MEng Chemical Engineering with Study in Europe / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course description

Begin your journey towards a challenging yet rewarding career in chemical engineering by studying at the subject's birthplace: Manchester. In the second year you will learn a new language, preparing you for an exciting third year abroad - studying in either France, Germany or Spain.

The full foreign language course will include spoken language, grammar and some technical vocabulary. During your year abroad you will attend lectures and tutorials, participate in group work, write reports and take exams in the local language. You will also undertake a research project during your third year that will be assessed as part of your year abroad.

Across the four-year degree you will not only learn the fundamentals of this key subject; you will also have the opportunity to specialise in advanced areas, covering the key themes of modelling and energy. In fourth year you will undertake an open-ended team project to design a complete production process, with previous examples including the sustainable production of chemicals such as propylene oxide and ethylene glycol from waste. Our design teams have won more IChemE Macnab-Lacey Prize for their efforts than any other university.

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, 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.

Aims

  • You will benefit - both professionally and personally - from an exciting year studying at a top European university.
  • You will learn a new language, undertaking a full foreign language course that includes spoken language, grammar and technical vocabulary.
  • We will teach you a range of core material, helping you learn the fundamentals of chemical engineering before you specialise in areas of advanced chemical engineering.
  • You will benefit from hands-on experience using specialist equipment, and learn techniques applied in industry for large-scale manufacturing.

Special features

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Year abroad

A life-changing year in Europe awaits, with options for third-year study in France, Germany, or Spain. Take advantage of an opportunity you will never forget - learning all about a different social and technical culture and enhancing your future career prospects.

Learn a new language

In the second year you'll undertake a foreign language course. Learning a new language will not only prepare you for your year abroad; it can open up opportunities in your future.

Reputation

The Department has an excellent international reputation, and a qualification from us can be your passport to a successful career anywhere in the world. We're ranked 4th for chemical engineering in the UK, and 7th in Europe (QS World University Rankings 2023).

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. You'll also be taught by true experts in their fields. Find out more on our Department blog .

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, 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 transferrable skills that will be vital in the workplace, including:

  • technical report
  • presentation
  • interview
  • poster display

The fourth year research project is assessed by the final dissertation as well as a poster presentation and interview.

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

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
Chemical Reactor Design CHEN20141 10 Mandatory
Process Safety CHEN20152 10 Mandatory
Process Design & Simulation CHEN21112 10 Mandatory
LEAP French 5 (B2/C1) ULFR51050 20 Optional
LEAP German 5 (B2/C1) ULGE51050 20 Optional
LEAP Spanish 5 (B2/C1) ULSP51050 20 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
Study in Europe Year Abroad CHEN30040 120 Mandatory

Course content for year 4

Course units for year 4

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
Design Project 3 - Part 1 CHEN30012 15 Mandatory
Design Project 3 - Part 2 CHEN30022 20 Mandatory
Process Synthesis CHEN30031 10 Mandatory
Design Project 3 - Part 3 CHEN30032 15 Mandatory
Process Control CHEN30091 10 Mandatory
Process Design CHEN30122 10 Mandatory
Sustainable Development & Industry CHEN31201 10 Mandatory
Nuclear Fuel Cycle CHEN40221 15 Optional
Utility System Design CHEN40431 15 Optional
Science of Formulation CHEN40441 15 Optional
Fundamentals of Numerical Methods & Simulation CHEN40451 15 Optional
Advanced Separation Processes CHEN40461 15 Optional
Process Fluid Dynamics CHEN44211 15 Optional
Sustainable Resources and Processing CHEN44491 15 Optional
Displaying 10 of 14 course units for year 4

Scholarships and bursaries

At The University of Manchester we're 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.

For information about scholarships and bursaries please see our undergraduate fees pages and check the Department's funding pages .

What our students say

The year spent in industry was particularly useful as the challenge of balancing

both the academic requirements and the professional workload sets you up well for a career in industry post-graduation. The approach to learning and problem solving that is instilled in students at Manchester is invaluable in adapting to new challenges.

Luke Glynn / Integrated Supply Chain, Akzonobel
Find out what it's like to study at Manchester by visiting the Department of Chemical Engineering blog .

Facilities

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