Chemistry

Number of places at Balliol

8

Subject information

Department of Chemistry

Course requirements

Candidates are expected to have studied to A-level standard or equivalent in Chemistry (essential), Mathematics (highly desirable), and another science or Further Mathematics. Please see the entrance requirements pages for more information.

College requirements

As above, except Balliol requires Mathematics to A-level standard or equivalent, and considers Physics highly desirable.

Admissions/Selection criteria

See the selection criteria on the Chemistry website.

Chemistry at Balliol

Balliol College has a distinguished tradition in chemistry that goes back more than a hundred years. In 1853 the College opened its own chemistry laboratory, in what is now the JCR bar. Two Balliol chemistry alumni have won Nobel prizes: Cyril Hinshelwood (who was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1956) and Oliver Smithies (who was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine in 2007). Another Balliol chemistry alumnus, Christopher Longuet-Higgins, became a distinguished theoretical chemist, while the distinguished American Nobel laureate, Linus Pauling, deduced the structure of the alpha-helix when he was a visiting research fellow in Balliol.

The College is also very indebted to its Emeritus Chemistry Fellows who are all immensely distinguished and still take a very active interest in the subject in College. The two most recent former physical chemistry tutors are Prof D. Logan (Balliol 1986), the current Coulson Professor of Theoretical Chemistry at Oxford, and Professor D. Turner (Balliol 1967), the inventor of photoelectron spectroscopy. Professor M.L.H. Green FRS (Balliol 1963) is internationally known for his work on organometallic chemistry. Dr J.H. Jones FRHistS (Balliol 1961) this year retired as tutor in organic chemistry. Not only is he a peptide chemist but also the historian and archivist of the College.

In 1963 chemistry teaching in the College became a three tutorial fellow subject. Since then the College has had on the fellowship an organic, inorganic, and physical chemist. The College has recently reaffirmed that it is committed to keeping chemistry as a three tutorial fellow subject.

We believe that sixth formers studying chemistry, physics and mathematics have the best basis for success in the Oxford chemistry course, but biology or further mathematics are acceptable alternatives to physics. (The first year includes physics courses and classes for the benefit of undergraduates without physics A-level.) We warmly welcome applicants from all educational backgrounds: students are selected on the basis of their potential and enthusiasm for the subject.

Chemistry in Oxford is taught by a mixture of lectures, laboratory work, classes and small group tutorials. The tutorials take place in college, and are given by one of the college’s three tutors. In addition to the college-based tutorials, classes in mathematics and physics are also arranged in the first year.

About two-thirds of the College's chemists proceed to complete their professional training by undertaking research for a doctorate in Oxford or elsewhere. Together with graduates from other colleges and universities, there are typically over twenty graduate chemistry researchers in the College. Those who have finished their studies since 1970 include several who are now professors (including Professor Hagan Bayley, the present Professor of Chemical Biology at Oxford) or industrial research directors. But another is a senior paediatrician, one is a headmaster, several are solicitors, several are in computing, and a few work in the financial industry.

The College’s chemistry fellows have wide ranging research interests. Professor Dermot O'Hare's is in organometallic chemistry and Dr William Barford’s is in theoretical chemistry.

The Balliol Chemistry Society (BACCHUS) organizes regular social and academic activities, drawing together Balliol’s large community of chemistry undergraduate and graduate students, and the chemistry fellows, ensuring that Balliol College is a vibrant and rewarding place to study chemistry.

Tutors 

Professor Dermot O’Hare (Septcentenary Fellow and Tutorial Fellow)
Dr William Barford (Tutorial Fellow)
Dr Rachel Quarrell (College Lecturer)
Dr Grant Richie (Part time College Lecturer)