Manchester, United Kingdom
DURATION
3 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
Course overview
- Study at the birthplace of chemical engineering: Manchester.
- Master the basics and hone your skills at the university ranked 5th for chemical engineering in the UK, and 8th in Europe (QS World University Rankings 2021).
- Get hands-on in one of the largest purpose-built pilot-scale laboratories in Europe.
- Become among the highest-paid graduates in the engineering field.
- From September 2022, learn in our brand-new, £400m purpose-built engineering and material science building, MECD.
Course Description
Begin your journey towards a challenging yet rewarding career in chemical engineering by studying at the subject's birthplace: Manchester.
You will learn the fundamentals of a key subject concerned with the design and management of processes that carry out molecular transformations on a large scale - providing the products and materials that we all need, from oil and gas to food and pharmaceuticals.
At Manchester, all of our programmes are accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), meaning your education will equip you to graduate with an industrially approved degree. There will be emphasis on the technical aspects of chemical engineering. These revolve around managing the behaviour of materials and chemical reactions, as well as predicting and manipulating compositions, flows, temperatures, and pressures of solids, liquids and gases.
This is balanced with process safety and sustainability, which are inherent to all of our programmes. The latter is heavily embedded within your third-year design project. Here, you will undertake an open-ended team project to design a complete production process. Examples have included the sustainable production of chemicals such as propylene oxide and ethylene glycol from waste, and our design teams have won more IChemE Macnab-Lacey Prize for their efforts than any other university. Could you be next?
Admissions
Curriculum
Aims
- You will study a range of core materials, learning the fundamentals of chemical engineering.
- We will help you understand and describe chemical, physical and biological processes using mathematical equations.
- You will benefit from hands-on experience using specialist equipment, and learn techniques applied in the industry for large-scale manufacturing.
- You will develop skills that will be of great use in your future careers, such as team-working, problem-solving, communication, and the use of information technology.
Special features
Outstanding reputation
The Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science at Manchester has an excellent international reputation, and a qualification from us can be your passport to a successful career anywhere in the world.
We are ranked 5th in the UK for chemical engineering and 8th in Europe(QS World University Rankings 2021).
Leading facilities
Get to grips with an incredible array of facilities and equipment. Our £12 million James Chadwick Building houses the biggest pilot-scale laboratory of any university in the UK.
We're getting ready to move into a £400million Manchester Engineering Campus Development.
Welcoming community
Our Department has a rich history and a bright future - and always a welcoming and encouraging student community.
Expert guidance
You'll be taught by true experts in their fields, and our renowned Careers Service can help you make the right next steps.
Teaching and learning
At The University of Manchester, you will be taught by academic staff who are leading experts in chemical engineering, in a diverse and inclusive learning environment. We use a combination of teaching and learning methods including lectures, tutorials, laboratory sessions and problem-based learning, which are supported by lecture podcasts and supplementary video tutorials.
Coursework and assessment
Our degrees are assessed by a combination of examination and coursework, with taught modules typically composed of 20% coursework and 80% written examination.
Our first and second-year laboratories are assessed by a range of methods to develop the complementary transferrable skills that will be vital in the workplace, for example:
- Technical report
- Presentation
- Interview
- Poster display
The third-year Design Project is assessed by group and individual design reports, a group presentation and an individual interview, with peer assessment being also incorporated.
Career Opportunities
Manchester is the birthplace of Chemical Engineering, and we continue to excel in its teaching and research. That's why our graduates are highly sought after and a Chemical Engineering degree from Manchester can be your ticket into any number of industries.
Our graduates have progressed to careers in food and drink, chemicals, oil or gas; some have gone into petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, fast-moving consumer goods, energy generation, or waste treatment. Roles for a chemical engineering graduate can vary, including product design, research and development, project management, and manufacturing. You could even use the skills you gain to pursue a career in a non-chemical engineering sector, such as business, finance, marketing, banking, insurance, accountancy, or IT - your job could take you anywhere in the world.
Our graduates have gained roles such as:
- Site Engineer
- Process Engineer
- Data Analyst
- Low Carbon Technologies Engineer
- Project Manager
- Safety Consultant
- Site Manager.
Our graduates have secured roles at organisations including:
- Pfizer
- Barclays
- Unilever
- Siemens
- Exxon Mobil
- Air Products
- Shell
- Tesco
- BP.
By undertaking a degree with us, you will develop skills that will be invaluable for you in your future career, such as:
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving
- Presentation and communication
- Use of information technology.
What's more, graduate with a degree from us and you'll be in demand among the top graduate employers by attending one of the most targeted universities according to The Graduate Market in 2021 - High Fliers Research.
Whatever you decide, you'll be among a cohort of chemical engineering graduates who typically go on to earn more than those progressing from other disciplines.
Careers Service
We are committed to helping you get the best start after graduation. That's why The University of Manchester's award-winning Careers Service will continue to support you two years after graduation.