Umama Bendaoud

Chemical engineering involves developing more sustainable ways of manufacturing the products we use every day while addressing the global challenges of climate change, energy, sustainability, and human health.
Chemical engineers design processes to transform raw materials into products such as chemicals, fuels, foods and pharmaceuticals at an industrial scale safely, sustainably and cost-effectively. Chemical engineers also contribute enormously to wider society, for example, by manufacturing new drugs at affordable costs and by tackling environmental problems such as pollution and global warming.
You will develop a wide understanding of chemical and process engineering and learn how chemical engineers play a critical role in making key decisions including:
Our interdisciplinary approach means that you study the fundamentals of each engineering discipline before specialising in your third year. You can therefore keep your options open while gaining a wide range of perspectives and skills - something that makes Aberdeen graduates better equipped to collaborate, innovate and lead in the workplace.
Our location in Aberdeen, the energy capital of Europe, and our strong industry links means that you will have the opportunity to engage with both the local upstream oil and gas industry and with the latest developments in the energy transition through the School of Engineering’s work in energy from biomass, energy conversion and storage, biorefinery and the production of chemicals from biomass.
If you are interested in chemical reactions and understanding how the physical properties of matter can be harnessed to create world-changing technologies, then you should consider Chemical Engineering at Aberdeen.
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.
15 Credit Points
The aim of the course is to introduce basic concepts of electrical & electronics within a context of general engineering. The topics covered are kept at an elementary level with the aim of providing the foundational material for subsequent courses at levels 1 and 2. The course adopts the philosophy of application oriented teaching. During each topic the students will be provided with examples of day-to-day devices. Topics covered include dc circuit analysis, electronic amplifiers, digital circuits, optoelectronics, and ac theory.
15 Credit Points
The course is designed to introduce the students to different methods of communication in the process of interchanging ideas and information. Oral presentation and writing of technical reports are introduced. The importing data from web-based and library-based sources will be integrated through information retrieval and investigative skills training. Professional ethics are covered on plagiarism, copyright and intellectual property. Engineering drawing skills and knowledge of relevant British and International Standards will be developed through intensive training in the use of computer aided design and modelling package, SolidWorks. Standard drawing formats including 3D depiction of stand alone parts and assemblies are covered.
15 Credit Points
Engineering design depends on materials being shaped, finished and joined together. Design requirements define the performance required of the materials. What do engineers need to know about materials to choose and use them successfully? They need a perspective of the world of materials. They need understanding of material properties. They need methods and tools to select the right material for the job. This course will help you develop knowledge and skills required for the successful selection and use of engineering materials.
15 Credit Points
The course presents fundamental mathematical ideas useful in the study of Engineering. A major focus of the course is on differential and integral calculus. Applications to Engineering problems involving rates of change and averaging processes are emphasized. Complex numbers are introduced and developed. The course provides the necessary mathematical background for other engineering courses in level 2.
15 Credit Points
Chemistry plays a central role in physical science and engineering, not only because of the insights it gives on the composition, properties and reactivity of matter but also because of its wide-ranging applications. This course seeks to consolidate some of the important fundamentals of chemistry that underlie many topics and principles across the physical sciences and engineering, bringing together theories of molecular structure, organic reaction mechanisms, the driving forces behind chemical reactions, and methods of chemical analysis and structure determination.
Laboratory classes complement the lectures by consolidating learning and developing problem-solving and hands-on practical skills.
This course, which is prescribed for level 1 undergraduate students and articulating students who are in their first year at the University, 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’.
15 Credit Points
Engineering Mechanics is concerned with the state of rest or motion of objects subject to the action of forces. The topic is divided into two parts: STATICS which considers the equilibrium of objects which are either at rest or move at a constant velocity, and DYNAMICS which deals with the motion and associated forces of accelerating bodies. The former is particularly applied to beams and truss structures. The latter includes a range of applications, such as car suspension systems, motion of a racing car, missiles, vibration isolation systems, and so on.
Term 1: Plus 15 credit points from courses of choice at Levels 1 or 2
Term 2: Plus 15 credit points from courses of choice at Levels 1 or 2.
Topics covered can include Engineering Mathematics, Engineering Chemistry, Transport Processes, Fluids and Thermodynamics, Solids and Structures, Electronic Systems, Geology, Electrical and Mechanical Systems and Design & Computing.
15 Credit Points
The fluid mechanics section of the course begins with the material properties of fluids. This is followed by studying fluid statics and principles of fluid motion. Bernoulli’s equation is used to explain the relationship between pressure and velocity. The final fluids section introduces the students to incompressible flow in pipelines.
The thermodynamics section presents: the gas laws, including Van Der Waals’ equation; the first law of thermodynamics with work done, heat supply, and the definitions of internal energy and enthalpy. The second law is introduced including entropy through the Carnot cycle.
15 Credit Points
A general engineering course that provides an insight into the principles of engineering design process, computer programming in MATLAB and its application in parametric study and basic design optimisation, environmental ethics and sustainability in the context of design, and Computer Aided Design (CAD) using Solidworks. The course also includes hands-on exercises on the manufacture of simple parts using a variety of machine tools and joining processes.
15 Credit Points
A general engineering course that provides insight into the two main conservation principles, mass and energy. Processes are usually described through block diagrams. This language, common to many disciplines in engineering, helps the engineer to look at their processes with an analytical view. Degree of freedom analysis is addressed, emphasising its importance to solve a set of linear equations that model fundamental balances of mass. Practical examples of Energy balances are displayed, bringing Thermodynamics to a practical level. Heat Transfer is introduced. Process control is introduced, explaining basic control techniques and concepts, i.e sensors, feedback, control loops and PID controllers.
15 Credit Points
Modern organic and biological chemistry comprise the chemistry of carbon-containing compounds, which are natural (e.g. foods, fuel, perfumes) as well as synthetic (e.g. soaps, textile fabrics, pharmaceuticals). This course investigates some key areas in organic chemistry: shape, conformation, stereochemistry, and chemical properties of organic and biological compounds. Reactions and reactivity of aliphatic derivatives, olefins and aromatic compounds will be considered with particular reference to spatial and electronic effects. The experiments performed in the lab will help students understand key organic concepts and develop their synthetic/analytical skills.
15 Credit Points
This course covers key concepts in physical chemistry which underpin our understanding and ability to control chemical and biological processes. The principal points include thermodynamics (enthalpy, entropy and free energies), chemical kinetics (zero, 1st and 2nd order reactions, rate laws and half-lives and the relationship of rate laws to reaction mechanisms), and basic principles of electrochemistry (redox chemistry and the Nernst equation). A strong emphasis on calculations helps students get to grips with the course material and develops numeracy skills. Laboratory experiments support and complement the taught material.
15 Credit Points
This course follows Engineering Mathematics 1 in introducing all the mathematical objects and techniques needed by engineers. It has three parts:
15 Credit Points
This course provides students with an integrated development of methods for modelling, analysing and designing systems comprising electrical and mechanical components. In doing so it intends to emphasise to the students the similarity in behaviour between electrical and mechanical systems. The course aims to give an introduction to both electrical machines, circuit and systems, transformers, and similar mechanical systems like gearbox, vibrating system and principles of dynamics, and thus provide the foundation material for several courses at level 3 .
Plus 15 credit points from courses of choice at Levels 1 or 2.
In year 3, you have the opportunity to study from a range of courses leading to specialisation in your chosen discipline. This is also the point at which a final decision between MEng and BEng must be made.
Engineer in Society (EG3505)
Fluid Mechanics (EM3019)
15 Credit Points
Modern engineering analysis relies on a wide range of analytical mathematical methods and computational techniques in order to solve a wide range of problems. The aim of this course is to equip students with the necessary skills to quantitatively investigate engineering problems. Examples applying the methods taught to practical situations from across the full range of engineering disciplines will feature heavily in the course.
15 Credit Points
The course aims to give a thorough treatment of the real PVT behaviour exhibited by multicomponent, multiphase systems by giving candidates the knowledge required to determine: a) the heat and/or work required to bring about a given change of state; b) the change of state resulting from a transfer of energy in the form of heat and/or work, or as a result of a chemical reaction. To build on the knowledge of process simulation gained in Level 2 and emphasize the importance of selecting an appropriate fluid package.
15 Credit Points
This course focuses on applied momentum, heat, and mass transport in engineering problems. It demonstrates how fundamental design equations can be derived for a wide range of real engineering problems (e.g. nuclear fuel rods, coal combustion, radiation shielding, electrical heaters, toothpaste etc). This course makes it clear that engineering is the art of applying mathematics to the real world and develops the tools required to tackle a wide range of challenges.
The analytical results of transport phenomena are demonstrated in simple systems before discussing more complex systems, such as multiphase flow, which require the use of semi-empirical correlations to solve.
15 Credit Points
Starting from previously attained knowledge and understanding of equilibrium, kinetics, thermochemistry and material and energy balancing on reactive processes, the course sets about developing skills in the design and sizing of industrial chemical reactors. Batch and continuous reactors of different types are covered with design equations being derived from fist principles for a variety of systems with different degrees of complexity. The course focuses on homogeneous reactions, design for single and parallel reactions, reactor modelling for non-ideal flow, temperature and pressure effects and chemical reaction process safety. Other elements of chemical reaction engineering are introduced.
15 Credit Points
This course covers the fundamental concepts of equilibrium and rate-based analysis of separation processes, and gives examples of relevant separation processes. It introduces the concept and analysis of a unit operation as applied to separation processes and demonstrates the analysis of relevant separation processes by applying mass and energy balance methods.
10 Credit Points
Chemical Engineering Design takes the learning from the first two and a half years of the degree and ties it together whilst formally introducing student to the overall process of chemical engineering design.
Employability and professional attributes are embedded in the course with design engineers (students) being line managed. Professional attributes such as time management, project management, communication and team working are developed through the course. Within the course, design engineers will also significantly develop
10 Credit Points
This course aims to develop students? ability in process simulation, broadly, in two areas: 1) the use of commercially available steady-state process simulation engines; 2) the development of process models and simulations from first principles using other applications such as Matlab, MathCad and Excel. In achieving these aims, the course will allow students to further develop their skillset in Process Thermodynamics, Process Analysis and Chemical Engineering Computer Applications.
The major feature is the individual project in the area of your specialisation. The project occupies half of your study time and can be undertaken in Aberdeen or abroad. The opportunity exists to study a European language to support this study.
Biochemical Engineering (EX4011)
Process Safety (EX4012)
Process Control (EX4013)
15 Credit Points
Separation processes are essential to many industries including pharmaceutical and chemical industries, e.g. once the drug molecules are synthesised in a reactor they need to be separated in pure form from other by-products before they can be used. This course adds breadth to students' curriculum in the core area of separation processes. Familiarises students with particulate solids and characterisation. Further, provides a broad knowledge and understanding of physical separation processes including filtration, sedimentation, centrifugation. By the end students should have a knowledge and understanding of an ability to analyse design a wide variety of physical separation unit operations
15 Credit Points
This course is a concentrated design and reporting exercise which requires application of project management and team liaison skills in addition to technical design ability. Specific exercises will include interdisciplinary aspects and will relate to design requirements arising from the professional activities of the School of Engineering or its industrial contacts. Written and oral presentations form part of the course.
Individual Project (BEng) (EG45PC)
OR
Industrial Individual Project (BEng) (EG45PD)
OR
Individual Project Abroad (BEng) (EG45PA)
We will endeavour to make all course options available. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.
Students are assessed by any combination of three assessment methods:
The exact mix of these methods differs between subject areas, year of study and individual courses.
Honours projects are typically assessed on the basis of a written dissertation.
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 ScholarshipThe information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.
SQA Highers
Standard: ABBB (Mathematics and Physics or Engineering Science required*)
Applicants who achieve the Standard entry requirements over S4 and S5 will be made either an unconditional or conditional offer of admission.
Minimum: BBB (Good performance required in Mathematics and Physics*)
Applicants who achieve our Minimum entry requirements over S4 and S5 are encouraged to apply and will be considered. Good performance in additional Highers / Advanced Highers maybe required in order to receive an offer of admission.
Adjusted: BB (Good performance required in Mathematics*)
Applicants who meet one or more of our widening access criteria and who achieve good performance in Maths and one other subject are guaranteed a conditional offer. Good performance in additional Highers / Advanced Highers will be required.
* These subjects can be either held at the time of application or be achieved during the appropriate admissions cycle.
More information on our definition of Standard, Minimum and Adjusted entry qualifications.
A LEVELS
Standard: BBB (Good performance required in Mathematics, plus at least one from Physics, Design & Technology, Engineering or Chemistry). Applicants who are predicted to achieve the Standard entry requirements are encouraged to apply and may be made an offer of admission.
Minimum: BBC (Good performance required in Mathematics, plus at least one from Physics, Design & Technology, Engineering or Chemistry). Applicants who are predicted to achieve the Minimum entry requirements are encouraged to apply and will be considered.
Adjusted: BB (Good performance required in Mathematics)
Applicants who meet one or more Widening Participation criteria and who are predicted to achieve a good performance in Mathematics and one other subject may be made an Adjusted offer of entry.
More information on our definition of Standard, Minimum and Adjusted entry qualifications.
International Baccalaureat
Minimum of 32 points including Mathematics and Physics at HL (6 or above).
Irish Leaving Certificate
Five 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 & PETROLEUM ENGINEERING
Please note: for entry to Chemical and Petroleum Engineering an SQA Higher or GCE A Level or equivalent qualification in Chemistry is required for entry to year 1, in addition to the general Engineering requirements.
SQA Highers
Standard: BBBB (Mathematics and Physics or Engineering Science required*)
Applicants who achieve the Standard entry requirements over S4 and S5 will be made either an unconditional or conditional offer of admission.
Minimum: BBC (Good performance required in Mathematics and Physics*)
Applicants who have achieved BBC at Higher and meet one of the widening participation criteria above are encouraged to apply and are guaranteed an unconditional offer for MA, BSc and BEng degrees.
Adjusted: BB (Good performance required in Mathematics*)
Applicants who have achieved BB at Higher, and who meet one of the widening participation criteria above are encouraged to apply and are guaranteed an adjusted conditional offer for MA, BSc and BEng degrees.
We would expect to issue a conditional offer asking for one additional C grade at Higher.
* These subjects can be either held at the time of application or be achieved during the appropriate admissions cycle.
Foundation Apprenticeship: One FA is equivalent to a Higher at A. It cannot replace any required subjects.
More information on our definition of Standard, Minimum and Adjusted entry qualifications.
A LEVELS
Standard: BBC*. Applicants who are predicted to achieve the Standard entry requirements are encouraged to apply and may be made an offer of admission.
Minimum: BCC* Applicants who are predicted to achieve the Minimum entry requirements are encouraged to apply and will be considered.
Adjusted: CCC (Good performance required in Mathematics)
Applicants who meet one or more Widening Participation criteria and who are predicted to achieve a good performance in Mathematics and one other subject may be made an Adjusted offer of entry.
More information on our definition of Standard, Minimum and Adjusted entry qualifications.
International Baccalaureat
Minimum of 32 points including Mathematics and Physics at HL (6 or above).
Irish Leaving Certificate
Five 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 & PETROLEUM ENGINEERING
Please note: for entry to Chemical and Petroleum Engineering an SQA Higher or GCE A Level or equivalent qualification in Chemistry is required for entry to year 1, in addition to the general Engineering requirements.
The information displayed in this section shows a shortened summary of our entry requirements. For more information, or for full entry requirements for Engineering degrees, see our detailed entry requirements section.
To study for an Undergraduate degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:
IELTS Academic:
OVERALL - 6.0 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
TOEFL iBT:
OVERALL - 78 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
PTE Academic:
OVERALL - 59 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency:
OVERALL - 169 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169
Read more about specific English Language requirements here.
You will be classified as one of the fee categories below.
Fee category | Cost |
---|---|
RUK | £9,535 |
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year | |
EU / International students | £24,800 |
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year | |
Self-funded international students commencing eligible undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 will receive a £6,000 tuition waiver for every year of their programme - See full terms and conditions | |
Home Students | £1,820 |
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year |
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.
View all funding options in our Funding Database.
Chemical Engineers are employed across a broad spectrum of industries including: Energy; Water; Pharmaceuticals; Food & Drink; Oil & Gas; Fast Moving Consumer Goods; Agrochemicals, fine chemicals & petrochemicals; Mining & Minerals; Semiconductor, Biotechnology; Management; Consultancy; Environmental Protection; Safety.
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 and to the development of a sustainable environment, then you should consider chemical engineering as a career choice.
Recent graduate job roles have included:
Recent graduates work at companies such as:
Our Chemical Engineering degrees are accredited by the Engineering Council and the Institution of Chemical Engineers and are your first step towards achieving Chartered Engineer status with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).
Our courses in Chemical Engineering are taught by experts in their field. Your teachers will include, among others:
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.
If you're studying a chemical engineering (or a related subject) at undergraduate level you can join online and start enjoying the benefits of Student Membership today.
Find out moreWe work closely with Aberdeen Young Members IChemE group to organise networking events, careers workshops and technical presentations from graduates working in the industry.
Find out moreGraeme Brown and Heather Watson worked on the Shah Deniz project at BP in summer 2016. Graeme completed a Process Safety Engineering internship and Heather completed a Petroleum Engineering internship.
Different opportunities are available each year
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