Chemical Engineering with Integrated Foundation Year

Chemical engineering is the discipline that translates chemistry from the laboratory scale to industrial production, designing the processes and equipment needed to manufacture chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food products, fuels, and materials safely, efficiently, and sustainably. It draws on chemistry, physics, mathematics, and biology, applying these sciences to the design, operation, and optimisation of large-scale processes that transform raw materials into useful products. Chemical engineers work at the intersection of science and engineering, and the profession is involved in some of the most pressing challenges of the modern world, including the transition to renewable energy, the development of new medicines, and the reduction of industrial waste and pollution.

At University College London, this four-year programme includes an integrated foundation year, which provides a thorough grounding in the mathematical and scientific foundations of chemical engineering before the main degree begins. This makes the programme accessible to students whose prior study has not covered all the prerequisites for direct entry to a chemical engineering degree while ensuring that everyone who progresses is fully prepared for the demanding curriculum ahead. As you move through the programme, you will study fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, thermodynamics, reaction engineering, process design, and the safety and environmental management of industrial processes.

Laboratory and design project work runs throughout the course, developing practical and professional skills alongside the theoretical content.

UCL is one of the UK's leading research universities, and the chemical engineering department has an international profile in areas including process systems engineering, bioengineering, and sustainable processes.

Chemical engineers are among the most highly paid graduates in the UK, working in oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, food and drink, materials science, water treatment, renewable energy, and nuclear industries. The degree provides a strong foundation for chartered engineer status through the Institution of Chemical Engineers, and postgraduate study and research are options for those who wish to specialise.