Advanced Chemical Engineering, MSc

In this section
Advanced Chemical Engineering, MSc

Introduction

Study Information

At a Glance

Learning Mode
On Campus Learning
Degree Qualification
MSc
Duration
12 months
Study Mode
Full Time
Start Month
January
Location of Study
Aberdeen
New King's

Aberdeen Global Scholarship

The University of Aberdeen is delighted to offer eligible self-funded international on-campus undergraduate students a £6,000 scholarship for every year of their programme.

View the Aberdeen Global Scholarship

What You'll Study

Semester 1

Compulsory Courses

  • EG557G Advanced Process Control (15 credit points)
Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5006)

This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across the first 4 weeks of term.

Topics include University orientation overview, equality & diversity, MySkills, health, safety and cyber security, and academic integrity.

Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Transcript as ‘Achieved’.

Catalyst and Reactor Design (EG552Q)

15 Credit Points

The course aims to provide the students with sufficient breadth and depth of knowledge about catalysis and its applications to catalyst design and theory and practice of reactor engineering. The course is developed towards undergraduate degree holders in chemical engineering or related disciplines, such as polymer, petroleum, oil and gas, food and materials engineering, and bioengineering, who aspire to gain advanced technical skills and knowledge in the field of chemical and process engineering.

Optional Courses

Plus two from the following:

  • EG557A Critical Minerals for Energy Transition and Sustainability (15 credit points)
Applied Risk Analysis and Management (EG5558)

15 Credit Points

Risk assessment, the common tools used for (and the legal requirement associated with) risk assessment are covered. Students will have a thorough understanding on the components of good assessment and management of risks, and be familiar with the basic requirement for HAZID, HAZOP, SIL, QRA and the Safety Case.

Human Factors Engineering (EG55P9)

15 Credit Points

Human Factors Engineering (HFE) relates to how people interact with engineering systems. Failures in these areas are involved in all major incidents. Candidates explore them as part of this course. First, a review of major accidents will be undertaken to identify how equipment design, individual behaviours, and organisational behaviours contributed. Equipment/system design and the effect it has on individuals' behaviours is explored. Human Error is addressed. Finally, organisational behaviours will be examined. Leading and Lagging indicators are explored and their strengths/weaknesses considered. Candidates have the opportunity to complete practical assessments led by industry practitioners with specialist expertise in HFE.

Semester 2

Compulsory Courses

MSc Individual Project (EG59M2)

60 Credit Points

The MSc Individual Project is an independent piece of research based on a topic related to a student’s degree programme. Students are encouraged to focus on a problem confronting industry or a related area. The individual project provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate how the in-depth skills and knowledge they have gained during the taught courses can be used to provide solutions to practical problems. The individual project should contain a degree of original research.

Semester 3

Compulsory Courses

Separation and Product Purification (EG502Y)

15 Credit Points

The MSc in Advanced Chemical Engineering is developed for undergraduate degree holders in chemical or related engineering to equip them with advanced technical skills and knowledge. Separation and Product Purification is a core course of the program. It aims to provide the knowledge and skills related to the existing and emerging separation and product purification technologies in the context of design, optimization, and operation.

The aim of this course is to provide the students with sufficient breadth and depth of prevalent and conventional and emerging separation techniques used in chemical process industries; a significant emphasis will be given to bio-separations used in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and biomolecules. Other emerging separations in, for example, carbon capture and utilization, environmental protection, etc will be covered.

Air and Water Pollution Control (EX501U)

15 Credit Points

This course introduces the water cycle and the need for wastewater treatment. Biological wastewater treatment is covered in detail with focus on: activated sludge process for carbon and nitrogen removal and anaerobic digestion. Air pollution control is also covered in detail. The course focuses on process design based on mass balance, heat balances and kinetics.

Optional Courses

Plus two from the following.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (EG501V)

15 Credit Points

The course aims to provide understanding of main principles and techniques underpinning computational fluid dynamics (CFD) combining numerical methods with practical experience using appropriate software. The course develops a foundation for understanding, developing and analysing successful simulations of fluid flows applicable to a broad range of applications.

Fire and Explosion Engineering (EG5071)

15 Credit Points

Hydrocarbon fires and explosions produce extreme loading on engineering components. Structural steels lose their strength and stiffness well below the temperatures associated with hydrocarbon fires. Safety-critical elements must be designed to withstand both these temperatures and the blast overpressures that result from hydrocarbon explosions. Simple models are used to assess the loading that results from fires and explosions. Structural elements are analysed to illustrate the design procedures that are required to prevent escalation and to design against major accident scenarios.

Safety & Risk Management (EG50S2)

15 Credit Points

The course serves as the entrance to the field of safety and reliability engineering with the introduction of the basic concepts and tools of safety and risk management. Legal frames related to engineering safety are also introduced.

Contents include: Fundamentals of safety engineering; natural and man-made hazards; safety measures; accident and failure statistics; fundamentals of risk management; risk assessment techniques; classical reliability theory; modelling of engineering systems as series and parallel systems; redundancy; fault trees and event trees; availability and maintainability; UK safety legislation, including the Health and Safety at Work Act and its historical, offshore and other regulations.

We will endeavour to make all course options available. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page. In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips.

Interested in this programme?

Enquire Now Using an online form

Fees and Funding

You will be classified as one of the fee categories below.

Fee information
Fee category Cost
UK
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year £11,100
Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year £11,100
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year (University of Aberdeen Graduates *) £7,000

University of Aberdeen graduates are eligible for the Alumni Postgraduate Scholarship, reducing tuition fees to £7,000 - matching the current SAAS tuition loan - See full terms and conditions

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year (University of Aberdeen Graduates *) £7,000

University of Aberdeen graduates are eligible for the Alumni Postgraduate Scholarship, reducing tuition fees to £7,000 - matching the current SAAS tuition loan - See full terms and conditions

EU / International students
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year £26,250
Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year £26,250
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year (Self-funded Students *) £18,250

The above fee includes the £8,000 Aberdeen Global Scholarship provided to self-funded international students. Full terms and conditions apply.

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year (Self-funded Students *) £18,250

The above fee includes the £8,000 Aberdeen Global Scholarship provided to self-funded international students. Full terms and conditions apply.

Scholarships and Funding

UK Scholarship

Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, who pay tuition fees may be eligible for specific scholarships allowing them to receive additional funding. These are designed to provide assistance to help students support themselves during their time at Aberdeen.

Aberdeen Global Scholarship

The University of Aberdeen is delighted to offer eligible self-funded international on-campus undergraduate students a £6,000 scholarship for every year of their programme. More about this funding opportunity.

Funding Database

View all funding options in our Funding Database.

Careers

There are many opportunities at the University of Aberdeen to develop your knowledge, gain experience and build a competitive set of skills to enhance your employability. This is essential for your future career success. The Careers and Employability Service can help you to plan your career and support your choices throughout your time with us, from first to final year – and beyond.

Our Experts

Information About Staff Changes

You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.