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The Business Case for Green & Sustainable Chemistry - CHE00003M

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  • Department: Chemistry
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

This module aims to introduce commercialisation of green and sustainable chemistry through examples of the development of greener chemicals and consumer products, the role of environmental legislation governing their manufacture, the process of protecting inventions, and how those inventions can be brought to market. Working both independently and as part of a team you will develop a green and sustainable chemistry business case for a mock spin-out company that takes an idea from ‘bench to business’.

Related modules

Pre-requisites: Chemistry / Chemical Sciences / other appropriate discipline undergraduate degree

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

This module aims to introduce commercialisation of green and sustainable chemistry through examples of the development of greener chemicals and consumer products, the role of environmental legislation governing their manufacture, the process of protecting inventions, and how those inventions can be brought to market. Working both independently and as part of a team you will develop a green and sustainable chemistry business case for a mock spin-out company that takes an idea from ‘bench to business’.

Module learning outcomes

  • Critically evaluate the potential for and difficulties in achieving the use of greener chemical products.

  • Communicate (written and oral) and defend several technical and non-technical concepts in the form of a business plan, accepting accountability for related decision-making.

  • Engage in mock team-work professional activity demonstrating integration of several business planning concepts such as, intellectual property rights, environmental legislation, and circular economy law.

The specific module learning outcomes map onto the following Programme Learning Outcomes

PLO 1: Apply whole systems thinking and inter/trans-disciplinary approaches to the creative problem solving of complex global grand challenges using holistic green chemistry and sustainable industrial technology related interventions in concert with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)

PLO3: Effectively communicate detailed, complex, green and sustainable chemistry research concepts to both experts and non-experts through the application of a variety of key transferable skills such as IT, scientific writing, oral presentations, posters, team-working,etc

PLO6: Apply holistic thinking to the commercialisation and innovation of green and sustainable chemistry through an understanding of intellectual property, environmental and circular economy law and business plan writing.

Module content

Topics in this module:

  • Business Planning 1: Intellectual Property Rights and Finance

  • Business Planning 2: Greener Products and Legislation including circular economy law.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 40
Oral presentation/seminar/exam 60

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 40
Oral presentation/seminar/exam 60

Module feedback

Student receive written feedback after each assessment

Indicative reading

n/a


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.