The move follows a big increase in the number of applications for chemistry places at the university.

It received 391 applications by the end of January for just 73 available places from September 2005.

The figure is 12% higher than last year and the university has now decided to increase the intake to 80 in the face of rising demand.

Nationally, applications to study chemistry have fallen by about a quarter over the past five years.

A number of politicians, including shadow education spokesman Tim Collins, have expressed concern about the future of science degree courses, arguing that they are crucial to the economy and should be protected.

'First choice'

The university says chemistry at Newcastle has bounced back from a low point in 1999/2000, when applications fell to less than 60.

The university's undergraduate admissions tutor for chemistry, Dr Christine Bleasdale, said staff had worked "amazingly hard" to generating more interest in the subject in Tyneside schools.

She said: "The key to encouraging students to make chemistry at Newcastle their first choice is getting them to visit and putting on professional open days for those that do.

"A great deal of thought has gone into our approach. For example, we have found that small open days work best because we can give each applicant more personal attention and show them around in small groups. This creates more work but it is worth it."

Newcastle stopped offering pure physics last year because of declining interest and lack of research funding.

It opted to invest extra money in combined courses like nanotechnology and molecular engineering.