Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering is the discipline that bridges the gap between chemistry in the laboratory and chemistry at industrial scale. While chemists discover reactions and understand molecular behaviour, chemical engineers design the processes that turn those discoveries into products: pharmaceuticals, fuels, plastics, food, semiconductors, and countless other materials that modern life depends upon. The discipline applies the principles of chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics to the design, operation, and optimisation of industrial processes, with a constant eye on safety, efficiency, economics, and environmental impact.
At the University of Chester you will study this three-year full-time degree with a typical entry tariff of 136 points. The programme builds from core principles in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, and reaction engineering towards process design and analysis. You will study materials science, separation processes, process control, and the economics of chemical plant operation, alongside the safety and environmental frameworks that govern industrial chemical practice.
Laboratory work and design projects are central to the curriculum, developing your ability to move from theoretical principles to practical engineering solutions. Chester's emphasis on applied learning and its connections to the chemical and process industries in the North West provide a grounded professional context for your studies.
Chemical engineering graduates are highly sought after across the pharmaceutical, chemical, oil and gas, food and drink, materials, and energy industries. Roles include process engineer, plant manager, chemical engineer, environmental engineer, and research and development engineer. The discipline is consistently one of the highest-earning for graduates, and employment rates are strong.
Many graduates also pursue chartered engineer status through the Institution of Chemical Engineers, which sets the professional standards for the discipline. Further study at master's or PhD level is a route taken by those seeking to specialise or move into research roles.