Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering

Chemical Engineers work in a wide range of companies manufacturing products as diverse as fuels and petrochemicals, inorganic bulk chemicals, food and drink, household products such as soaps and detergents, pharmaceuticals, polymers and fine chemicals. Their job is to transform efficiently and safely raw materials into useful products with minimum environmental impact.

Chemical Engineering has been established at the University of Nottingham since 1961, and ranks as a UK top 10 chemical engineering department in The Guardian University Guide 2017. We have a long history of collaboration with industry, and graduates gain jobs with major companies. The same programmes are available in the UK and at the University of Nottingham Malaysia.

Our MEng programme is accredited by the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) and is recognised under the Washington Accord. The MEng degree is also accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers as fully satisfying the educational base for a Chartered Engineer (CEng). Our BEng programme is accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers as partially satisfying the educational base for a Chartered Engineer (CEng).

What is chemical engineering?

Chemical engineering can be defined as the processing of materials on a commercial scale, ranging from traditional commodities and utilities through to modern, high added-value products. This involves the integration of engineering principles and applications with chemistry and other sciences.There is a growing need to harmonise industrial and commercial activities with the protection and enhancement of the environment, and our Chemical Engineering with Environmental Engineering course is intended to equip you to specialise in environmental aspects of the discipline. 

View our undergraduate degree programmes.

How you are taught

The BEng and MEng degree programmes have common first, second and third years, with all students following the same course of study for three years. At the end of your second year you can choose to continue for either a three-year BEng degree, or four-year MEng degree.Both the BEng or MEng option will provide you with the same core skills but by choosing to study for the MEng you will undertake a more substantial project with greater opportunity for specialisation and experience of research methods. We strongly recommend this MEng route if you wish to pursue an engineering career.

Course structure

You will start your degree by studying mechanisms and principles of operations involving flow of fluids, heating and cooling, chemical composition change and the interrelationship between heat and power. Fundamentals of material and energy balances, separation processes and environmental engineering are introduced and illustrated in small-scale laboratory work.

During your second year you will learn about common process operations, equipment items and methods for their design. You will also undertake laboratory work of intermediate scope. If studying the environmental engineering course you will also cover materials, biotechnology, interfaces, chemical thermodynamics, engineering management, and environmental protection or environmental assessment.

In your third year you will focus in more detail on safety, separation techniques, reactors, control, project management; and chemical product design or waste and waste water treatment if studying the environmental engineering course. The laboratory work you undertake will be wider in scope and you will complete an extensive group project.

If you are studying for the MEng you will also undergo at least 12 weeks of industrial training in an external institution before starting your fourth year of study.During the fourth year of the MEng, your studies will concentrate on more advanced aspects of fluid, heat and multiphase flow processes, reactors and whole process synthesis, with the environmental engineering course also covering air pollution. You will also undertake a substantial and wide-ranging group project that allows you room to further develop your own specialised interests.

Career prospects

You will be equipped for a career in chemical engineering, working as a professional in areas such as process and product design or plant management, or for work in other disciplines benefitting from the technical and problem-solving skills you have acquired.

Additionally, the chemical engineering with environmental engineering degrees equip you for a career in environmental engineering, perhaps working as a professional in environment related functions such as waste treatment, pollution control or materials recycling.

As a Nottingham chemical engineering graduate you will be highly sought-after by companies worldwide. With our unique combinations of chemical and environmental engineering, we are well placed to provide multi-skilled graduates to work in a diverse range of industries including energy, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, food and environmental services, as well as government agencies and departments around the world.

Courses