The degree is awarded on the basis of the presentation and oral examination of a thesis. Quarterly and annual monitoring of progress combined with a Staff-Student on-line blog system for regular meeting recording ensures satisfactory performance prior to progression to the next year of study. Our world-leading research in the Chemistry Department at Durham encompasses all of the traditional areas of chemistry and many less traditional topics, and includes both fundamental and applied work. Very many of our projects are multidisciplinary in nature, with researchers collaborating with a broad spectrum of academics and industrialists world-wide.