Undergraduate study 2013 prospectus

General information

Chemical Engineering is concerned with the processing of raw materials into ‘chemical’ products on a commercial scale. It is perhaps better described as Process Engineering.

The products from Chemical Engineering operations are seen all around us including, for example, petrol, pharmaceuticals, food, drinking water, paints, cosmetics and clothing.

The principles underpinning the manufacture of these products include mass and energy balances, thermodynamics, fluid flow and heat transfer, chemical reactor theory, mixing and separation processes, process control, plant safety and process economics.

The main supporting subjects are mathematics and the physical sciences, backed up by computing, together with some chemistry.

Principles and theories are essential for understanding real processes but students also need to develop professional competence. We develop our students’ capabilities from the outset through experimental work, design and research projects and computer simulations. Engineers working in industry participate in some of our design exercises and help keep them realistic.

We have well equipped pilot-plant and bench scale laboratory experiments for practical work and projects. Oral and written presentations given by students help give them confidence in communicating ideas.

Students additionally have the option of taking a year placement in industry which provides an invaluable opportunity to develop their professional and technical skills further.

Course structure

Year 1 MEng and BEng

The modules in Year 1 bridge from entry levels of science and maths, and introduce the basic concepts of Chemical Engineering such as mass and energy balances, process design, and process economics. This is supported by laboratories running through the year. French, German or Spanish may be taken as an option.

Year 2 MEng and BEng

Modules in this part of the course aim to develop core Chemical Engineering subjects such as separation processes, mass transfer operations, safety and loss prevention, and environmental control. Options include Food Engineering, French, German or Spanish. We place particular emphasis on the development of communication skills through project and design work, and briefings on industrial practice, all of which is particularly useful for those about to embark on a professional development (sandwich) year.

Diploma in Industrial Studies (DIS)

Following the preparation and placement process in Year 2, those students on sandwich (DIS) programmes will now enter their year in industry. Close links are maintained with industrial tutors at the University through reports and visits to students. MEng students can elect to undertake their year in industry either at the end of the second year or the third year.

Year 3 BEng (year 4 for BEng DIS)

This part of the course blends core and optional subjects such as reaction engineering, transfer processes, process control, biochemical engineering, and pollution control – students also undertake a research project. Much of the final semester is taken up with a major design project for which students make use of the knowledge and skills they have gained at University and in industry to design a chemical process plant.

Year 3 and 4 MEng

These years comprise a blend of core subjects as for BEng, but with broadening modules such as those with a management emphasis, and those that provide greater depth in chemical engineering subjects such as Process Dynamics.

Year 3 includes a one semester Professional Development Project which may be undertaken either in industry, abroad on a University exchange or at Loughborough.

Year 4 includes a semester long design project in which students are presented with a challenging design problem, and working in teams, have to devise solutions that entail both experimental and design work.

Study options and entry requirements

Here you will find information about the various study options available for this course and the entry requirements for each option.

SQA = Scottish Qualifications Authority IB = International Baccalaureate