Chemistry - Research

The Department of Chemistry is committed to providing excellence in teaching, research and in the training of PhD students. Our aim is to provide graduate students with every opportunity to enhance and develop their career, by providing good supervision, training in research methodology and associated professional skills; all of which will prepare them for their subsequent career.



The main objective of this programme is to provide graduate students with an integrated broad-based training in the discipline of chemistry including the most advanced research methodology in physical, organic, inorganic and analytical chemistry.



There are three main educational elements to the chemistry structured PhD programme, namely: (1) Research Work, (2) Education Courses in Chemistry and (3) Professional Training. Details of the Programme are provided in the Departmental Postgraduate Student Handbook (for Candidates Completing a PhD Degree in Chemistry) which is available through the Department.



In addition to the traditional research topic, students take a minimum of 30 credits over the four-year programme. These credits are divided between transferable and chemistry-specific course material, as detailed below. The modules are assigned a level, with Level 1 corresponding to postgraduate level in the first year of study, and Level 2 indicating a more advanced and specialised topic, suitable for PhD students in the second, third and fourth years of study.

Candidates for a PhD degree will normally be expected to have a Second Class Honours Grade 1 primary degree in Chemistry, or a relevant discipline. Applicants must have a recognised primary degree which is considered equivalent to Irish university primary degree level.



Minimum English language requirements:

Applicants for whom English is not their first language are required to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study. For information about English language tests accepted and required scores, please see here. The requirements specified are applicable for both EU and International applicants..



Maynooth University's TOEFL code is 8850

Applications are open for the 2025/6 academic year. Visit our online application portal to start your application.

We are here to support you throughout the admissions process.



For queries on your postgraduate course options please contact pgstudies@mu.ie

For queries or support on your application process please contact pgadmissions@mu.ie



If you are an international (Non-EU) applicant please contact internationaladmissions@mu.ie

4 years Full-time, 6 years Part-time.

In general, there are two levels of fees payable. EU students from EU countries including Ireland pay a subsidised level of fees for both taught courses and research programmes. Tuition fees for students from outside the EU are not subsidised and are thus somewhat higher than for EU students.

Commences September (or other agreed time)

The knowledge gained through the study of chemistry opens many career pathways, including, but not limited to, chemistry, medicine, law, business, chemical physics, environmental science, and teaching. The American Chemical Society (www.acs.org) and Royal Society of Chemistry (www.rsc.org/gateway/subject/careers) maintain career services web pages which have information about careers in chemistry.

Current Research Areas https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/chemistry/our-research


- BioAnalytics and Neuroscience

- Electrochemistry, Sensors and Materials Chemistry

- Physical Chemistry of Low Temperature Materials and Biomolecules

- Bioinorganic & Medicinal Chemistry

- Synthetic & Mechanistic Organic Chemistry

- Pharmaceutical Chemistry

- Environmental & Green Chemistry