Master of Science (Chemical Sciences)

The Master of Science (Chemical Sciences) at the University of Tasmania is a two-year postgraduate degree for people who want to take chemistry further than a bachelor degree allows. You study the core areas of chemistry at an advanced level — organic, inorganic, physical and analytical — then move into research work in a field that suits you. Tasmania's chemistry community is small enough that you get to know the academics and their projects, and the university's location gives it strengths in areas like natural products chemistry, marine and Antarctic science, and analytical chemistry tied to environmental monitoring.

How the degree is structured

Like most Australian master's degrees, this one runs on a semester basis, with units of study each worth a set number of credit points. You need to complete a required total of credit points to graduate. The first part of the degree is coursework: advanced units in the chemical sciences that build on your undergraduate study and sharpen your lab technique and theoretical understanding. After that comes a substantial research component — a thesis or major research project supervised by an academic in the School of Natural Sciences. That project is the centre of the degree. You design experiments, generate and interpret data, and write it up as a thesis. Many students present their findings to the school or at a conference.

Skills you build

You finish with hands-on skills in modern instrumentation — NMR, mass spectrometry, chromatography and spectroscopy — and the ability to plan and run an independent research project from start to finish. You learn to read the primary literature critically, handle data properly, and explain your work in writing and in person. Lab safety and ethical research practice are part of the package. By the end, you can walk into a lab and contribute without being told what to do at every step.

Who it suits

This degree suits chemistry graduates who want a research career or a technical role that expects more than a three-year bachelor degree. It also works for people from related fields — biochemistry, environmental science, pharmacy — who need deeper chemistry training. If you are thinking about a PhD, the research thesis gives you a taste of doctoral work and a supervisor who can vouch for you. If you want to work in industry, the instrumentation and problem-solving skills are what employers ask about.

Check the official University of Tasmania page and the CRICOS register entry (course code 082551A) for current structure, entry requirements and fees. International students should note that the Student visa generally allows 48 hours of work per fortnight while your course is in session, and graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream — confirm the rules with the Department of Home Affairs.

• Analytical chemist — environmental laboratories, food and beverage testing, mining assay labs, government regulators.
• Research scientist or research assistant — universities, CSIRO, medical research institutes, agricultural research organisations.
• Quality control or quality assurance chemist — pharmaceutical manufacturing, nutraceuticals, industrial chemicals, wineries and breweries.
• Formulation or product development scientist — cosmetics, paints and coatings, polymers, specialty chemicals.
• Environmental scientist — water quality monitoring, contaminated site assessment, environmental consultancies.
• Laboratory manager or technical officer — hospital pathology labs, school and university teaching labs, commercial labs.
• Further study — a PhD in chemistry or a related field, leading to academic or senior research roles.