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Contact details

Dr Daniel Bracewell

Email: d.bracewell@ucl.ac.uk

Tel: +44 (0)20 7383 7013

Fees and funding

UK/EU 2013/14:

£10,250 (FT)

Overseas 2013/14:

£21,000 (FT)

Full details of funding opportunities can be found on the UCL Scholarships website

More information

Prospectus Entry

Biochemical Engineering

Key facts

Research Assessment Rating

75% rated 4* (world-leading) or 3* (internationally excellent)
(What is the RAE?)

Biochemical Engineering MSc

This MSc analyses how advances in the life sciences can effectively be translated into real outcomes of benefit to all. Close links with the research activities of the Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering ensure that lecture and case study examples are built around the latest biological discoveries and bioprocessing technologies.

Degree summary

What will I learn?

Students develop an advanced knowledge of core biochemical engineering principles and applications, design techniques for the creation of products and process plants to meet a defined need, commercial and economic aspects, health, safety, sustainability, environmental and other professional issues, management and business practices, and techniques applicable to research and advanced scholarship.

Three distinct pathways are offered designed for graduate scientists, engineers, or biochemical engineers.

Why should I study this degree at UCL?

UCL Biochemical Engineering is the largest of its kind in the UK. Our graduate programmes are internationally recognised and draw on advances in life sciences and the core discipline of biochemical engineering.

We maintain close teaching and research links with other highly-rated UCL departments and with experts from other departments throughout the UK and overseas, and are also involved in exceptionally close collaborations with industry.

Studying in London affords an enormous range of academic, cultural and leisure activities. UCL is located in the Bloomsbury area of central London, famous for its intellectual and academic traditions.

See subject website for more information:

Degree structure

Availability: Full-time 1 year

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme offers three different pathways (for graduate scientists, engineers, or biochemical engineers) and consists of core taught modules (120 credits) and a research or design project (60 credits).

A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits, full-time nine months) is offered.

Taught Modules for graduate scientists

  • Bioprocess Synthesis and Process Mapping
  • Heat and Mass Transfer in Bioprocesses
  • Fluid Flow and Mixing in Bioprocesses
  • Advanced Bioreactor Engineering
  • Integrated Downstream Processing
  • Commercialisation of Bioprocess Research
  • Mammalian Cell Culture and Stem Cell Processing
  • Bioprocess Validation and Quality Control

Taught modules for graduate engineers

  • Cellular Functioning from Genome to Proteome
  • Metabolic Processes and Regulation
  • Structural Biology and Functional Protein Engineering
  • Advanced Bioreactor Engineering
  • Integrated Downstream Processing
  • Commercialisation of Bioprocess Research
  • Mammalian Cell Culture and Stem Cell Processing
  • Bioprocess Validation and Quality Control

  • Taught modules for graduate biochemical engineers
  • Industrial Synthetic Biology
  • Sustainable Bioprocesses and Biorefineries
  • Cell Therapy Biology
  • Bioprocessing and Clinical Translation
  • Bioprocess Systems Engineering
  • Bioprocess Microfluidics
  • Vaccine Bioprocess Development
  • Bioprocess Validation and Quality Control

Design or research project

All MSc students submit a 10,000-word dissertation in either Bioprocess Design (science graduate pathway) or Bioprocess Research (engineering and biochemical engineering graduate pathway).

Teaching and Learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, and individual and group activities. Invited lectures delivered by industrialists provide a professional and social context. Assessment is through unseen written examinations, coursework, individual and group project reports, individual and group oral presentations, and the research or design project.

Further details available on subject website:

Entry and application

Entry requirements

Normal entry requirements are at least a second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or the equivalent from an approved overseas institution. Candidates offering recent industrial experience are also encouraged to apply. As with any engineering discipline numeracy skills are important for the quantitative description of biological and physical phenomena. Evidence of numerical ability is requested as either an A level in Mathematics (or in exceptional cases, in Physics) or some mathematics studied at university. The department provides mathematics tutoring for Master's students throughout the year adjusted to a candidate's ability.

How to apply

You may choose to apply online or download application materials; for details visit www.ucl.ac.uk/gradapps

The deadline for applications is 2 August 2013. Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

Who can apply?

Graduate scientists holding qualifications in applied biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacy or other related subjects will find this programme suitable. Applications from graduate engineers are normally from candidates holding qualifications in chemical engineering, process engineering or other related subjects. For the graduate biochemical engineering pathway applicants will have a degree in the field for closely related subject.

What are we looking for?

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Biochemical Engineering at graduate level
  • why you want to study Biochemical Engineering at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your academic, professional and personal background meets the demands of a challenging programme. We are particularly interested in any individual or group research project that you have undertaken.
  • how will the MSc help you in your future career aspirations
Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Career

The first destinations of those who graduate from the Master's programme in Biochemical Engineering reflect the highly relevant nature of the training delivered. UCL biochemical engineers are in demand, due to their breadth of expertise, numerical ability and problem solving skills.

Approximately three-quarters of candidates elect to take up employment in the relevant biotechnology industries while the remainder follow careers in the management, financial or engineering design sectors.

Approximately half of those who choose the bioindustry sector will undertake PhD or EngD programmes in biochemical engineering either at UCL or other universities before commencing their industrial careers.

Find out more about London graduates' careers by visiting the Careers Group (University of London) website:

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