Newcastle University

Chemical Engineering with Sustainable Engineering MEng Honours
UCAS Code: HH82 (4 Years)

• Course Overview
• Modules
• Entry Requirements
• Careers
• Finance

Chemical engineers are responsible for the chemical and biochemical transformations behind thousands of everyday products. The application of these changes is essential to a wide variety of industries, from the manufacture of medicines to freeze-drying food.

This degree focuses on the need for sustainable engineering solutions that balance environmental, social and economic concerns. It is designed to help you understand the environmental impact of industrial activities from the start of an engineering project, rather than remedial action at the end of it.

Through specialist topics such as sustainable processing, energy and materials technology, and cleaner design tools and techniques, we help you to understand how chemical engineers can create manufacturing solutions that are better for the environment by reducing emissions, energy consumption, chemical use and waste.

Professional accreditation

This degree is accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), providing industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

You will also have the opportunity to take modules that are professionally accredited by the Institute of Measurement and Control and the Energy Institute.

See the MEng or BEng section below for more information about professional accreditation and the difference between studying to BEng and MEng level.

Quality and ranking

At Newcastle you will join a School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials with a long-standing reputation for teaching quality and student support.

We are ranked in the top 5 universities in the UK for Chemical Engineering in The Times Good University Guide 2013, The Guardian University Guide 2013 and The Complete University Guide 2013.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching is a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, computer practice sessions and an extensive hands-on laboratory practical component. You will also spend time working on industrially relevant case studies and design projects in small groups. Further information can be found on our undergraduate web pages about the approach to teaching and learning at Newcastle University.

Assessment is by class tests, laboratory reports, multi-choice questions, project reports, oral presentations, closed book examinations, and interviews. Teaching and assessment methods may vary from module to module, more information can be found in our individual module listings.

Flexible degree structure

All of our Chemical Engineering degrees (except our Chemical Engineering with Industry degree) cover the same study programme for the first three years.

Through case study-led teaching, we introduce you to core engineering, maths and science principles underpinning the design of a chemical engineering process plant, from controlling chemical reaction rates to using specialist computer software to solve chemical and process engineering problems.

We teach you how to perform, measure, analyse and manipulate chemical reactions. We introduce you to basic types of mass, heat and momentum transfer, as well as the design criteria for heat exchangers and other plant equipment used in process plants.

In the third year you bring all this knowledge together to design a process plant in teams. Your role, as sustainable engineer within your team, will be reducing the impact of the plant on the environment.

This shared curriculum provides you with a broad foundation of chemical engineering knowledge.

It also gives you the flexibility to transfer between our chemical engineering MEng degrees (except Chemical Engineering with Industry) up to the end of Stage 3 should your ideas change as your skills develop and you gain more experience of different aspects of chemical engineering.

Transfer to or from our Chemical Engineering with Industry degree is possible up to the end of Stage 2 before the accredited industrial placement begins in Stage 3.

Industry-relevant teaching

Newcastle students graduate fully equipped with the skills they will need thanks to our strong links with industry experts:

• problem-based learning for the first three years based around relevant industrial case studies - excellent preparation for life as a professional engineer

• lectures delivered by practising industry experts covering issues surrounding safety management and environmental protection

• industry representation on our Board of Studies with direct input into our degrees

• industry links with over 100 chemical engineering companies, resulting in sponsorship and placement opportunities and plant visits

School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials

As a chemical engineering student at Newcastle, you will join the School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials. Our state-of-the-art labs and facilities have benefited from considerable investment in the last few years. They include:

• A recently upgraded pilot plant laboratory
• Modern bench-top experimental equipment
• An interactive video teaching system
• High specification fume cupboards for handling volatile chemicals
• Two dedicated computing suites, running specialised industry-standard computer software

Visit the School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials' website, where you can:

• Find out more about studying chemical engineering at Newcastle
• Take a virtual tour of our facilities
• Watch a video featuring some of our current students

Work placement

You can choose to take a paid year out in industry. This normally takes place after Stage 2 but you may also take a year out after Stage 3. An industrial placement is a great opportunity to gain essential experience to help you stand out in the graduate marketplace.

This year does not count directly towards your final degree mark and extends your degree to five years. Alternatively, you can complete an assessed year in industry through our accredited Industry degree.

We have strong links with over 100 companies, including P&G, MSD and ExxonMobil and will provide support to help you find a suitable placement.

Study abroad

In your final year you complete an individual design project and substantial research project, which you may carry out within the School or in industry. Alternatively, with the agreement of the Degree Programme Director, you may carry out your research project at one of our partner universities in Europe or worldwide. Locations include Australia and Singapore.