Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology

Chemical engineers design industrial processes that convert raw materials into valuable products. Biotechnologists use living systems and organisms to make valuable products. The need for sophisticated products and sustainable processes means chemical engineers and biotechnologists are in great demand.

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Overview

Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at Cambridge

Our course concentrates on the scientific principles that underpin the discipline. These principles are essential to develop processes and products that address some of the problems currently facing humanity. These include the energy transition away from fossil fuels, the need for sustainable food and water supplies as climate change occurs, and the provision of improved global healthcare solutions and therapeutics.

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

Teaching and facilities

Our Department enjoys a reputation for excellence in its teaching and research, regularly topping national league tables. The Department’s purpose-built building features 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. 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. Progression to the fourth year and accreditation are dependent on satisfactory performance.

Course costs

Tuition fees

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

Additional course costs

Required: a University approved scientific calculator - Estimated cost £20
Required: a lab coat - Estimated cost £15
Required: safety glasses – Estimated cost £5
Required: a laptop computer. Cost if purchased new will depend on choice, but an existing laptop less than four years old is likely to be sufficient.

Changing course

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 and biotechnology, there are many well-paid career opportunities. Graduates might work as engineers or scientists in industry, form part of research teams, or occupy management positions. The wide variety of skills acquired also provides career opportunities outside the discipline. Previous graduates have worked in industry, in finance or management consultancy, or gone on to take higher degrees.

Course outline

Course Outline

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

In a typical week students attend 10 lectures and have two supervisions. In the first two years there is significant laboratory work, while the amount of project work increases each year.

Assessment is by a combination of written examinations and coursework.

Year 1 (Part IA)

You study:

Fundamental scientific topics such as cell biology, materials science and engineering principles.
Introductory chemical engineering and biotechnology principles such as sustainability, process calculations, fluid mechanics, and chemical and biochemical product design.
Chemistry from Part IA of the Natural Sciences Tripos.
Mathematics from Part IA of the Natural Sciences Tripos.

You also undertake an engineering design and manufacturing workshop and do the chemistry practical laboratory class from Part IA of the Natural Sciences Tripos.

Year 2 (Part IB)

You study:

Fundamental principles such as biotechnology, process thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat and mass transfer.
Introductory applications such as reaction engineering, separations and solids processing.
Supporting topics such as engineering mathematics, data science, and safety principles.

You also take laboratory classes in chemical engineering and biotechnology, undertake assessed exercises, and have classes in computing skills including process simulation.

Year 3 (Part II)

In the first term, you study further applications such as advanced biotechnology, equilibrium thermodynamics, reaction engineering, separation technology and process dynamics and control.

In the second and third terms, you study process design and undertake a design project. This involves working in a team to design a plant making a particular chemical or biological product. You consider all aspects of engineering design including specification of equipment, control procedures, safety, environmental impact and economic assessment.

Year 4 (Part III)

You study some compulsory topics; these are currently energy technology, sustainability and advanced design.

You study research skills and 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.

You choose further topics from a list of optional papers, which changes every year to reflect the research interests of academic staff. Past examples include pharmaceutical engineering, adsorption and nanoporous materials, fluid mechanics and the environment, interface engineering, optical microscopy, biophysics, bionanotechnology, biosensors and bioelectronics, and healthcare biotechnology.

For further information, see the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology website.

Entry requirements

Entry Requirements

This page details the standard entry requirements for this course. Check the document below for any variations between Colleges (some may ask for an A* in a particular subject for example):

PDF icon Chemical Engineering entry requirements by College for 2024 entry (these are subject to change and will be finalised by July 2023)

Typical offers require

A Level: A*A*A
IB: 40-42 points, with 776 at Higher Level
Other qualifications: See Entrance requirements.

Subject requirements

All Colleges require: A Level/IB Higher Level Mathematics* and Chemistry
Some Colleges require: A Level/IB Higher Level in a third science/mathematics subject

See Entrance requirements and Choosing your post-16 subjects for additional guidance and conditions of entry.

* IB applicants are expected to take IB Higher Level 'Analysis and Approaches' for this course. If this option is not available at your school, please contact the College you wish to apply to for further advice and guidance.

Admission assessment

All applicants for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (including applicants to mature Colleges) are required to take the Natural Sciences Admissions Assessment (NSAA) at an authorised assessment centre (usually their school or college), for which you must be registered in advance.

Please see the Cambridge Admissions Testing website for information about dates and registration deadlines, and check admission assessments for further details.

See Natural Sciences admission assessment for more information about the assessment format, and to download past papers.

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

Submitted work

Applicants are not typically asked to submit examples of written work. Some may be asked by their College to do some reading in advance of their interview, but if this is required the College will provide full details in the letter inviting the student to interview.

All undergraduate admissions decisions are the responsibility of the Cambridge Colleges. Please contact the relevant College admissions office if you have any queries.

Typical Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology entrants (A Level and IB)

For 2017, 2018 and 2019 entry, the majority of entrants from an A Level background achieved at least grades A*A*A* (88% of entrants). All of these successful applicants took Mathematics and Chemistry, 86% took Further Mathematics, 91% took Physics and 8% took Biology. For the same period, the majority of IB entrants achieved at least 43 points overall and/or grades 777 at Higher Level.

This information is intended to give you a sense of the academic standard of our typical A Level entrants. We welcome applicants from a range of qualification backgrounds.

Resources

Find out more about Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at Cambridge

Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology - Find out more about the Department’s research and teaching

CEB department’s YouTube channel - Find out more about the Department’s activities

Whynotchemeng.com - An introduction to chemical, biochemical and process engineering

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