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Chemical Engineering

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B-B,C,C

BBB: including grade B in Chemistry and Maths - Standard offer BBC: If the student is also presenting either Core Maths or Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) grade B BCC: Contextual offer (more details https://www2.aston.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/contextual-offer)

Access to HE Diploma

D:30,M:15

30 Distinctions and 15 Merits at level 3 including at least 15 credits at Level 3 in Mathematics and 15 credits at Level 3 in Chemistry and 15 credits in Mathematics

GCSE/National 4/National 5

English Language or Literature Grade C/4 and Mathematics Grade C/4.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

31

achieving 5, 5, 5 at Higher Level including Mathematics and Chemistry at grade 5.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM

in relevant subject area, plus 2 A-level Chemistry and Mathematics at minimum Grade B. For other BTEC combinations please check the Aston website.

UCAS Tariff

104-120

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.

Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Other options

4 years | Sandwich | 2024

Subject

Chemical engineering

Our BEng Chemical Engineering course is offered as either a three or four year course with integrated placement year. It is designed to develop your engineering skills, in the context of a firm grounding in chemistry. To ensure this, you share a common first year with chemists and in later years go on to specialise at a more advanced level in the core engineering topics.

Chemical engineers are very much at the forefront of working to improve the quality of our lives. Chemical engineering is a challenging and fascinating profession with extensive career opportunities. As a chemical engineer you will combine a detailed knowledge of chemistry with an understanding of engineering principles in order to design, construct and operate chemical process plants.

The products we use everyday require the skill of a chemical engineer. You will be trained to ensure the safe and profitable production of the chemicals and materials required to create products such as clothing, food, medicine, transport and home entertainment systems. Additionally, you will study the important topics of business, management and sustainability, all the while developing and applying problem-solving skills. Your computer modelling skills will also be developed with a strong emphasis on process simulation.

In addition to the traditional oil and chemical-based industries you will be well equipped to go into a wide range of careers including food production, pollution control, environmental protection, energy conservation, waste recovery and recycling, medical science, health and safety, alternative energy sources, resource conservation, research, management and consultancy. Our graduates have a strong record of finding suitable positions, reflecting the fact that the UK is a major contributor to the global chemical industry.

Key course benefits:

- Accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers for the purposes of meeting the educational requirements for Chartered Chemical Engineer

- Internationally recognised for research

- Ranked Top 10 in the UK for Engineering: Chemical (Guardian University Guide League Tables, 2023)

- Our optional placement year offers you the opportunity to gain valuable experience and set your studies in the context of a working environment, designed to boost your future employment prospects.

Modules

Year One
Core Modules:
Mathematics for Chemical Engineers
Sustainability, Design and Build
Process and Product Design
Introduction to Transfer Processes
Introduction to Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Physical Chemistry for Engineers
Chemistry for Engineers
Professional Skills for Engineer

Year Two
Core Modules:
Process Design
Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer
Mass Transfer
Process Simulation and Control
Separation Processes in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
Reaction Engineering
Introduction to Business Management

Year Three
Optional Placement

Final Year
Core Modules:
Advanced Process Design
Process Safety and Sustainability
Advanced Reaction Engineering
Advanced Separation Processes

Choose 2 optional modules:
Advances in Biomaterials Science
Renewable Technologies
Process Computation
Biotechnology and Bioprocess
Environmental Chemistry I

Please Note: All modules are based on the current academic year. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

England
£9,250
per year
International
£21,100
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Aston University, Birmingham

Department:

School of Infrastructure and Sustainable Engineering

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

87%
Chemical engineering

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Chemical, process and energy engineering

Teaching and learning

72%
Staff make the subject interesting
88%
Staff are good at explaining things
88%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
87%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

87%
Library resources
88%
IT resources
88%
Course specific equipment and facilities
78%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

92%
UK students
8%
International students
68%
Male students
32%
Female students
85%
2:1 or above
6%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Chemical, process and energy engineering

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£26,000
med
Average annual salary
91%
med
Employed or in further education
70%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

22%
Engineering professionals
15%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
11%
Business, finance and related associate professionals

Want to make good money from the word go? This is the degree for you! The UK has had a shortage of chemical engineers for a while now so starting salaries are very good. In fact, across the UK, only doctors and dentists bettered the average starting salary for chemical engineering graduates, with an average starting salary of around £28,000. Key sectors for chemical engineers last year included the petrochemicals, food, nuclear, pharmaceuticals, materials and consultancy industries. Their skills set also means that the finance industry likes graduates from these degrees, so there are options if you don't fancy engineering as a career. Most graduates take a longer course that leads to an MEng — which is what you need to take if you want to be a Chartered Engineer. Chemical engineers are also more likely than other engineers to take doctorates and go into research roles, so if you want to take an engineering subject but fancy a research job, this might be a good subject to take.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Chemical, process and energy engineering

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£26k

£26k

£30k

£30k

£40k

£40k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here