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Chemical Engineering MPhil, PhD

You'll have the opportunity to work on multidisciplinary research projects in collaboration with colleagues across the University or from external organisations.

You are currently viewing course information for entry year:


Start date(s):

  • September 2024
  • January 2025
  • April 2025

Overview

Our MPhil and PhD in Chemical Engineering attract a diverse range of students. These are usually from disciplinary backgrounds such as:

  • statistics
  • maths
  • electrical engineering
  • chemistry
  • physics

Our research

Research in the department of Chemical Engineering is cross-disciplinary. Our strategy centres on investigating novel processes, materials, and concepts that can deliver transformational routes for a sustainable and circular economic framework.

We work in a range of sectors that include:

  • biomedics
  • food
  • water
  • waste
  • energy

We investigate solutions for relevant health, environmental and material problems.

Advanced materials

Every article, instrument, machine or device we use depends on its success upon:

  • materials
  • design
  • effective production

We work on a wide range of materials topics including:

  • new material development
  • optimising of materials processing
  • testing and evaluation at component scale and at high spatial resolution
  • modelling
  • failure analysis

Much of our work relates to materials and processes for:

  • renewable energy generation
  • energy efficiency
  • carbon capture
  • storage

We also use biological and bio-inspired processes to develop new functional materials.

Process intensification

Process intensification is the philosophy that processes can often be made smaller, more efficient and safer using new process technologies and techniques, resulting in order of magnitude reductions in the size of process equipment. This leads to substantial capital cost savings and often a reduction in running costs.

Find out more about our chemical engineering research

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Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Qualifications explained

Find out about the different qualification options for this course.

How you'll learn

Your development

Working with industry

Industrial involvement is a part of some PhDs and covers a wide range of activities such as:

  • food processing
  • water treatment systems
  • process intensification technology
  • solvent extraction
  • polymer reactors
  • process modelling and control
  • design of electrochemical reactors and fuel cells
  • clean technology

Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE) researcher development programme 

Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:

  • perform better as a researcher
  • boost your career prospects
  • broaden your impact

Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.

You’ll cover:

  • techniques for effective research
  • methods for better collaborative working
  • essential professional standards and requirements

Your programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.

Find out more about the SAgE researcher development programme

Doctoral training and partnerships

There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:

  • Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
  • Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)

Being part of a CDT or DTP has many benefits:

  • they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
  • you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students
  • they’re often interdisciplinary
  • your PhD may be funded

Find out more about doctoral training and partnerships

If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.

The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:

Your future

Our Careers Service

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

Facilities

The School of Engineering has a wide range of chemical engineering facilities for teaching and research. These include:

  • bioprocessing laboratory
  • Centre for Process Innovation
  • ExxonMobil Design Suite
  • Hiden Catlab
  • electron microscopy
  • X-ray powder diffraction
  • chemical analysis laboratory

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for 2024 entry (per year)

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

  • matriculation
  • registration
  • tuition (or supervision)
  • library access
  • examination
  • re-examination
  • graduation

Find out more about:

Search for funding

Find funding available for your course

Entry requirements

The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.

Qualifications from outside the UK

English Language requirements

Admissions policy

This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.

Download our admissions policy (PDF: 201KB)
Other policies related to admissions

Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course

How to apply


Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.


Apply Online  

Open days and events

You'll have a number of opportunities to meet us throughout the year including:

  • campus tours
  • on-campus open days
  • virtual open days
  • webinars

Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events

Get in touch

Questions about this course?

If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:

Postgraduate Research Administrator
School of Engineering
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 7340
Email: soe.pgr@ncl.ac.uk 

Online

For more general enquiries you could also complete our online enquiry form.

Fill in our enquiry form

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Our Ncl chatbot might be able to give you an answer straight away. If not, it’ll direct you to someone who can help.

You'll find our Ncl chatbot in the bottom right of this page.

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