Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Student Life
Labs, labs, labs.....
A third year student in the synthetic chemistry labs
Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences students spend a lot of time in the lab from day one, mastering the synthetic and analytical techniques that underpin the entire pharmaceutical and chemical industry. By graduation, you'll have hundreds of hours of hands-on lab experience — exactly what employers are looking for.
Escape Room in Year 4
AC4 and AS4 students after completing the Escape Room in 2024
In year 4, students get to complete a chemistry escape room, transforming learning into an engaging, interactive experience for students. Students work in teams to solve chemistry-based puzzles, such as identifying compounds, balancing chemical equations, and analysing results to solve clues. The students engage in critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving under time constraints.
Not only is this a lot of fun but it also enhances knowledge retention by creating a fun, immersive environment that promotes active learning! Will you escape on time?!
Your Career Starts Before You Graduate
Where your DCU degree could take you
As part of your degree, you'll have the opportunity to complete a six-month paid industry placement through DCU's INTRA programme. Past AC students have secured roles at some of Ireland's most prestigious pharmaceutical and chemical companies, including Pfizer and Eli Lilly — gaining real experience, real responsibilities, and a professional network before they've even crossed the stage at graduation.
Undergraduate Research Projects
Dr Kieran Nolan with undergraduate research project prize awardees
As part of their undergraduate degrees, all students in DCU complete a final year project based in a research group in the school. Students complete a research project, designed with the support of the academic supervisor, over 12 weeks in the research labs in DCU. Each and every student gets to experience the immersive environment of an active research project, gaining excellent skills across the practical aspects of chemical experimentation. Each year, the best student projects are awarded the Pauric James Award for Undergraduate Excellence, including to students in the degree.
Find out more about the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences degree here.