Chemical Engineering

Chemical engineering applies the principles of chemistry, physics and mathematics to the design and optimisation of industrial processes that transform raw materials into useful products. It is the discipline that bridges the laboratory, where chemistry is discovered, and the large-scale plant, where it is put to work. At the University of Edinburgh, this four-year full-time degree places chemical engineering in the context of the most pressing challenges of our time: how to manufacture the products societies need while reducing carbon emissions, improving energy efficiency and developing sustainable processes that can operate within planetary limits.

You will study thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, reactor design, separation processes and process control, building the quantitative skills to model and optimise complex industrial systems. Edinburgh's programme also engages seriously with energy engineering, biotechnology and the design of processes for the pharmaceutical, food, materials and chemical industries. A year abroad is built into the four-year structure, giving you the experience of studying at a partner institution and the international perspective that global engineering careers increasingly require.

A typical entry tariff of around 168 points reflects the programme's rigour, and graduates emerge with MEng or BEng qualifications depending on the pathway taken.

Chemical engineers are among the most versatile engineering graduates, working in oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, food processing, water treatment, renewable energy, specialty chemicals, semiconductors and environmental consultancy. Roles include process engineer, project engineer, research scientist, plant manager and safety engineer. Professional chartership through the Institution of Chemical Engineers is a common career milestone, and postgraduate study and doctoral research are well-trodden paths for those drawn to innovation in sustainable processes or advanced materials.