MEng Chemical Engineering with Industrial Experience
Manchester, United Kingdom
DURATION
4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
Scholarships
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Introduction
Course overview
- We are ranked 5th for chemical engineering in the UK, and 8th in Europe (QS World University Rankings 2021).
- Gain invaluable experience working as a chemical engineer in your year-long paid industrial placement.
- Get hands-on in one of the largest purpose-built pilot-scale laboratories in Europe.
- Become among the highest-paid graduates in engineering.
- Learn the environmental applications of chemical engineering as the world tackles the sustainability challenges of the future.
- 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. In this four-year MEng degree, you will not only learn the fundamentals of this key subject; you'll also have the opportunity to gain invaluable experience working as a chemical engineer on a year-long industrial placement.
The placement, which you will undertake in your third year, is fully embedded within the course, meaning you can gain industrial experience while being supported throughout by an industrial and academic supervisor. We work with your placement to ensure you complete significant projects to produce a project-based dissertation, logbook and poster presentation. Two modules, Catalytic Reaction Engineering and Advanced Engineering Separations, you'll study by distance learning during the placement year.
You will have the opportunity to work for an esteemed company; previous placements have been with the likes of AkzoNobel, AstraZeneca, Bosch, Exxon Mobil, GlaxoSmithKline, JaguarLandRover, Rolls Royce, Tata Steel, Unilever, and many more.
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 an emphasis on the technical aspects of chemical engineering, and 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.
Admissions
Curriculum
Aims
You will study a range of core material, learning the fundamentals of chemical engineering before gaining first-hand industrial experience at a recognised company and then using that knowledge to complete an open-ended design project as part of a team.
We will help you understand and describe chemical, physical and biological processes using mathematical equations.
You will benefit from hands-on experience - both on your industrial placement and on-campus - using specialist equipment, learning techniques applied in 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
Paid industrial placement opportunity
The third-year paid industrial placement will increase your depth and breadth of chemical engineering knowledge, and provide valuable practical work experience. Our unique programme facilitates the completion of a master's programme with a year in the industry within four years.
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. You'll also be taught by true experts in their fields.
Teaching and learning
At 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, supported by lecture podcasts and supplementary video tutorials.
Coursework and assessment
Our degrees are assessed by a combination of examination and coursework, designed to allow you to demonstrate your ability and develop a wide range of transferable skills. For example, our first and second year laboratories are assessed by a range of methods to develop the complementary transferable skills that will be vital in the workplace, including:
- technical report
- presentation
- interview
- poster display
The third-year industrial experience placement is assessed by a dissertation, skills portfolio and logbook, as well as a presentation and competency interview.
The fourth-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 Master's 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, especially if you choose to bolster your learning with a year-long industrial placement.
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.
With a year-long industrial placement under your belt, you'll be well placed to take the next step - either into the workplace or towards further learning.
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.