CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEGREES

Overview

Ever wondered how materials like nylon and polyester are made? How it’s possible to make food stay fresh for longer? Or what happens inside a water treatment plant?
These are just some examples of subjects you might cover as part of a degree in chemical engineering – which is basically the study of materials and how to change them to meet the needs (or wants) of society.
Research in this area is essential to pretty much every field of human activity – including manufacturing, health care, food, cosmetics, fuel and energy, textiles, biotechnology and waste management.
Chemical engineering, or ‘chem-eng’, students need a strong background in maths and chemistry, and ideally in other sciences as well.
You can also expect to learn about the wider context of chemical engineering, including financial, ethical and environmental issues.
As well as lectures and seminars, courses are likely to include lots of practical work, both in labs and using computer simulations. In some cases students may also complete a work-based placement.
The world's best universities for chemical engineering: QS Rankings by Subject >
Looking for chemical engineering courses? Get your free info pack here >

Specialization

Some of the biggest fields for those graduating with chemical engineering degrees are:
Pharmaceuticals: This is the application of chemical engineering to developing new medicines, and producing them on a large scale. You’ll learn about key processes such as distillation, filtration, crystallization and thermodynamics, and also get an overview of current challenges and opportunities in the sector.
Food: Chemical engineering in the food industry may involve developing new packaging, preparation methods or ingredients, to improve the flavour, shelf life, appearance, hygiene and nutritional content of food products.
Petrochemicals: This is the practice of creating new materials out of petroleum and natural gas. ‘Primary’ petrochemicals include propylene, methanol and benzene, while examples of end products made using petrochemicals are soaps, plastics, fertilizers, synthetic materials and paints.
Environment: Chemical engineers are also involved in monitoring the impact of industry on the environment, and developing processes to reduce damage. This could include developing more energy-efficient technology, producing cleaner fuels, converting pollutants into non-harmful substances, and recycling materials.

Career Options

The majority of chemical engineers are employed in manufacturing and refining industries, where they are involved in the design and implementation of systems to mass produce materials or products.
As well as monitoring safety and quality issues, this also means ensuring maximum efficiency and profitability. Those with an aptitude for leadership may move up to become plant managers or company executives.
More research-based roles are also available, and the skills gained from a chemical engineering degree are transferable to a wide range of careers, for example in the financial, legal and environmental sectors.
After a period of work in the sector, usually at least four years, chemical engineers can apply to the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) for official Chartered status – a mark of professional competence.

Key Skills

As well as preparation for work in a specialist field, a chemical engineering degree should provide the following transferable skills:

• Ability to analyze complex data sets, and general analytical skill
• General lab skills
• Understanding of scientific literature and how to use it
• Teamwork and good communication
• Numeracy and technology literacy, including statistics
• Presenting findings in written and spoken form, to an acceptable academic standard
• An understanding of academic literature, and general academic research skills
• Problem identification and solving
• Understanding of manufacturing processes
• An awareness and insider’s understanding of ethical issues

Related courses:

Chemistry Degrees
Pharmacy Degrees
Environmental Science Degrees