Refinery Design & Operation MSc

Would you like to impress future employers with your in-depth knowledge of refinery design and operation?  Major employers know that the best way to increase the profitability of a refinery is to examine its design and operation and they are keen to employ people who have a deep conceptual understanding of advanced chemical process design for the petrochemicals industry.  The course teaches you how clean and efficient processing operations not only help improve the environment but also help industry perform to its full potential.

• You examine a series of processing steps and how they interconnect to form a complete system which transforms raw materials into desired products with minimal cost and environmental harm.
• You design integrated crude oil distillation systems and efficient heat exchanger networks and utility systems and integrate refinery hydrogen systems. 
• You learn how to build, solve and validate mathematical models for the simulation, optimisation and control of chemical processes and large refinery systems and use design and modelling software such as Hysys, ProII, Matlab and Aspenplus. 

Who will benefit from the course?

The course is for recently graduated chemical engineers who wish to develop their understanding of chemical process design in the petrochemical industry and use their skills and knowledge to help future employers increase their profitability.

What are the benefits to students?

• Advanced training in the most recent principles and concepts of process design ensure you are up to date with the most progressive ideas in the field
• Regular feedback from senior businessmen and women from prestigious international companies mean that the course is considered to be of high quality and extremely relevant to industry
• The qualification you gain will be recognised all around the world and the excellent reputation of the course amongst employers mean that you will immediately enhance your career prospects
• Training in the use of process simulation software and other software tools means that you graduate with skills which are highly useful to employers
• The availability of e-learning material enables you to plan your time to study at your own pace - and you can choose between studying full-time at the University or part-time through distance learning
• You will gain many other skills to make you more employable such as report writing, data analysis and the ability to make presentations.
• There is the flexibility to choose whether you study for an MSc, Postgraduate Diploma, Postgraduate Certificate or even a single Unit as a professional training course.

The course can be studied full-time in attendance at the University or part-time by distance learning.

• The amount of effort required by a student is measured in credits.  An MSc requires the completion of 180 credits, a Diploma 120 credits and a Certificate 60 credits.
• The MSc has two major segments, the taught part and a research project.  You study six 15 credit Units and the 30 credit Unit on Research Training Techniques and Methodology.   Following the successful completion of these you go on to complete your 60 credit Dissertation Project (total 180 credits).
• The Postgraduate Diploma requires successful completion of six 15 credit Units and the 30 credit Unit on Research Training Techniques and Methodology (total 120 credits). 
• The Postgraduate Certificate requires successful completion of four 15 credit Units (total 60 credits).
• Each of the individual Units is available to study as a shorter training course - a great way to learn new skills and enhance your professional development.

The Units are:

• Computer Aided Process Design (15 credits)
• Energy Systems (15 credits)
• Utility Systems (15 credits)
• Distillation Systems Design (15 credits)
• Reaction Systems Design (15 credits)
• Petroleum Engineering (15 credits)
• Research Training Techniques and Methods (Skills) (15 credits)
• Research Training Techniques and Methods (Proposal) (15 credits)
• Dissertation Project (60 credits)

Academic entry qualification overview:

To study MSc, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate you will need a 2(i) (upper second class honours) first degree in a relevant discipline, or equivalent qualifications/experience.  Applicants with a 2(ii) will be considered and are welcome to apply.

Examples of relevant disciplines for your first degree are: chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial chemistry, environmental engineering, food engineering, petroleum engineering and chemistry.  Please enquire if you would like to know whether your first degree is suitable. However contents in first degrees vary and we require relevant transcripts to evaluate suitability.

English language:

Applicants who do not have English as their first language will need to demonstrate competency. We generally require applicants to hold one of the following qualifications (although other formal qualifications may be considered):

• IELTS: 6.5 (with no sub score less than 5.5)
• TOEFL PB: 570 (with a minimum TWE of 5.0)
• TOEFL CB: 230 (with a minimum TWE of 5.0)
• IBTOEFL of at least 90

The University offers three, five and ten-week pre-sessional English language courses for students who need to improve their English to meet the minimum requirements (see http://www.langcent.manchester.ac.uk/ for more information).

Other international entry requirements:

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. See details of entry requirements for your country at: www.manchester.ac.uk/international/country

Professional entry qualification: Candidates who have satisfied the educational requirements for admission to the UK Institution of Chemical Engineers can also be accepted.

Full-time study at the University

The full-time course is taught using modern, innovative teaching methods which have proved extremely successful with our students. Much of the source materials and study aids are available through Blackboard (the university's web based learning system). For each taught unit you take part in face-to-face lectures and group working sessions based around solving small scale problems. Group discussion of the topics enhances your understanding and the working sessions give you the opportunity to apply theory to industrially based problems. Computer laboratory based practical sessions allow you to apply knowledge and understanding gained to larger scale problems.

Problem based learning methods are used in the Research Techniques and Methodology Design Projects. Students work in groups to solve a large scale problem and you are expected to produce both oral and written reports, thereby enhancing communication and report writing skills. 

Part-time study by distance learning

The course can be studied by part-time distance learning. You can study at home or your place of work to fit the work around other commitments.  

The programme structure is the same as the full-time programme, with variations in teaching methods to account for the nature of the programme. The face-to-face lectures are replaced with virtual lectures. Access to computers and software are provided via the internet. You will be provided with a mentor to guide you through the course and support is provided by e-mail, internet based discussion groups and telephone.

The materials required for the programme are delivered by post (hard copies of lecture notes) and via Blackboard.

http://www.ceas.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/distancelearning/

Assessment is a combination of examinations and submitted coursework.

Examinations take place in the January and May of each year at the University of Manchester. Distance learning students who do not live in mainland UK can take examinations at a local British Council office or University. You would be expected to meet the cost of the supervision of each exam if taken away from Manchester.

The Dissertation Project forms a major part of the MSc course and provides useful practice in carrying out academic research and writing in an area that you are interested in.  You learn to apply your knowledge by solving industry-based problems and demonstrate the knowledge you have acquired by solving an original problem.  You choose a topic from a wide selection provided by the University's teaching staff and by industry.  Students have the opportunity of working with large engineering or engineering software development companies and The Process Integration Research Consortium (comprising approximately 30 international companies) provides opportunities for students to discuss project work in a large number of engineering related areas

Graduates have an excellent understanding of chemical process design, in particular within the oil, gas and petroleum industries. Many find employment with large multi-national companies such as Shell, Exxon Mobil and BP. The excellent reputation of the course means that graduates are rapidly employed - indeed many are offered jobs before they have finished their study.

Many graduates go on to develop their career in process design and development as design engineers, process engineers or researchers, either in the petrochemicals industry or in other process industries. Others are employed as specialist software developers or can move into consulting or contracting.

Some graduates pursue an academic career and use the course as a stepping stone to studying for a PhD.  They go on to a career undertaking research and teaching in a University.

School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science

See: The School .

Contact name: Postgraduate Taught Programmes Administrator

Telephone: +44 (0)161 306 4837

Facsimile: 44 (0)161 306 4865

Email: pgt-ceas@manchester.ac.uk

Website: www.ceas.manchester.ac.uk/