysis alongside the atom-efficiency of H2-driven hydrogenation reactions. As well as replacing glucose by H2 as atom-efficient reductant, our approach also avoids a pH change associated with the cofactor recycling step, thereby simplifying the process chemistry. In conjunction with industrial partner AstraZeneca, we seek to develop a robust platform for more sustainable, H2-driven NADPH recycling to support application of imine reductases for generation of chiral amines.
Project 2:
Sustainable Polymer Chemistry – Designing Water Soluble and Degradable Polymers
Supervisor and Industrial Partner
Professor Charlotte Williams and Unilever
Description
The thesis will examine the chemistry of sustainable polymers. The focus is to synthesise new polyesters, polycarbonates and copolymers using monomers derived from renewable resources and carbon dioxide. Using recently developed catalysis methods from the Williams team, including carbon dioxide/epoxide and switchable polymerization methods, monomers such as lactones, lactide, cyclic carbonates, epoxides, anhydrides and carbon dioxide will be selectively polymerized. The project will focus on understanding the potential to exploit mixtures of monomers to make block sequence selective polymers and oligomers. A particular focus will be on the production of hydrophilic or amphiphilic polymers by exploiting natural chemical functionalities (i.e. functional groups found in Nature). The new materials will be fully characterized, including using spectroscopy, thermal and mechanical methods, and their properties in aqueous dispersions and solutions will be assessed. In collaboration with scientists at Unilever the materials will be assessed for applications in their products. The stability and ability to trigger biodegradation of the polymers will be explored. The overall goal is to design and prepare new polymers to displace currently used pervasive petrochemicals in liquid formulations. The PhD will be aligned with the recently funded EPSRC Prosperity Partnership Clean Future which supports postdoctoral researchers and students in the Williams research team at the University of Oxford. For further information on research in the Williams research team, see the departmental website.
Entry requirements for entry in 2023-24
Proven and potential academic excellence
Degree-level qualifications
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a subject relevant to the proposed research. Normally this will be a chemistry degree, but degrees in other physical sciences or in a biological science may be suitable.
Entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent.
A previous master's degree (either an integrated master's degree or standalone) is preferred but is not required.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
GRE General Test scores
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
- Applicants with substantial professional experience are welcome.
- Prior publications are not expected, but may help to indicate your aptitude for research.
English language proficiency
This course requires proficiency in English at the University's standard level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's standard level are detailed in the table below.
| Test | Minimum overall score | Minimum score per component |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) | 7.0 | 6.5 |
TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition' (Institution code: 0490) | 100 | Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
| C1 Advanced* | 185 | 176 |
| C2 Proficiency† | 185 | 176 |
*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
†Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement.
Declaring extenuating circumstances
If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.
References
You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Supporting documents
You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application, including an official transcript and a CV/résumé. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Performance at interview
Interviews are normally held as part of the admissions process.
The criteria for shortlisting are academic merit, references and motivation. Typically the interview lasts 30 minutes and it may include discussion on your research interests and subject-related questions.
How your application is assessed
Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements published under that heading. References and supporting documents submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process.
An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about how applications are assessed.
Shortlisting and selection
Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:
- socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of the University’s pilot selection procedure and for scholarships aimed at under-represented groups;
- country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
- protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.
Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.
Processing your data for shortlisting and selection
Information about processing special category data for the purposes of positive action and using your data to assess your eligibility for funding, can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.
Admissions panels and assessors
All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).
Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.
Other factors governing whether places can be offered
The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:
- the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
- the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
- minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.
Offer conditions for successful applications
If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our After you apply pages provide more information about offers and conditions.
In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:
Financial Declaration
If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.
Disclosure of criminal convictions
In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.
Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
Some postgraduate research students in science, engineering and technology subjects will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate prior to applying for a Student visa (under the Student Route). For some courses, the requirement to apply for an ATAS certificate may depend on your research area.
Resources
Students are supervised by some of the country’s most gifted research chemists, many of whom have world-class reputations. You will work in an environment which encourages and inspires you to acquire and develop a wide range of communication, study, and research skills.
Workspace will be related to individual circumstances. If undertaking experimental work, you will be provided with space in a laboratory with access to all the required equipment. If undertaking theoretical research, you will have shared office space.
You will have access to the Department of Chemistry IT support staff, to the Radcliffe Science Library and other university libraries, and centrally provided electronic resources, technical workshops and glass shops. Experimental facilities are available as appropriate to the research topic. The provision of other resources specific to your project should be agreed with your supervisor as a part of the planning stages of the agreed project.
Funding
The University expects to be able to offer around 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2023-24. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships, if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.
For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.
Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:
Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.
Funding for EPSRC iCASE studentships
ICASE students receive funding for a full EPSRC studentship for four years (full time equivalent). If you submit an eligible application for a studentship and you are successful, you will receive a stipend of at least £17,668 to cover living costs and expenses and your course fees will be paid on your behalf for the duration of your fee liability. More information about iCASE studentships can be found on the UKRI website.
Costs
Annual fees for entry in 2023-24
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £8,960 |
| Overseas | £29,700 |
Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.
Information about course fees
Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges.
Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.
Continuation charges
Following the period of fee liability, you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.
Where can I find further information about fees?
The Fees and Funding section of this website provides further information about course fees, including information about fee status and eligibility and your length of fee liability.
Additional information
There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.
Living costs
In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
For the 2023-24 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,290 and £1,840 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2023-24, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of 5% or more each year – although this rate may vary significantly depending on how the national economic situation develops. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.
College preference
All graduate students at Oxford belong to a department or faculty and a college or hall (except those taking non-matriculated courses). If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. The Colleges section of this website provides information about the college system at Oxford, as well as factors you may wish to consider when deciding whether to express a college preference. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 45 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as Permanent Private Halls (PPHs).
For some courses, the department or faculty may have provided some additional advice below to help you to decide. Whatever you decide, it won’t affect how the academic department assesses your application and whether they decide to make you an offer. If your department makes you an offer of a place, you’re guaranteed a place at one of our colleges.
The following colleges accept students on the DPhil in Inorganic Chemistry:
Before you apply
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines in our Application Guide. If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance.
Application fee waivers
Application fee automatically waived for 'Standard'-type EPSRC iCASE studentship applications
All applications except EPSRC iCASE studentships
An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:
- applicants from low-income countries;
- refugees and displaced persons;
- UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
- applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.
You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.
EPSRC iCASE studentship applications
The application fee of £75, which is usually payable per course application, will be waived for EPSRC iCASE studentship applications to this course. You should apply for the studentship using the relevant button below. When selecting the application type, please choose 'Standard'. When you submit your application you will not be shown the screen that collects payment details and you will not need to enter a waiver code.
Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students
If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission.
Application fee waivers for eligible associated courses
If you apply to this course and up to two eligible associated courses from our predefined list during the same cycle, you can request an application fee waiver so that you only need to pay one application fee.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
You are very strongly encouraged to make contact with prospective supervisors before you apply in order to work out whether this course is the right choice and the likely availability of funding.
General enquiries should be made to the Graduate Studies Team via the contact details provided on this page.
Completing your application
You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents. If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.
Proposed field and title of research project
Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.
You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).
Proposed supervisor
Under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic (s) who you would like to supervise your research.
The department recommends that you name three to four proposed supervisors and list them in order of preference. Your proposed supervisors can be from different sections of the chemistry department.
Referees:
Three overall, academic preferred
Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.
References should generally be academic though a maximum of one professional reference is acceptable where you have completed an industrial placement or worked in a full-time position.
Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, ability to work in a group.
Official transcript(s)
Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.
More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.
CV/résumé
A CV/résumé is compulsory for all applications. Most applicants choose to submit a document of one to two pages highlighting their academic achievements and any relevant professional experience.
Statement of purpose:
A maximum of 1,000 words
Rather than a research proposal, you should provide a statement of purpose.
Your statement should be written in English and explain your motivation for applying for the course at Oxford, your relevant experience and education, and the specific areas that interest you and/or you intend to specialise in.
Please provide an indication of the area of your proposed research and supervisor(s) in your statement.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
This will be assessed for the coherence of the statement; evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study; the ability to present a reasoned case in English; and commitment to the subject.
Start or continue a non-studentship application
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice. You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.
Start or continue an EPSRC iCASE studentship application
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice. You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.
Project 1:
More sustainable biocatalytic imine reductions to chiral amines with hydrogen-driven NADPH recycling operated in batch and continuous flow
Further information: The Studentships section of this course page provides further details about this project. Please read this carefully before applying.
Application deadline: 12 noon UK time (midday) on Friday 19 May 2023.
Closed to applications
Project 2:
Sustainable Polymer Chemistry – Designing Water Soluble and Degradable Polymers
Further information: The Studentships section of this course page provides further details about this project. Please read this carefully before applying.
Application deadline: 12 noon UK time (midday) on Friday 19 May 2023
Closed to applications