BEng Chemical Engineering / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course description

As a huge advocate for environmental sustainability, I was thrilled when there was a Sustainability Development and Industry module in the first semester of my third year.

This module has provided me with the knowledge of the different aspects of sustainability in industry, which interests me as I hope to pursue a career towards sustainability in the future.

Miew Ki Liew / Chemical Engineering student
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?

Aims

Studying at Manchester set me up with the skills I need in my everyday work as a Process Engineer with AirProdcuts.

The Department's reputation is well respected with employers in engineering and beyond. My advice is to make the most of the whole experience, the University and its resources, the city itself, and the friends you make along the way.

Ben Lane / Chemical Engineering Graduate
  • You will study a range of core material, 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 industry for large-scale manufacturing.
  • You will develop skills that will be of great use in your future career, such as team-working, problem-solving, communication, and the use of information technology.

Special features

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Where Ideas Come to Life

Outstanding reputation

The Department of Chemical Engineering 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 4th in the UK for chemical engineering and 7th in Europe (QS World University Rankings 2023).

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.

In our new Home of Engineering and Materials, we’re ripping up the rule book to offer a truly innovative teaching and learning experience. You’ll have access to world-leading sustainable research facilities and some of the most unique, industry-leading equipment and instrumentation in the sector to meet today’s requirements and those of the future. 

Explore  Our Home for Engineering and Materials.  

Welcoming community

Our Department has a rich history and a bright future - and always a welcoming and encouraging student community. Find out more on our Department blog .

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.

Course content for year 1

Course units for year 1

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Engineering Mathematics 1 CHEN10011 10 Mandatory
Engineering Chemistry CHEN10022 10 Mandatory
Process Fluid Flow CHEN10031 10 Mandatory
Process Engineering Fundamentals CHEN10041 10 Mandatory
Computational Methods for Chemical Engineering CHEN10051 10 Mandatory
Laboratory Projects 1 CHEN10060 10 Mandatory
Engineering Mathematics 2 CHEN10072 10 Mandatory
Fundamentals of Thermodynamics CHEN10081 10 Mandatory
Process Heat Transfer CHEN10092 10 Mandatory
Chemical Engineering Design Project CHEN10122 10 Mandatory
Engineering Biotechnology CHEN10162 10 Mandatory
Chemical Thermodynamics CHEN10192 10 Mandatory
Displaying 10 of 12 course units for year 1

Course content for year 2

Course units for year 2

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Laboratory Projects 2 CHEN20020 20 Mandatory
Engineering Mathematics 3 CHEN20041 10 Mandatory
Chemical Engineering Optimisation CHEN20051 10 Mandatory
Distillation & Absorption CHEN20072 10 Mandatory
Process Integration CHEN20082 10 Mandatory
Momentum, Heat & Mass Transfer CHEN20112 10 Mandatory
Chemical Reactor Design CHEN20141 10 Mandatory
Process Safety CHEN20152 10 Mandatory
Process Design & Simulation CHEN21112 10 Mandatory
Solids Processing CHEN20061 10 Optional
Leadership in Action Online Unit UCIL20031 10 Optional
Displaying 10 of 11 course units for year 2

Course content for year 3

Course units for year 3

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
BEng Design Project 1 CHEN30132 15 Mandatory
BEng Design Project 2 CHEN30142 20 Mandatory
BEng Design Project 3 CHEN30152 15 Mandatory
Multi-Component Engineering Separations(BEng) CHEN30171 10 Mandatory
Process Control (BEng) CHEN30191 10 Mandatory
Catalytic Reaction Engineering (BEng) CHEN30251 10 Mandatory
Process Synthesis (BEng) CHEN30311 10 Mandatory
Process Design BEng CHEN33122 10 Mandatory
Sustainable Development & Industry BEng CHEN33201 10 Mandatory
Batch Processing BEng CHEN33321 10 Mandatory

Scholarships and bursaries

The University of Manchester is committed to attracting and supporting the very best students. We have a focus on nurturing talent and ability and we want to make sure that you have the opportunity to study here, regardless of your financial circumstances.

The Department of Chemical Engineering offers The Morton Award for International Excellence and George Davis Awards for Academic Excellence. For further information on scholarships and bursaries please visit the scholarship information pages.

What our students say

Find out what it's like to study at Manchester by visiting the Department of Chemical Engineering blog .

Facilities

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CEAS Pilot Hall Tour

Come to our Home of Engineering and Materials - a place like no other. This is where engineers, material scientists and fashion students collaborate, innovate and make their mark on the world. Unleash your potential in our creative, academic playground that signals the evolution of a proud history of innovation spanning almost 200 years.  

In this very special place, we’re ripping up the rule book, offering you a truly innovative teaching and learning experience. As well as our creative classrooms, you’ll also have access to world-leading sustainable research facilities in our new buildings.  

Our variety of spaces allows for greater collaboration for all our students, and it is the place to connect and tackle real-life challenges together. So, a chemical engineer could be sat alongside a materials scientist working on clean water, or bump into a fashion student developing their own sustainable brand, or an aerospace engineer sending a rocket into space. It is a place like no other for interactions and one of the biggest communities of engineers and materials scientists in any University in the world.

Dive into a world of possibilities, whether you are interested in aerospace, robotics, or sustainable fashion, there’s a home for you here. 

Explore  Our Home for Engineering and Material Science

What's more, our strong, ever-growing links with industry not only help to inform our courses, but also boost our excellent teaching and research facilities.  

This includes our impressive James Chadwick building:  

In our £12 million James Chadwick Building you'll have access to modern lab spaces, dedicated computer suites, and a famed pilot scale area with a range of large-scale industrial processing equipment. It's one of the biggest and best of any European university. See our outstanding facilities for yourself through our virtual open day

The University of Manchester also offers an extensive  library and online services , helping you get the most out of your studies. 

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk