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Advanced Chemical Engineering with Bioprocessing Masters/MSc/PGDip

Start date
September
Duration
1 year full-time, 2–3 years part-time
Course Type
Postgraduate, Taught
Fees

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2024/25:
£11,340 (UK students)
£29,340 (International students)
Further fee information is available.

Our Advanced Chemical Engineering with Bioprocessing programme explores advanced chemical engineering topics with an emphasis on bioprocessing – using biological systems to produce useful products.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

Chemical engineering is dynamic and evolving, and today extends far beyond its roots in oil and gas processing. It provides many solutions to problems facing the biotechnological, pharmaceutical, healthcare, energy and food and drink sectors. 

Biological processes are increasingly important in modern chemical engineering, from production of biopharmaceuticals such as insulin, the industrial switch from chemical engineering.

This Advanced Chemical Engineering with Bioprocessing programme focuses on exploring the key aspects of bioprocessing and chemical engineering that we can use to answer these three questions. Core modules will give you an advanced understanding of bioprocessing and chemical engineering principles. Optional modules will allow you to develop expertise in specialist areas.

The research project (MSc only) will allow you to undertake independent research with world-leading research teams within the school. Our graduates are well prepared for a career in a variety of industries and have an opportunity to capitalise on the growing global demand for biochemical engineers and chemical engineers in many sectors.

Why study Advanced Chemical Engineering with Bioprocessing Masters at Birmingham?

  • In this course we will explore the major benefits of bioprocessing within the broader context of chemical engineering. You will study the production and purification of biopharmaceuticals as well as other bioproduction processes. You will also develop understanding of formulated products and how they can be characterised. The course will equip you to join the bioprocessing and chemical engineering industries in multiple sectors.
  • The optional modules will allow further specialisation in areas of your interest including pharmaceuticals, healthcare technologies, engineering business, food and energy.
  • Teaching is led by our world-leading research in chemical engineering, and during the research project students work within research groups on an original research project.
  • Birmingham has been challenging and developing great minds for more than a century. With over 35,000 students and 7,000 staff, today we are one of the world’s leading universities. Characterised by a tradition of innovation, research at the University has broken new ground, pushed forward the boundaries of knowledge and made an impact on people’s lives – a tradition that this programme proudly continues.
  • Explore important aspects of modern bioprocessing and chemical engineering, addressing the design and development of key formulated products, energy systems, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare technologies.
  • Specialise in areas that interest you, from the development of pharmaceuticals and healthcare technologies, the formulation of structured food products, to efficient energy systems, and the business surrounding chemical and process engineering.
  • Benefit from our collaborations with world-class industry partners, and international, leading-edge engineering and science departments.

Chat with our postgrads

Molly standing against a white background

The best advice about studying a Masters or PhD at Birmingham comes from our students. Our friendly and welcoming postgraduate students are ready and waiting to chat and share their thoughts on our courses, stunning campus and life in a vibrant and cultural city.

Chat with Molly

Biological processes are an incredibly important part of modern chemical engineering, responsible for production of drugs, chemicals, foods and fuels that impact our daily lives. Understanding the interface between biology and chemical engineering is essential to allow development of efficient processes and novel products.

Dr Tim Overton, Reader in Microbial Biotechnology

This programme, focused on bioprocessing, is complemented within the school by the more general MSc in Advanced Chemical Engineering , and pathway programmes focusing on other areas MSc in Advanced Chemical Engineering with Healthcare Technology , with Formulation , and with Energy.

Modules

This programme focuses on bioprocessing and advanced chemical engineering topics that inform the modern bioprocessing and process engineering industries.

Our three major research areas – formulation engineering, energy, and healthcare technology – guide the programme. We explore concepts and processes that are applicable to multiple sectors, such as pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals, healthcare, chemicals, food, fuel, and energy.  Our graduates are well prepared for a career in a variety of industries and have an opportunity to capitalise on the growing global demand for bioprocess and chemical engineers.

The MSc programme is a one-year full time course or can be taken part-time over two or more years. Taught modules are delivered in semesters 1 and 2. The programme starts with an introductory 10-credit module to introduce material that will be encountered in the programme. Depending upon your academic background, you will begin by studying the fundamental principles of either chemical engineering or the relevant biological science.

This is followed by 90 credits of multidisciplinary core modules that cover advanced concepts in bioprocessing and chemical engineering that are relevant to multiple sectors. We cover the production and purification of biopharmaceuticals and the principles of other bioproduction processes. Use of synthetic biology for production of novel products is also explored.

The properties of colloidal systems, commonplace in formulated products such as food, are studied with a view to processing and characterisation. Techniques for measurement and characterisation are investigated alongside experimental design in an engineering context. Use of biological systems for production of novel products is also covered.

These topics underpin a variety of sectors, and are extended by the choice of a wide range of optional modules. These enable you to gain specific knowledge relating to topics that are the subject of current research within the school, such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare technology, and engineering business. Safety, regulatory and quality issues applicable across the relevant industries are also considered.

You will have the freedom to pick and choose modules from each theme (providing timetabling allows for this). Some modules advertised currently may be subject to change, either in terms of the module content as stated below, or in terms of if the module will be available for this programme (due to staff changes, timetable changes, etc).

Finally, in the summer, Masters students undertake an original research project, working closely with a research group within the school. This allows you to consolidate your knowledge in a practical setting and develop practical research expertise. This brings the total credits for the MSc to 180.

Introductory modules

If you have not taken a chemical engineering first degree, then you will take Process Engineering Fundamentals. Otherwise, you will take Bioscience for Graduates of other disciplines, which will give you the background you require in biological topics.

Core modules

Optional modules – choose 20 credits

Modules from different themes can be combined within timetabling constraints. All modules are offered subject to sufficient enrolled students. All module descriptions are provisional and subject to minor change. Example optional modules are listed below:

Pharmaceutical Technology Theme

Healthcare Technology Theme

Business Studies Theme

Food Engineering and Safety Theme

Hydrogen Energy Theme

Energy Theme

Core Process Engineering Skills Theme

Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Fees

Tuition fees for UK students 2024/25

MSc:  Full-time £11,340. Part-time £5,670.
Postgraduate Diploma:  Full-time £7,560.

Tuition fees for International students 2024/25

MSc: Full-time £29,340.
Postgraduate Diploma: Full-time £19,560.


Are you an international applicant?

All international applicants to this course will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of £2,000 on receipt of an offer, to secure their place.

Find out more about the deposit >>.

Postgraduate Loans (PGL) for Masters students

UK and EU students (with settled or pre-settled status) looking to pursue a Masters programme in the UK can apply for a non-means-tested loan from the British government via the Student Loans Company (SLC).

The loan will be paid directly to you, into a UK bank account. It is intended to provide a contribution towards the costs of Masters study and whether the loan is used towards fees, maintenance or other costs is at your own discretion.

Learn more about applying for PGL 

 

Scholarships

Chemical Engineering PG Taught Entrance Scholarship

The school of Chemical Engineering is happy to be able to recognise and reward our top incoming students to celebrate your academic achievements before arriving as a student at the University of Birmingham.
The Chemical Engineering PGT Entrance Scholarship consists of a £1000 cash award during year 1 semester 1 for the students who meet the conditions.
There are 10 awards available; 5 will be allocated to UK students for fees and 5 will be allocated to international students for fees.

We offer a range of postgraduate scholarships for taught programmes and research opportunities to ensure the very best talent is nurtured and supported at postgraduate level.

University scholarships

Birmingham Masters Scholarship

Our Birmingham Masters Scholarship offers £2,000 via a tuition fee discount, to support the brightest and best applicants from UK or Ireland undertaking Masters study at Birmingham during 2024-2025.

Global Masters Scholarship

This £2,000 Gloabl Masters Scholarship award is available to all international students from a selection of countries who are seeking to study a taught Masters degree at Birmingham in the 2024-25 academic year.

 

How To Apply

International applicants requiring visas

Applications to this programme from students who are international for fees will close 7 May 2024. We will close applications as soon as the programme is full, early applications are encouraged.

UK and non-Tier 4 applicants

Applications will close 31 August 2024. We will close applications as soon as the programme is full, early applications are encouraged.

Application routes

Please note that the duration of this programme is one year full-time, while part-time study can be up to three years.

However, part-time programmes are only eligible for Government Masters Loans if they are no more than twice the length of the full-time version. Therefore any UK part-time students wishing to apply for Government Masters Loans must complete the programme within two years.

If you plan to study over two years and/or would like to apply for a Masters Loan, please select the fixed part-time application route shown. If you would like the flexibility to study over up to three years, and are not seeking funding, please select the standard part-time application route.

 

International students applying for this programme will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office before the University can issue you with a Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (CAS). We recommend that you apply for your ATAS certificate as soon as you receive an offer from us.

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Apply now

Our Standard Requirements

You should have, or expect to obtain, a 2:1 Honours degree in a relevant subject (eg, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or Biochemistry with sufficient Mathematics). Learn more about entry requirements.  

International Requirements



International Students

English language

For students whose first language is not English, one of the following English language qualifications is required:

 
  • IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band
  • TOEFL: 80 overall with no less than 19 in Reading, 19 in Listening, 21 in Speaking and 19 in Writing
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) including online: Academic 64 with no less than 59 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced – minimum overall score of 169, with no less than 162 in any component
 

International students applying for this programme will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office before the University can issue you with a Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (CAS). We recommend that you apply for your ATAS certificate as soon as you receive an offer from us.

Our mission is to carry out research of the highest academic quality, which is novel, challenging and relevant to users. 

The School of Chemical Engineering at Birmingham is one of the three largest centres for the postgraduate education of chemical engineers in the UK. We have pioneered development and research in rapidly expanding new areas such as pharmaceuticals and bioproducts, food processing, hydrogen fuel cells and energy research, as well as having leading-edge groups in healthcare technologies

Research Themes

  • Healthcare Technologies
    Our experts are working together to advance new technologies and treatments that enable people to live longer, healthier and happier lives.
  • Formulation Engineering
    We are developing solutions to problems facing industries in the food, pharmaceutical, biotechnological, fast moving consumer goods and speciality products.
  • Energy
    Improving quality of life demands the supply of increasing amounts of energy and consumer chemicals, whilst at the same time global warming has become a major cause for concern. The Energy research theme addresses the challenges of introducing the hydrogen economy to replace the current reliance on carbon-based fuels.

Teaching is led by our world-leading research in chemical engineering, and during the research project students work within research groups on an original research project.

Postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham is a chance to learn from world leaders in their fields. This guarantees you a first-class learning experience, leading to a qualification that is respected the world over and making you an attractive prospect in a very competitive job market. The topics studied on this course are aligned with the research strengths of the school, so you will be learning about cutting-edge developments in your chosen areas of interest.

Learning, teaching and assessment

The modules are taught in a variety of ways, and encourage enquiry based learning and problem solving, enabling graduates to think laterally and make complex decisions when entering the world of work or further study. Modules are assessed by a mixture of written exam and coursework, including written essays and reports and presentations. Some modules include group work to develop and discuss ideas. The MSc research project is assessed in part by the submission of a dissertation.

Skills gained

As well as gaining a high level of technical knowledge, students will also gain the ability to critically analyse data and evaluate published information, present their findings to diverse audiences, and solve problems based on the available information. Group work will foster interdisciplinary skills. IT skills and health and safety will be embedded through the programme. On the research project, MSc students will gain the skills of independent research.

Timescale

The MSc is a 12-month full-time advanced course, comprising lectures, laboratory work, short experimental projects and a research project. The course can also be taken on a part-time basis over two or three years.

The Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) lasts for eight months and does not include the research project. Modules are also available individually to fulfil continuing professional development needs.

There is a great demand for chemical engineers in industry worldwide. This course gives you a professional basis for a career in a variety of industries.

Our Careers Network offers a range of events and support services designed to help you maximise your employability: from networking opportunities and career coaching workshops, to our effective-careers-strategy toolkit and one-to-one guidance. We also offer subject specific careers consultants and advisers for each college and a dedicated careers website for international students. Further information is below.

University Careers Network

Preparation for your career should be one of the first things you think about as you start university. Whether you have a clear idea of where your future aspirations lie or want to consider the broad range of opportunities available once you have a Birmingham degree, our Careers Network can help you achieve your goal.

Our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area, offering a specialised team (in each of the five academic colleges) who can give you expert advice. Our team source exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you. Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CVs and job applications will help give you the edge.

If you make the most of the wide range of services you will be able to develop your career from the moment you arrive.

Professional Accreditation

This new programme is currently seeking accreditation from IChemE.