Chemical Engineering Degrees 2013
Our Chemical Engineering degrees will appeal to you if you are interested in the application of science and technology to problems that affect almost everything we use in our lives. Chemical engineers make a difference to society today and for the future.
Degree programmes
Entry requirements
Minimum entry requirements
- MEng: A level grades AAB
- BEng: A level grades ABB
We do not include General Studies or Critical Thinking in our offers.
Conditional offers from Surrey will be made in grades or marks, and not listed in points from the UCAS tariff.
Required subjects
GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade C or above (or equivalent).
Mathematics and Chemistry A level required.
English language requirements
Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 6.5 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).
Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.
Other suitable qualifications
Higher grades refer to MEng programmes.
Cambridge Pre-U
M1, M1, M1; M1, M1, M2
European Baccalaureate
75 – 74%
International Baccalaureate
35 – 34 points
BTEC (QCF Level 3) Extended Diploma
DDD – DDM (in an appropriate subject, with a supporting A-level in Mathematics)
In addition, we accept a wide range of qualifications, including other Level 3 QCF Level 3 qualifications, Scottish qualifications, the Irish Leaving Certificate, Access Diplomas and foundation courses. Other qualifications will be considered on an individual basis.
It is important to check whether the qualifications you are taking are suitable for your chosen degree. If you are uncertain whether your qualification meets our entry requirements, please contact us.
If you are an international student and you don’t meet the entry requirements to this degree, we offer the International Foundation Year.
Selection process
Offers are normally made in terms of grades. Suitable candidates will be invited for an interview. During the visit to the University the candidate can find out more about the programme and meet staff and students. Candidates unable to visit the University will be considered based on their UCAS application.
Tuition fees
UK/EU students
Tuition fees are currently set at £9,000 per year for UK/EU undergraduates starting in 2012.
The tuition charge will be accompanied by a generous financial support package, underlining our continued commitment to widening access for those students who come from low income households.
Overseas students
The fee for students classed as overseas for fees purposes is £15,160.
The University will assess your fee status. If you are unsure whether you are likely to be considered a home, EU or overseas student for fees purposes, the UKCISA website offers more information.
Professional Training Year Fees
Programmes marked with an asterisk (*) in the table above include a professional training year.
Currently fees of £1,050 (based on an inflation assumption of 2.5%) are charged for the Professional Training Year. Fees will not have to be paid up front for those students who decide to take up the Government’s loan for higher education fees. The Professional Training year is a key factor in the high employability rates achieved by students with Surrey degrees.
Our degrees
Without the contributions of chemical engineers, we would be living in the 1930s with no planes or cars, just steam trains. There would be no soap powders or shampoo, the NHS could afford fewer drugs, and electronic devices such as mobile phones and computers would be true luxuries.
If you want to learn how to make this sort of difference, then our exciting programmes are perfect for you.
We believe that to keep pace with industry, tomorrow’s engineers must not only be able to design, implement and operate increasingly diverse processes, but must also be equipped with an adaptable skills and knowledge base that can evaluate the ‘true costs’ of investment decisions to society and the natural environment.
Our degree programmes in Chemical Engineering will prepare you to meet the challenges in the pharmaceutical, healthcare, energy, waste management, oil and chemical industries. With a strong environmental, biological and life sciences content, they provide an integrated systems view and are designed for decision makers in future technical and scientific environments.
We have allied a strong base of traditional chemical engineering modules with multidisciplinary design, biochemical engineering and sustainability. These additions to the programmes have been developed in consultation with our industrial advisors and reflect our understanding of the new skills required for the future.
Our degrees in Chemical Engineering are best suited for those wishing to enter the oil and gas sector or other traditional chemical industries. The degrees in Chemical and Bio-systems Engineering contain more biologically based material and may be more suitable for those aiming to work in the pharmaceutical, water or food sectors.
One of the unique features of the four programmes available is the opportunity to put into practice the theory learnt in lectures in a hands-on fashion. This theme of ‘preparation for the real world’ is also apparent in our approach to professional placements, where our student support programme is second to none.
This experience, together with purpose-built facilities, enables us to provide one of the best teaching environments in the country. All of our programmes are accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).
Programme content
Programme overview
Traditional chemical engineering subject areas form the basis of both the Chemical Engineering and the Chemical and Bio-Systems Engineering programmes, and as a result all the degree programmes are accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).
In year 1 our aim is to provide you with a strong base in the scientific fundamentals of chemical engineering. The first year is common across all of our programmes.
In years 2 and year 3 we will deepen your knowledge of core chemical engineering subjects. This allows you to consolidate a strong common set of competencies whilst developing your specialist skills and understanding. In year 3 you will also undertake a pathway-specific process design project and an equipment design project.
In year 4 (MEng only) students work in multidisciplinary teams, under the supervision of senior industrial experts, where you will design a whole industrial process, factory or system. You also undertake a research project and there is a choice of lectured modules specific to your chosen pathway.
Because years 1 and 2 are the same for all programmes, it is possible to transfer between them at any point up to the start of year 3. You will study the same material in year 1 and year 2, whether you are an MEng or BEng student.
There is no formal language option in the programmes, although foreign languages can be taken informally.
Programme structure
Year 1 (FHEQ Level 4)
For all programmes, modules include:
• Engineering Design Fundamentals
• Mass and Energy Balances
• Engineering Materials
• Transferable Skills
• Cell Biology
• Laboratories
• Heat Transfer
Year 2 (FHEQ Level 5)
For all programmes, modules include:
• Fluid Mechanics
• Mass Transfer
• Separations Processes
• Chemical Thermodynamics
• Process Control
• Mathematics
• Industrial Chemistry
Professional Training year
• Optional Professional Training year
Year 3 (FHEQ Level 6)
Chemical Engineering modules include:
• Process Design Project
• Chemical Reaction Engineering
• Energy Systems
• Engineering Design for Sustainability
• Process Operation and Management
• Separation Processes
• Equipment Design Project
Year 4 (FHEQ Level 7)
(MEng only) Modules include:
• Multidisciplinary Design Project
• Research Project
• Process and Energy Integration
• Refinery and Petrochemical Processes
• Petroleum Exploration and Production
Chemical and Bio-Systems Engineering MEng, in addition to the above, includes:
• Biomass Processing Technology
Professional training
Our academic work in all areas is enhanced by strong industrial links both in the UK and overseas. These links have enabled us to arrange professional placements in which we have built up considerable experience and expertise. Placements provide the opportunity for you to gain invaluable first-hand experience of how industry operates, and to apply your theoretical knowledge to real-life technical problems.
Most of our students take a Professional Training year and all feel that it is an outstanding opportunity to prepare for their career. Placements are generally paid, with students typically earning in excess of £15,000 per annum. Companies that have participated in our scheme include Heatric, BP, British Sugar, ExxonMobil, GlaxoSmithKline and Shell.
Career opportunities
Graduate prospects
Over the past few years, graduates from our Chemical Engineering programmes entered employment in roles such as:
- Shell – Graduate Engineer
- Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR) – Assistant Technical Professional
- Lonza Biologics – Project Engineer
- BP – Chemical and Process Engineer
- Fluor – Chemical Process Engineer
- GlaxoSmithKline – Plant Engineer
- UOP – Chemical Engineer
Career opportunities
Chemical engineers work across a range of sectors in the UK and overseas and are increasingly sought by speciality chemical industries that manufacture highvalue- added products. Chemical engineers on average earn more than any other engineering discipline. Graduates are consistently paid more than chemists and other scientists. The high salaries paid reflect the level of responsibility and importance which chemical engineering graduates quickly attain.
At Surrey, our graduate employment record is excellent. This demonstrates the strength of our programmes in preparing you for the world of work and the substantial benefits of undertaking our Professional Training year. Our Personal and Professional Skills programme is undoubtedly another factor in the exceptional employment record of our graduates.
Demand for graduates with the specific skills and knowledge gained on our specialised programmes is expected to be high, especially within modern, highgrowth sectors including pharmaceuticals, healthcare, cosmetics, energy, land remediation, water and waste management, as well as the more traditional industries such as oil and chemicals.
We have worked closely with industrial organisations to design these programmes around their needs, to ensure that there will be excellent opportunities available to you upon graduation.
Recent graduates have gained jobs with top employers such as Shell, BP, Air Products, Halliburton KBR, Fluor, Shaw Group and UOP.
Additional information
Teaching
Teaching involves conventional lectures combined with coursework, tutorials, case studies, projects, practical and discussion classes. Methods of teaching and assessment in the early stages of the programmes aim to ensure your acquisition of techniques and relevant knowledge, including practice in finding information and deciding whether it is relevant.
The methods adopted in year 3 and year 4 (MEng) are influenced by the need to broaden and deepen the knowledge you have gained in the earlier years, and to develop the higher order skills you will need as a professional engineer.
Our degrees in Chemical Engineering will equip you with problem-solving, analytical and other transferable skills to enable you to succeed in whatever career you pursue. You will learn to assess business proposals which require capital investment but bring long-term profits. You will be allocated a personal tutor to guide you through the programme, advising on option choices and future careers.
Facilities
We are one of the very few chemical engineering departments in the world able to offer you the chance to learn on a complete chemical process, and not just pilot-scale individual operations such as distillation. You will use the pilot plant at each level of your programme, and this culminates in you undertaking a highly realistic exercise in operating the process and taking responsibility for factors such as safety, profitability and environmental impact.
Other purpose-built facilities include laboratories featuring a cooling tower, a full-scale distillation tray and a heat exchanger. You also have 24-hour access to our computer rooms.
Assessment
Continuous assessment operates in the form of written assignments associated with many modules. Laboratory modules are continually assessed on the basis of written reports and presentations. Design and research projects are assessed mainly on written reports. Written examinations are held at the end of each semester. In the BEng programmes, years 2 and 3 contribute to the final degree award, whilst for MEng programmes, it is years 2, 3 and 4.
Personal and Professional Skills
We recognise that in order for chemical engineers to perform to the highest level, they need a wide range of skills in addition to technical proficiency. We also recognise that experience is the principal driving force in development of these skills.
Chemical engineers often work in teams to solve problems; they adopt leadership roles and are required to be effective communicators. Our Personal and Professional Skills programme is designed to give you a head start in developing your skills in these areas.
Employers will see the personal development skills which our programmes provide as giving you ‘something extra’ in addition to your technical competence.
Prizes
In addition to general University scholarships and bursaries, our extensive contacts in industry have resulted in prizes being awarded to undergraduates by Atkins, Halliburton KBR, Air Products, UOP, IChemE and the Worshipful Company of Engineers.
Taster Courses
We participate in the University of Surrey summer school for Year 12 students each July. Living oncampus, you will experience chemical engineering, what it has to offer, and what you need to know to be successful in the field. Please contact us for further details.
Why Surrey?
Chemical Engineering degrees 2013 at Surrey
- A proud history, with the oldest continuing chemical engineering programme in England and quite possibly the world
- A real-life teaching environment offering students the chance to work on a complete pilot chemical manufacturing process
- Lectures by staff from the world-renowned Centre for Environmental Strategy
- Strong links with major industry players
- Both The Times Good University Guide 2013 and The Complete University Guide 2013 rank Surrey in the top ten nationally for its Chemical Engineering programmes. The Guardian University Guide 2013 ranks us in the top twenty
- A flexible degree structure with both MEng and BEng degrees, with a wide range of specialist options
I love the diversity that the Chemical Engineering course at Surrey offers.
Maham Farooq
MEng Chemical Engineering Level M
My past five years as a student have been challenging and dynamic. I love the diversity that the Chemical Engineering course at Surrey offers.
I have completed three industrial placements as part of my course: one month in Ittehad Chemicals in Pakistan where I was involved with plant operation; two months in the Packaged Gases group of Air Products in Basingstoke, where I carried out a research project and experiments in the lab; then 13 months in the Mid-Stream group of Foster Wheeler Energy Limited in Reading, where I was involved with engineering design and project management. I also worked as a teaching assistant at the Lahore University of Management Sciences in Pakistan for two months.
The experience gained during a Professional Training year is invaluable. You get the chance to apply the theory learnt in class on real projects and the organisation skills developed are key for completing a successful final-year project. Also it’s never too early to build contacts in industry and get your name known!
In my spare time, as well as keeping fit by going to the gym, I’m involved with the IChemE’s whynotchemeng campaign. The campaign aims to increase awareness in schools about chemical engineering. I go to schools and promote the subject area to students, encouraging them to choose this as a topic of study.
I would recommend Surrey to all international students! The environment at Surrey is perfect for settling down and I was able to adapt very easily in the UK, so much so that I want to stay in the UK after graduation!
The skills I developed, not only on the HESS Rig but in the earlier modules too, enabled me to cope with all sorts of situations.
Chris Standing
MEng Chemical and Process Engineering*
What I loved about the Chemical Engineering programme at Surrey was the fact that the classes were fairly small. This meant I was able to get some excellent tuition from lecturers.
A great module on the HESS Rig really helped me for the future, enabling me to develop leadership and teamworking skills. Plus, my Masters research work exposed me to the latest cutting-edge technology available. This allowed me to do an industrial presentation in Edinburgh to the Institution of Chemical Engineers and the Royal Scottish Academy. But one thing that really defined my degree was Surrey’s great Professional Training year programme.
I was very lucky in that I got to work in South America. I had a great time in Colombia learning Spanish, dancing salsa and drinking the local rum. But more importantly, by working on full-scale plants, the exposure I got to the industry was a real learning curve.
After I graduated, I went backpacking around Australia. I also worked with the University for the UN. I am currently in Chicago for a catalyst company (UOP) discovering new patents for their research and design, before they send me travelling around the world, starting up various customer units.
The skills I developed, not only on the HESS Rig but in the earlier modules too, enabled me to cope with all sorts of situations. It also provided me with the opportunity to work with, and for, so many international people in different environments.
* This specific programme is no longer available.
Professional recognition
All programmes are accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).