School of Physical and Chemical Sciences at UC

For past, present and future students and staff of the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.

The Department provides tuition for students studying Physics or Astronomy as a subject for the Bachelor of Science, the Honours Bachelor of Science and for research degrees (MSc, PhD). Physics and Astronomy aim to understand the behaviour of matter: from the scale of subatomic particles to that of the Universe itself. While past discoveries are of fundamental importance to science and all its app

Photos from School of Physical and Chemical Sciences at UC's post

12/06/2025

Wow, there is a lot of snow at the University of Canterbury Mt. John Observatory, Tekapo, NZ. 🔭⛄️

10/05/2025

Setting up for a night of fun.

20/10/2024

Come along tonight 6:30PM for this free public lecture.
Register here https://events.humanitix.com/new-horizons-the-farthest-exploration-of-worlds-in-history

UC Science UC EngineeringUniversity of Canterbury Mt. John ObservatoryUniversity of Canterbury Alumni Community

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Our Story

Welcome to Te Kura Matū, the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences at the University of Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand.

Excellent quality, high-impact science is fundamental to New Zealand's ability to achieve excellent economic, environmental, social, and cultural outcomes. Innovation will be the main mechanism through which we lift peoples' productivity, prosperity and wellbeing.

The School of Physical and Chemical Sciences offers undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in Astronomy, Chemistry and Physics, including Biochemistry and Environmental Science, that allow science students to explore their options, find their passion and make a difference to society in their chosen career. The School offers two programmes unique within New Zealand: A Bachelor of Science in Astronomy, where you also have opportunities to go to our field station, UC Mt John Observatory in Tekapo part of the Dark Skies reserve, and a variety of postgraduate qualifications in Medical Physics.

Our teaching staff are all active researchers and very passionate. Dynamic teams are leading research in a wide range of disciplines, from molecular cloning to stellar astrophysics, from the design of new pharmaceuticals to nanotechnology devices.

The School’s specialist teaching and research laboratories are located in the Ernest Rutherford Building, named for renowned UC Alumnus Ernest, Lord Rutherford and was officially opened by New Zealand's Prime Minister the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern in February 2018. It is part of UC’s exciting new Science Precinct, the Rutherford Regional Science and Innovation Centre (RRSIC) which creates a hub for Canterbury's science and innovation network in modern state-of-the-art facilities that encourage collaborative teaching, learning and research. It is packed full of equipment to help us measure, manipulate, visualise and quantify the living world.

New Zealand and the world are facing new challenges, and we will need creative new solutions from young scientists like you to be able to tackle them. Whether it’s dealing with a changing climate, confronting health issues, improving society, responding to demographic changes, protecting New Zealand's unique biodiversity, or designing and manufacturing products for commerce, New Zealand needs people who can ask the right questions and know how to use science to answer and solve many of these.

Choose Science, Change the World!

Location

Christchurch

Contact the school

Click here to send a message to the school

Telephone

+6433693100

Website

https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/science/schools/phys-chem/

Address

Kirkwood Avenue
Christchurch
8140

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm