Chemical Engineering

Chemical engineers design and operate industrial processes that convert raw materials into valuable products. The need for more sophisticated products and sustainable processes means chemical engineers are in great demand.

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Overview

Chemical Engineering at Cambridge

Our course concentrates on the scientific principles that underpin modern chemical and biochemical engineering.

The aim is to produce graduates that meet the needs of today’s process industries by providing a thorough understanding of the subject, technical competence, and transferable skills. The underlying theory is complemented by a series of lectures and projects that teach process design and chemical product design.

We have strong links with industry. The course is supported by a consortium of industrial companies which provide input on content and assist with teaching. These links also mean that there are opportunities for vacation placements with some of the world’s top companies.

Teaching and facilities

Our Department enjoys a reputation for excellence in its teaching and research, regularly topping national league tables. The Department moved to a new purpose-built building in 2016 that provides the highest quality teaching and research facilities.

Qualifications and accreditation

It’s possible to graduate with a BA degree after three years. However, virtually all students stay for the fourth year leading to the BA and MEng degrees (progression to the fourth year is dependent on satisfactory performance). The four-year course is accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers, meaning that after graduation you can apply for Chartered Engineer status once you have four years of relevant experience without taking further exams.

Course costs

Tuition fees

Information on tuition fee rates for Chemical Engineering is available on the tuition fees page.

Additional course costs

Please see the Engineering or Natural Sciences pages for information relating to additional course costs in Year 1.

There are no compulsory course costs for Chemical Engineering (Years 2, 3 and 4). Full course details are available on the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology website and if you have any queries about resources/materials, please contact the Department.

Changing course

Some students admitted to read Chemical Engineering may continue with Natural Sciences or Engineering after their first year. Students may change to Manufacturing Engineering or Management Studies.

To be able to change course, you need the agreement of your College that any change is in your educational interests, and you must have the necessary background in the subject to which you wish to change – in some cases you may be required to undertake some catch-up work or take up the new course from the start/an earlier year. If you think you may wish to change course, we encourage you to contact a College admissions office for advice. You should also consider if/how changing course may affect any financial support arrangements.

After Cambridge

Within chemical engineering, there are many well-paid career opportunities. You might work as a field engineer, be part of a research team, or become a senior manager within industry. Chemical engineers also secure jobs outside the discipline because of their broad range of skills. About 45% of our graduates go into the chemical, process and food industries; 20% go into finance and management consultancy; and 20% take higher degrees.

Course Outline

You’re taught primarily through lectures, which are supported by projects, laboratory classes, supervisions and coursework.

In a typical week, you attend 10 lectures and have two supervisions. You also undertake fortnightly projects.

Assessment is by written examinations during the final term of each year, and coursework which makes an increasing contribution to your marks each year.

Year 1 (Part IA)

Your choice of route

Chemical engineers spend their first year studying either Engineering or Natural Sciences. These routes provide equally good preparation for becoming a chemical engineer, and are taken up by a similar number of students.

Year 2 (Part IB)

Introduction to core chemical engineering

From Year 2, you’re based within the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. You study compulsory topics within five themes:

fundamentals – fluid mechanics, mass and heat transfer, thermodynamics
process operations – reactors, separators, biotechnology
process systems – safety, economics
mathematical methods – mathematics
enabling topics – depending on your first-year subject, you have additional lectures and practicals on either chemistry or mechanical engineering

You also take laboratory classes and undertake regular assessed project work. Towards the end of the year, you perform the mechanical design of an item of process equipment such as a heat exchanger.

Year 3 (Part IIA)

The third year includes further compulsory topics within four themes:

fundamentals – fluid mechanics, heat transfer, thermodynamics
process operations – reactors, separators, bioprocessing, particle processing
process systems – process dynamics and control, process synthesis, safety
enabling topics – materials, mathematics

After the written exams in the third term, you undertake a group project that requires five weeks of full-time work to design a modern industrial process. You consider all aspects of engineering design (including specification of equipment and control procedures), safety, environmental impact and economic assessment. The design project brings together all the taught subject matter whilst giving you the opportunity to work in a team on an open-ended problem.

Year 4 (Part IIB)

Choice of advanced topics

You undertake a project on chemical product design and take a compulsory paper on environmental aspects of chemical engineering.

You choose six further topics from a list of optional papers which changes every year to reflect the research interests of academic staff. Some are advanced chemical engineering topics – past examples have included:

pharmaceutical engineering
rheology and processing
electrochemical engineering
computational fluid dynamics

Some are broadening material topics from outside the discipline (past examples have included healthcare biotechnology, a foreign language, and entrepreneurship).

In addition, you undertake a research project. This might involve experimental, theoretical and/or computational work. Some projects support ongoing Department research, while others are ‘blue sky’ investigations leading to new research programmes. Successful projects sometimes lead to students becoming authors of publications in scientific literature.

For further information about studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Cambridge see the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology website.

Entry Requirements

Typical offers require

A Level: A*A*A
IB: 40-42 points, with 776 at Higher Level

For other qualifications, see our main Entrance requirements pages.

Course requirements

Engineering route

Required by all Colleges: A Level/IB Higher Level Mathematics*, Chemistry and Physics
Required by some Colleges: STEP

Natural Sciences route

Required by all Colleges: A Level/IB Higher Level Chemistry and Mathematics*
Required by some Colleges: A Level/IB Higher Level Physics; A Level Further Mathematics

See Chemical Engineering: Subject Requirements and Typical Offer by College for College-specific requirements/preferences. All undergraduate admissions decisions are the responsibility of the Cambridge Colleges. Please contact the relevant College admissions office if you have any queries about College-specific requirements.

See also Entrance requirements and The Subject Matters for additional advice about general requirements for entry, qualifications and offers.

* IB applicants starting the new IB Mathematics syllabus are expected to take IB Higher Level 'Analysis and Approaches' for any course where Mathematics is a requirement. If this option is not available at your school, please contact the College that you wish to apply to directly for further advice and guidance.

Admission assessment

For 2021 entry, applicants for Chemical Engineering are required to take a pre-interview written assessment on 4 November 2020, at an authorised centre local to them (for a lot of applicants, this will be their school/college). You need to be registered by 15 October 2020 to take the assessment, and your assessment centre must do this for you. See admission assessments for details.

Assessment format

Applicants to Chemical Engineering will sit the assessment in their chosen route (Natural Sciences or Engineering).

Chemical Engineering via Engineering

Section 1: Mathematics and Physics multiple-choice questions. (60 minutes, no calculator)
Section 2: Advanced Physics multiple-choice questions. (60 minutes, no calculator)

Chemical Engineering via Natural Sciences

Section 1: Multiple choice questions in mathematics plus one science (Biology, Chemistry or Physics) (60 minutes)
Section 2: Extended multiple choice questions in Biology, Chemistry or Physics (60 minutes)

In addition to the pre-interview assessment, applicants to the following Colleges are required to take a College-set written assessment at interview (see individual College websites for details): King's (via Engineering), Trinity.

Mature students (aged 21 or over) applying to one of the mature Colleges are not required to take the pre-interview assessment, and will instead sit an at-interview assessment. See the written assessments page for more details.

Please note that your performance in the pre-interview assessment will not be considered in isolation, but will be taken into account alongside the other elements of your application.

Submitted work

Please refer to the submitted work information for Engineering and/or Natural Sciences (Physical).

Applicants to some Colleges will have separate interviews for Chemical Engineering and for their Year 1 course. See individual College websites for further details.

For further information about studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Cambridge see the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology website.

Resources

Find out more about Chemical Engineering at Cambridge

Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology - Explore Chemical Engineering in more detail on the department website.

Chemical Engineering FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about the Chemical Engineering course.

Chemical Engineering Prospective Applicants - Information on the Chemical Engineering undergraduate course for prospective applicants.

Preparing for the TSA Cambridge - Resources to help prepare for the TSA (required for Chemical Engineering at some Colleges). Includes practice tests, suggested textbooks and further reading.

Why study Chemical Engineering? - Reasons for studying Chemical Engineering, including the great career prospects.

Graduate Profiles - Some recent graduates reflect on their experience studying Chemical Engineering at Cambridge and on their subsequent careers.

Transferable Skills - A guide to the transferable skills you can develop during the course of a Chemical Engineering degree.

Chemical Engineering Society (CUCES) - Find out more about the Cambridge University Chemical Engineering Society and what they get up to.

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