Undergraduate Chemical and Environmental Engineering students working with a heat place exchanger

Chemical Engineering with Environmental Engineering including an industrial year BEng

University Park Campus, Nottingham, UK

Course overview

Study BEng Chemical and Environmental Engineering to design cleaner, more efficient processes that tackle challenges like waste, pollution and water management. This course includes a year in industry, giving you first-hand experience of the exciting challenges faced by engineers. Our course is one of the few in the UK to offer Environmental as well as Chemical Engineering within a process engineering department. With a strong focus on industry relevance, you’ll build core design skills and apply them across sectors including food, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, and renewable energy.

Fully accredited by IChemE (Institution of Chemical Engineers) and IOM3 (Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining), the course delivers some of the UK’s strongest graduate outcomes, with excellent employment rates and competitive starting salaries.

Indicative modules

Mandatory

Year 1

Fundamentals of Engineering Design

Mandatory

Year 1

Fluid Mechanics

Mandatory

Year 1

Chemistry for Engineers

Mandatory

Year 1

Process Engineering Principles

Mandatory

Year 1

Mathematical Methods for Chemical and Environmental Engineering

Mandatory

Year 1

Introductory Geology

Mandatory

Year 1

Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer

Mandatory

Year 2

Chemical and Phase Equilibria

Mandatory

Year 2

Analytical Measurement

Mandatory

Year 2

Environmental Assessment

Mandatory

Year 2

Separation and Particle Technology

Mandatory

Year 2

Advanced Mathematical Modelling for Process Engineers

Mandatory

Year 2

Materials and Sustainable Processes

Mandatory

Year 2

Process Design and Control

Mandatory

Year 3

Year in industry

Mandatory

Year 4

Water Treatment

Mandatory

Year 4

Air Pollution

Mandatory

Year 4

Reactor Design and Process Control

Mandatory

Year 4

Design Project

Mandatory

Year 4

Process Engineering Laboratories

Mandatory

Year 4

Process Simulation

Mandatory

Year 4

Multicomponent Separations

Mandatory

Year 4

Advanced Transport Phenomena

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About modules

The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer, but is not intended to be construed or relied on as a definitive list of what might be available in any given year. This content was last updated on Wednesday 9 July 2025. Due to timetabling availability, there may be restrictions on some module combinations.

Teaching methods

  • Lectures 
  • Seminars 
  • Design workshops 
  • Laboratory practicals 
  • One-to-one tutorials 
  • Group study 
  • Independent study 

Assessment methods

  • Coursework
  • Dissertation
  • Examinations
  • Group coursework
  • Presentation
  • Research project
  • Practical assessment

On average, you will typically have around 20-25 contact hours per week, typically consisting of:

  • 18 hours of lectures and seminars

  • 4 hours of design workshops

  • 4 hours of supervised lab practicals 

  • 1 hour per week of one-to-one tutorials

The above will vary as you progress through your degree to allow more independent design projects.

You will also continue your learning independently through a combination of coursework and self-study. Your independent learning will be supported by a range of excellent facilities, including the library, Moodle and our engineering and computer laboratories.

 

During this course, you will develop a strong foundation in science and engineering, along with a wide range of transferable skills including IT, communication, analysis, problem solving, teamworking and management.

Our graduates are well-regarded and find career opportunities in a range of industries, including energy, chemical manufacturing, pharmaceutical, food and drink, oil and gas and government agencies worldwide. Graduate destinations include:

  • Unilever
  • GSK
  • Pfizer
  • Merck
  • Coca Cola
  • Motorola
  • Shell
  • BP
  • Roberts Environmental
  • Environment Agency
  • P & G
  • KPMG

Average starting salary and career progression

94.2% of undergraduates from the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual starting salary for these graduates was £35,325.* 

* HESA Graduate Outcomes 2021/22 (Home). 

Studying for a degree at the University of Nottingham will provide you with the type of skills and experiences that will prove invaluable in any career, whichever direction you decide to take.

Throughout your time with us, our Careers and Employability Service can work with you to improve your employability skills even further; assisting with job or course applications, searching for appropriate work experience placements and hosting events to bring you closer to a wide range of prospective employers.

Have a look at our careers page for an overview of all the employability support and opportunities that we provide to current students.

The University of Nottingham is consistently named as one of the most targeted universities by Britain’s leading graduate employers (Ranked in the top ten in The Graduate Market in 2013-2023, High Fliers Research).

University undergraduate student studying in Nightingale Hall accommodation's library, University Park

I really enjoy the challenges and breadth of content in my course. We are taught the fundamentals of chemical processes and the theory behind their execution on an industrial scale, and then get to use this knowledge within design projects in a manner similar to that which employers would expect in industry. 

Andrew Shaw

Course data

Open Day June 2022