Chemical Engineering with Environmental Engineering

Chemical engineering with environmental engineering is a combination that addresses one of the most important challenges facing industrial society: how to design and operate chemical and industrial processes in ways that minimise their environmental impact while remaining technically and economically viable. Chemical engineering provides the core discipline, concerned with transforming raw materials into useful products through chemical reactions, separation processes, heat transfer and fluid flow at industrial scale. Environmental engineering adds a specialist focus on pollution control, waste treatment, water management, air quality and the sustainable design of industrial systems.

At the University of Nottingham, this four-year full-time programme, which is available with a foundation year for students who need additional scientific preparation, combines rigorous training in chemical engineering fundamentals with a sustained focus on environmental applications. You will study thermodynamics, reaction engineering, fluid mechanics, mass and heat transfer, process design and control alongside environmental engineering topics including water and wastewater treatment, waste minimisation, environmental impact assessment, and the design of processes that reduce emissions and resource consumption. A sandwich year placement and a work placement are both built into the programme, giving you significant professional experience in chemical or environmental engineering contexts and connecting your academic learning to real industrial practice.

You will develop strong analytical and design skills, the ability to apply scientific principles to complex engineering problems, and an understanding of the regulatory and sustainability frameworks within which industrial processes operate.

Graduates from this programme move into the chemical, pharmaceutical, oil and gas, food, water, and environmental industries, as well as consultancy, research and government regulatory roles. Many pursue Chartered Engineer status, and postgraduate study in chemical, environmental, or process engineering is a pathway for those who want to specialise further.