Chemistry with Education

Chemistry with education is a degree that combines rigorous scientific training with preparation for a career in education, and is particularly well suited to students who want to become chemistry teachers. Chemistry is one of the most broadly applicable of the natural sciences, underpinning pharmaceutical research, materials development, environmental science, energy and food production. Teaching chemistry means developing the pedagogical skill to make this complex and abstract subject accessible and engaging to students at different stages of their education.

At the University of the West of Scotland, this four-year full-time programme develops your chemistry knowledge across the principal branches of the subject, including organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, alongside laboratory work and analytical techniques. The education strand provides you with grounding in educational theory, pedagogy, curriculum design and the professional dimensions of teaching, preparing you for the realities of working in schools and for the professional requirements of teacher education in Scotland.

The combination is specifically structured to support progression into teaching, and graduates of chemistry with education degrees are well placed for entry into teacher training programmes or for early career teaching routes. Scotland, like the rest of the UK, has a strong and sustained demand for qualified secondary school chemistry teachers, which means chemistry with education graduates are entering a genuine area of need.

Graduates typically move into secondary school chemistry teaching through General Teaching Council for Scotland registration routes, or through the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education where that is required. Some graduates also move into science education more broadly, including roles in science outreach, curriculum development and educational publishing, or continue their chemistry education at postgraduate level before entering teaching.