Degree accreditation

Accreditation for institutions

A Royal Society of Chemistry accredited chemistry degree is a mark of assurance that it meets specific standards used by the profession. It provides individuals with the knowledge, skills and competence required to progress their chemistry career. 

Our peer-reviewed accreditation process is well-respected and gives institutions an externally validated mark of excellence for their chemistry degree programmes. 

We accredit Bachelor’s degrees (BSc), integrated Master’s degrees (MChem and MSci) and postgraduate taught Master's degrees (MSc).

What are the benefits?

Achieving professional accreditation of your chemistry degree programmes:

• enhances your reputation as a provider of quality chemistry education
• helps you stand out and compete for the best candidates
• keeps you at the forefront of education standards 
• enhances your prospects for government and corporate funding
• enables the sharing of best practices and networking with other leading universities
• gives you access to an international network of chemistry consultants – helpful when developing your curriculum
• creates closer engagement with the industry – accreditation is valued by the industry as a way of identifying suitably qualified graduates and improves access to workplace opportunities
• gives graduates a clear route to gaining Chartered Chemist (CChem)

What are the key requirements?

The criteria for accreditation are broken down into a number of key requirements. To gain accreditation, universities must demonstrate that they provide students with all the relevant key requirements for the programme type listed.

If you’re an international institution or university, our accreditation will help you compete on a global stage. 

For a more detailed explanation of the process including the standards that have to be met for accreditation download our criteria booklet.

Download our criteria booklet

Download FAQs related to accreditation criteria

Accredited courses for students

If you’re considering going to university, you’ll probably spend a lot of time researching which course to study and where to go. With so many universities and degree courses to choose from, making decisions about higher education can be challenging.

The Royal Society of Chemistry accredits many degrees in the chemical sciences in the UK and worldwide. We do this to make sure that university chemistry courses provide the quality you expect from a degree. When you choose an accredited chemistry programme, you can be confident that you are getting a high-quality education, providing the knowledge and key skills you need for a successful future.

We accredit:

• Bachelor's degrees (BSc)
• Master's degree (MSc)
• Integrated master’s degrees (MChem and MSci)

Download our guide to accreditation of chemistry degrees

Why should I study an RSC accredited degree?

Choosing a Royal Society of Chemistry accredited degree gives you a head start in your career by:

• ensuring you have the knowledge and skills you need to succeed
• enhancing your employability and mobility – our accreditation is recognised around the world
• giving you automatic entry to the professional categories of the Royal Society of Chemistry membership and all the benefits it brings
• providing a route to professional awards, including Chartered Chemist (CChem)

Become an assessor

Would you like to contribute to your community? Are you interested in contributing to upholding standards in chemistry higher education?  We are currently recruiting for accreditation assessors.

If you are a lecturer based at a university which has RSC-accredited degree programmes and have supported at least one complete cohort from registration to graduation through an accredited degree, are a Royal Society of Chemistry member (MRSC or above), you can become an assessor. Experience of working on an accreditation application is desirable, but not essential.

We welcome applications from all assessor areas of chemistry (Organic, Inorganic, Physical and Analytical) throughout the year. If your application to become an assessor is successful but there is no immediate vacancy in your specialism, we’ll add you to the waiting list.

Download the role descriptor for RSC Accreditation Assessor

We are not currently recruiting assessors. However, you are still welcome to send an application which will be added to our waiting list.

If you are interested please send a CV (Maximum 4 pages) and an explanation of why you would like to be involved (maximum 1 page) to the accreditation team.

^{Please note: this is a voluntary position and is not paid, however, all expenses will be covered.}

International accreditation 

Receiving accreditation from the RSC not only validates the quality of our degree programmes, but also provides our students with additional learning opportunities that enrich their study journey and prepare them for successful careers in chemistry.

Prof. Kelvin SY Leung, Professor and Head of Department, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University

If you’re an international institution or university, our accreditation will help you compete on a global stage. 

Royal Society of Chemistry accreditation demonstrates the high quality of your university course to students, employers and the wider chemistry community, helping your institution to compete on the global stage.

The RSC has been accrediting degree programmes for over 80 years in the United Kingdom and over 10 years worldwide. We have accredited over 80 institutions around the globe and the number is growing yearly.

How does the accreditation process work?