The 2020 intake of the Graduateship in Chemistry Programme begins
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The Institute of Chemistry Ceylon, established in 1971 as the successor to the Chemical Society of Ceylon (founded 1941) is a professional body responsible for the maintenance and enhancement of the profession of chemistry in Sri Lanka.
The educational arm of the Institute, the College of Chemical Sciences (CCS) was established at the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations of the Institute in January 2001, for the purpose of conducting all educational and training activities of the Institute.
CCS offers two main educational programmes; the Graduateship in Chemistry (GIC) course and the Diploma in Laboratory Technology (DLT) course.
The GIC course is an alternate qualification to a Degree in Chemistry offered by any recognised university which has been conducted by the Institute since May 1979. Further, it has been accepted as a professional qualification by the Act of Parliament No. 15 of 1972 and formally accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK as a four year bachelor’s qualification.
Students who have passes in three Science subjects including Chemistry at the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination (Sri Lanka / UK) are deemed eligible to enroll for this four year programme.
In the first two years which consist of all compulsory subjects, parallel series of lectures are conducted on weekdays and during weekends which allows the students to choose between attending either weekday or weekend lectures. In the last two years however, lectures of compulsory subjects are held during weekends while lectures of some optional subjects will be scheduled during weekdays.
GIC lectures are conducted by a set of highly qualified lecturers who are well versed in their respective areas of study and are committed to excellence in teaching, research and academic counselling. The academic populace consists of internal staff members who are full time senior lecturers, senior academics from state and non-state universities, research institutions and chemical industries.
In addition to lectures, students are also given the opportunity to be exposed to the practical aspects of chemistry via laboratory practical sessions which play a pivotal role in helping them develop a broader understanding of scientific concepts. The depth of laboratory sessions conducted range from General Principles of Chemistry in the first year to Advanced Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry in the more senior years.
Practical classes are also held both on weekdays as well as during weekends either of which the student can opt to follow.
In the fourth year of undergraduate studies at the CCS, students have the opportunity of carrying out a research project under the supervision of experienced internal and external lecturers and scientists.
This provides the students with a platform to conduct an individual study where they can not only sharpen their critical and analytical thinking skills, but also extend their classroom learning to contribute towards the creation of new knowledge within the scientific community.
The topic of study can be selected from a variety of areas depending upon the area which the student is most keen to explore. Some of these projects are carried out in collaboration with many local and foreign universities as well as other research institutions such as SLINTEC, ITI, Genetech etc.
Many of the undergraduate researchers of CCS present their findings at national and international conferences, thus entering the diverse network of interacting scientists in the scientific community.
The Institute also publishes its research work as a collective effort in well recognised journals, thus not only facilitating the dissemination of new knowledge globally, but also helping to strengthen the careers in science of its researchers. A total of 10 peer reviewed articles have been published by the Institute in 2019 thus far.
We also have four foreign affiliate universities in which interested students can continue their studies after partial completion of the GIC course. Via this transfer programme, students can obtain a BSc. (Hons) Applied Chemistry from the Northumbria University, UK or a Bachelor’s Degree in Science with a Major in Chemistry from the University of Cincinnati, USA or a Bachelor’s Degree in Forensic Science from the Deakin University, Australia.
Undergraduate life at CCS extends far beyond merely attending lectures and laboratory practical sessions. Students have the opportunity of being a part of a variety of extra-curricular activities including being a part of clubs such as the Rotaract Club, Gavel Club, Photography Club, the First Aid Unit and sports such as Cricket, Rugby, Football, Badminton, Karate and Basketball. Students of different cultures get-together as one family at celebrations of cultural festivals such as Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Christmas, Ramadan, Wesak and Navarathri in the college. AURA, the talent show organised by the student body, that brings together the talents of all undergraduates onto one platform is an annual event in the CCS calendar.
As such, at CCS, students not only receive subject knowledge but also enjoy the social, sporting and cultural aspects of being a student.
All students who successfully complete the four years of study under the GIC programme are awarded the “Graduate Chemist” designation, a professional qualification equivalent to that of a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry and lifetime Associate Membership of the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon.
Having graduated from the College of Chemical Sciences, one could directly apply for scholarships to pursue Doctorates and Master’s degrees in foreign universities depending on their academic records. Those interested can also read for an MPhil degree (Research based postgraduate qualification) or follow a Master’s Degree in Chemistry at any state university in Sri Lanka.
Graduates who seek non-academic careers in the industry as Chemists or Management Trainees have a wide scope of opportunities awaiting them at diverse industries such as petroleum, textile, pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics, etc. and in institutions which provide services such as analytical testing services, consultancy services and chemical and instrument supplying services.
It is also noteworthy that the Graduateship in Chemistry Programme which opens up such a multitude of avenues for an enthusiastic student is offered at a fairly low cost as compared to other equivalent courses offered by any well-known institution.
This is so, as the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon operates as a non-profit organisation that involves no distribution of dividends among its members.
The GIC course is offered with the sole motive of providing the opportunity of pursuing a degree level programme in science to the students who do not manage to gain entrance to state universities due to the district quota system and to the international school students for whom, due to the absence of any other degree level programme catering to the basic sciences locally, the only alternative is admission to foreign universities which involves both a high cost as well as the capital outflow from the country.
Hence, with an increased annual intake of 225 students, the GIC course is heavily in demand amongst school leavers.
CCS is all set for the intake of the 40th batch of students for the GIC programme starting from the first Open Day on Sunday, September 1st 2019 at the IChemC premises at Adamantane House, 341/22, Kotte Rd, Welikada, Rajagiriya. Prospective students and parents, visit us on the 1st to get the chance to see our facilities, talk to our staff and students and get a taste of life at CCS!
Further details regarding the course and the application form can be obtained from the reception between 8.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. on all seven days of the week. You can also call us on 011-2861653 / 011-2861231 or visit us at http://www.ichemc.edu.lk for any related queries.
Hashini K. Perera
Graduate Teaching Assistant
College of Chemical Sciences