Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry

Chemists are involved in designing and building at a molecular level – drugs, polymers for fibre optics, better paints, better fabrics. Chemical engineers design and build the equipment and processes required to handle and produce these materials – refineries, reactors, pipe lines, equipment for food production. Together the chemist and the chemical engineer form a great team, and increasingly industry is demanding both skills in the same individual.

The Masters level CEAC programme at Aston was the first of its kind in the UK (back in 1992) and is still unique today. In our BEng in Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, we aim to meet this growing demand at bachelors level. We guide students towards becoming accredited members of both professions.

Subject guide

To obtain an integrated understanding of chemistry and its associated industries, both at the molecular level and in terms of engineering, processes and technology, an integrated curriculum of chemistry and chemical engineering topics is essential. Our academic configuration at Aston in which chemical engineers and chemists work closely alongside each other is ideal for this.

In the first two years students follow a curriculum with equal weighting on chemistry and chemical engineering topics. For the shorter BEng degree, students can focus their final year more towards chemistry or towards chemical engineering as they prefer.

BEng Programme
The BEng in Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry is based on the MEng programme and is one year shorter and leads to a Bachelor’s rather than a Master’s degree.

Learning, teaching & assessment

Our programmes incorporate lectures, tutorials, plant visits and lab work. You will also be involved in project work; developing essential problem solving skills with specialist supervision from staff and industrial consultants. This hands-on experience will involve learning a wide range of techniques. Assessment is by a combination of exams, project, lab and coursework. Your final degree classification is determined by your performance in all years after the first year.

Placement year

Our excellent links with the chemical industry allow you to test and expand your knowledge, skills and understanding with a paid twelve month professional placement. It will provide integrated industrial and professional training, often in a position of responsibility, in areas such as the design, development, commissioning or operation of a chemical plant.

We will help arrange your placement for you or in conjunction with your sponsoring company. We will also provide opportunities for you to visit companies, undertake commercial project work and compete for sponsorships and prizes.

Our current and recent placement employers include: BP, BNFL, ConocoPhillips, GSK, Kraft, Alfa Laval, Thames Water, AMEC and 3M.

Career prospects

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.

Our recent graduates found lucrative graduate engineering/consultancy positions with companies including: Procter and Gamble, Stone and Webster, BP, ExxonMobil, Kodak, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Unilever, AMEC, British Energy, Kappa, Mowlem, BT, Corus and Pfizer.

Personal development

During your studies you will be involved in individual and group project work. This is designed to develop individual skills as an engineer as well as communication, both written and verbal, organisational and leadership skills needed to work effectively after graduation. The programme emphasises the commercial as well as industrial aspects of chemical engineering and you will take a number of management-related modules.