Chemical Engineering MEng

University of Huddersfield

About the course

Isaac Asimov observed “Science can amuse and fascinate us all, but it is engineering that changes the world!” In the past chemical engineering has quietly (or sometimes noisily!) served the material and energy needs of society. But in the 21st century, in the face of global challenges of climate change and fossil fuel depletion, the need is for chemical engineers to change the world by changing the ways in which we meet our needs for food, water, energy and materials. In particular, we need to do this in more joined up ways that produce the right products more cleverly and effectively, understanding the full environmental implications of processing choices, and exploiting interactions for efficiency to give minimum impact and maximum benefit.

• This course is accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) and is reviewed on a regular basis.
• Chemical engineering can be viewed as the most applied of the applied sciences with opportunities to make a difference in the world. Chemical engineers transform the visions of chemists and biochemists into industrial-scale reality, to make the benefits of new products and processes available to the world.
• Our Chemical Engineering MEng builds on the BEng(Hons) course that provides in-depth coverage of modern, industry-relevant chemical engineering material from the fundamentals through to process design.
• There is a strong emphasis on chemistry in the context of chemical engineering, on systems thinking and on practical skills, as well as on nurturing transferable and employability skills.
• We offer you the opportunity to gain strong, in-depth and industry-relevant chemical engineering knowledge to help you play a valuable and rewarding role in this industry and beyond.
• Our teaching staff are educated to doctoral level in their respective subject areas and have expertise in specialist areas of chemical engineering, as well as recognised higher education teaching qualifications and awards for excellent teaching.

You'll have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience using scientific instrumentation in our modern chemical sciences labs and pilot-scale rigs in our dedicated chemical engineering labs. In the third year of your course, you'll also have the chance to benefit from a work placement to see your subject in action and gain relevant real-world experience to enhance your future employment prospects.

The final year of the MEng includes further taught material on advanced aspects of chemical engineering, along with a substantial 40-credit Research Project in which you’ll have the chance to learn research skills, drawing on our wide-ranging research interests including graphene nano-materials, biorefining, process design and simulation, catalysis and industrial ecology for sustainability.

It’s a course designed to help set you up for a career in oil and gas, fine chemicals, materials, food, pharmaceuticals and many other industries, by offering that extra breadth and depth of study and research associated with Master’s level courses.

Your career

The chemical industry is an important industrial sector employing many chemical and process engineers, and chemical engineers are unique in being able to design chemical processes. But chemical engineers can do much more, and chemical engineering graduates find employment in many other sectors that value the numerate and joined-up thinking that characterises the chemical engineer and gives them their power. As a graduate of this course, you may consider a career in a wide range of areas, including chemical manufacturing, environmental consultancy, nuclear engineering, scale-up and plant design, process plant trouble shooting, oil and gas, water, food and energy, research and development, patent law and teaching.