Chemical Engineering undergraduate programmes

4th

in the UK. The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.

6th

in the UK. The Complete University Guide 2024.

At the University of Birmingham we offer a variety of undergraduate chemical engineering degree programmes, with options to study internationally, work in industry - or both!  

At its core, our programmes are designed to give you a diverse knowledge covering all aspects of chemical engineering. Basic concepts in biochemical and environmental engineering are embedded throughout and all of our courses are accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers.

Degree programmes

Foundation Year

If you who wish to study Chemical Engineering, but do not have the traditional qualifications for direct entry to the BEng/MEng programmes, a Foundation Year may be an alternative option.

Students working in a lab

You will follow a modular programme of study which typically leads to the award of a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) completed in three years, or a Masters of Engineering (MEng) in four years. The MEng degree is an 'extended' course for those who wish to pursue advanced topics and to widen their chemical engineering knowledge further. 

Students opting for the MEng Chemical Engineering with International Study programme can choose to spend the third year of their course at a university in a different country. For students without a foreign language, this will be an English speaking country. However, students pursuing one of the European languages options may take the third year of their course at a University in the country of their language option.

Industrial relevance is of prime importance to Chemical Engineers and we offer students taking BEng /MEng Chemical Engineering with Industrial Experience the opportunity to spend a year in industry. This experience, together with skills in numeracy, problem solving, team work, communication and information technology, will equip graduates for successful careers within any industry.

Collaborative Teaching Laboratory

The Collaborative Teaching Laboratory (CTL) is a hub for science and engineering teaching, with multifunctional labs suitable for subject-specific and cross-disciplinary learning and team-working.