Chemistry is an experimental science that combines academic study with the acquisition of practical and investigational skills. Chemical principles underpin both the physical environment in which we live and all biological systems. Chemistry is often a prerequisite for many other courses in higher education, such as medicine, biological science and environmental science. 

Both theory and practical work should be undertaken by all students as they complement one another naturally, both in school and in the wider scientific community. The DP chemistry course allows students to develop a wide range of practical skills and to increase facility in the use of mathematics. It also allows students to develop interpersonal and information technology skills, which are essential to life in the 21st century. 

By studying chemistry students should become aware of how scientists work and communicate with each other. While the scientific method may take on a wide variety of forms, it is the emphasis on a practical approach through experimental work that characterizes the subject. 

Teachers provide students with opportunities to develop manipulative skills, design investigations, collect data, analyse results and evaluate and communicate their findings. Through the overarching theme of the nature of science, the aims of the DP chemistry course are to enable students to: 

1. appreciate scientific study and creativity within a global context through stimulating and challenging opportunities 

2. acquire a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterize science and technology 

3. apply and use a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterize science and technology 

4. develop an ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesize scientific information 

5. develop a critical awareness of the need for, and the value of, effective collaboration and communication during scientific activities 

6. develop experimental and investigative scientific skills including the use of current technologies 

7. develop and apply 21st century communication skills in the study of science 

8. become critically aware, as global citizens, of the ethical implications of using science and technology 

9. develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations of science and technology 

10. develop an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and their influence on other areas of knowledge.

The group 4 project 

The group 4 project is a collaborative activity where students from different group 4 subjects, within or between schools, work together. It allows for concepts and perceptions from across disciplines to be shared while appreciating the environmental, social and ethical implications of science and technology. It can be practically or theoretically based and aims to develop an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and their influence on other areas of knowledge. The emphasis is on interdisciplinary cooperation and the scientific processes