Chemical Engineering
Entry requirements
A level
Three A Levels at BBB with a B in Mathematics and B in Physics; or a B in Design & Technology; or a B in Engineering. A Level Chemistry is also required for entry. GCSE English at a Grade C also required.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
32 Points including Mathematics and Physics at HL (5 or above) and English at Standard Level. For Chemical or Petroleum Engineering, Chemistry at HL (5 or above) also required.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
5 subjects at Higher, with 3 at H2 and 2 at H3 H2 or above in Mathematics and H3 or above in Physics required. For Chemical or Petroleum Engineering, H3 or above in Chemistry also required.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
DDM in Mathematics and Physics required. GCSE at C or above in English or English Language, Mathematics and in either Chemistry or Physics or Dual Award Science.
For entry to Year 2: Satisfactory completion of HNC Chemical Process Technology (120 SCQF credit points) - A in all Graded Units - Curriculum to include: Engineering Maths 1, 2 and 3 (or equivalent), Physics Principles Mechanics (H93H 34). For entry to Year 2: Satisfactory completion of HNC Engineering Systems (120 SCQF credit points) - A in all Graded Units - Curriculum to include: Engineering Maths 1, 2 and 3 (or equivalent). Contact Selector to discuss exact unit requirements. For entry to Year 2: Satisfactory completion of HNC Petroleum Engineering (120 SCQF credit points) - A in all Graded Units - Curriculum to include: Engineering Maths 1, 2 and 3 (or equivalent), Fundamental Chemistry: An Introduction (DX2933), and Fundamental Concepts of Organic Chemistry (DP2P33).
For entry to Year 3: Satisfactory completion of HND Chemical Process Technology (240 SCQF credit points) - BA in all Graded Units - Curriculum to include: Engineering Maths 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 (or equivalent). For entry to Year 3: Satisfactory completion of HND Engineering Systems (240 SCQF credit points) - A in all Graded Units - Curriculum to include: Engineering Maths 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (or equivalent). Contact Selector to discuss exact unit requirements.
Scottish Higher
Four Highers at ABBB required in Mathematics and Physics/Engineering Science (previously known as Technological Studies). If applicant presents with H in Engineering Science instead of Physics, Mathematics must be A grade. SQA Higher Chemistry also required. Also required: English at Standard Grade 1, 2 or 3 or National 5 at grades A, B or C.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
Chemical engineers, also known as process engineers, take lab/small scale production up to industrial scale. This can be bioprocesses like pharmaceuticals, food such as bread, industrial chemicals like fertilizers, or even nuclear power plants. They contribute to wider society by managing resources, protecting the environment, and controlling health and safety procedures.
If you have an aptitude and fascination for how the physical world works, are interested in how chemical reactions and the physical properties of matter can be harnessed to create world-changing technologies, and want to contribute positively to making the life of the human race better, then you should consider Chemical Engineering.
Our BEng/MEng Chemical Engineering degrees deliver the learning outcomes required of any general chemical engineering degree programme giving our graduates the opportunity to find employment across the broad spectrum of Chemical Engineering employers. Our location in Aberdeen, the energy capital of Europe, and our engagement with local industry means that our students have the opportunity to engage with the local upstream oil and gas industry from the moment they embark on their studies. They can also engage with the energy transition directly, with our research in the bioproduction of chemicals and one of the largest wind-farms in the UK just offshore.
The University has embarked on a major programme of refurbishing and upgrading the teaching facilities. This has seen the addition of a new several dedicated chemical engineering laboratories and the development of state-of-the-art computing & learning spaces within the School of Engineering.
The first two years cover general Engineering, with elements of Chemical, Mechanical, Petroleum and Electrical/Electronics, as well as Civil. In the later years you specialise, following your chosen discipline in greater depth. You do not need to finalise your choice of specialisation until you begin third year. It is possible to move between MEng and BEng and this can be accomplished at any point until the second half session of fourth year. Successful BEng candidates will be offered the chance to change to the MEng and there is no quota, meaning that if grade requirements are met that transfer is guaranteed.
**Chemical Engineering at Aberdeen is ranked 3rd in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2023.**
Modules
The first two years cover general engineering, with elements of chemical, mechanical, petroleum and electrical/electronics, as well as civil. In the later years you specialise, following your chosen discipline in greater depth. You do not need to finalise your choice of specialisation until you begin third year. This is also the point at which a final decision between MEng and BEng must be made. Successful BEng candidates will be offered the chance to change to the MEng.
Assessment methods
Students are assessed by any combination of three assessment methods: Coursework such as essays and reports completed throughout the course; Practical assessments of the skills and competencies they learn on the course; Written examinations at the end of each course. The exact mix of these methods differs between subject areas, years of study and individual courses.
Honours projects are typically assessed on the basis of a written dissertation.
Tuition fees
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Extra funding
View the University of Aberdeen Online Prospectus programme page to find out about any scholarships and funding you may be able to apply for.
The Uni
University of Aberdeen
School of Engineering
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.
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
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
Top job areas of graduates
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
£33k
£38k
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?
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