Home

Chemical Process Engineering MSc

London, Bloomsbury

This is the programme information for 2025 entry

If you require details of the previous year's programme, Chemical Process Engineering MSc (2024), click here

UK students International students

Study mode

Full-time

UK tuition fees (2025/26)

£20,500

Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)

£39,800

Duration

1 calendar year

Programme starts

September 2025

Applications accepted

Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025

Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025

Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or a cognate discipline (such as Mechanical or Environmental Engineering, Chemistry and Physics) from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

If you are intending to apply for a time-limited visa to complete your UCL studies (e.g., Student visa, Skilled worker visa, PBS dependant visa etc.) you may be required to obtain ATAS clearance. This will be confirmed to you if you obtain an offer of a place. Please note that ATAS processing times can take up to six months, so we recommend you consider these timelines when submitting your application to UCL.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

The world needs skilled chemical and process engineers to develop new materials, design safe and sustainable processes for producing our food, clean water, drugs, transport and energy resources.

This Master's programme is the first of its kind in the UK. It provides the advanced training you need to be able to progress into highly skilled jobs in the process engineering and related sectors.

Working in close collaboration with engineers and scientists from different backgrounds – from both across UCL and externally – you will learn and apply core engineering principles.

From developing creative and innovative solutions to process design problems to analysing, interpreting and designing experiments to obtain new data, you'll graduate with a comprehensive suite of desirable technical skills.

What's more, your research project provides the opportunity to develop your problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Please note that this programme is offered as 2 routes with different compulsory and optional modules. The routes are (1) Advanced Chemical Engineering Route; and (2); Research Route.

Please see the Module section below for more information.

Who this course is for

The programme is suitable for you if you have a first degree in chemical engineering, material science, chemistry and their allied fields.

Students will benefit from the multidisciplinary nature of the programme, which has significant industrial input and an emphasis on safety and environmental issues.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

This programme offers you the following benefits and opportunities:

Get a postgraduate degree from a top-ranked university. UCL is consistently ranked among the best universities globally (ranked 9th in the latest QS World University Rankings 2025), providing you with a prestigious qualification that is highly regarded by employers worldwide.
Study at UCL Chemical Engineering, ranked 20th in the world (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024) and internationally renowned for its teaching and research
A Master’s degree accredited by the IChemE on behalf of the Engineering Council – which means that on completion of this MSc you can register as a Chartered Engineer.
Hone your creative and problem-solving skills working on real and open-ended challenges, and designing processes across different sectors and industries.
Gain experience using mathematical methods and scientific principles as tools for solving complex problems.
Learn how to analyse and interpret data, design experiments to gain new data, and retrieve, analyse and use information from wide ranging sources.
Study in the world's best city for university students (QS Best Student Cities 2024). UCL’s Bloomsbury campus is in the heart of a London district famous for its cultural and educational institutions.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

Making an impact

UCL Portico building with welcome sign between columns.

Case study: Waste cooking oil to clean energy

Our researchers are working on processes to transform waste cooking oil into liquid biofuel

The foundation of your career

Graduates of this course have gone on to work with Amec Process and Energy, British Petroleum, Royal Dutch Shell, National Grid and the Health & Safety Executive. Read more about our recent MSc graduate journeys here.

Chemical engineering is in the foreground of the engineering landscape as it relates directly to the intricate problem solving required in today’s world. I wanted to choose a field in which I could take molecular concepts from mere ideas to large scalable solutions.

Simran Effricia

MSc Chemical Process Engineering

Read more student testimonials

Employability

By the end of this Master’s, you will be in a strong position for progressing into highly skilled jobs as a process engineer. You could go onto develop technologies that impact almost every area of our lives, from food and transport, to medicine or energy.

Networking

You will have regular opportunities to connect, collaborate and build professional contacts as part of your Master’s.

Take part in events hosted by UCL Careers to get 1-2-1 support, and enhance your CV writing and interview skills.
Take part in regular seminars, to hear from expert academic speakers from different universities around the world talking about topical research issues, and network afterwards.
If you’re interested in entrepreneurship, connect with like-minded innovators and successful entrepreneurs through UCL’s innovation hubs and startup incubators.

Accreditation

The programme offers two routes with different compulsory and optional modules. The routes are 1) Advanced Chemical Engineering Route and 2) Research Route. Route 1 is accredited by the IChemE.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lecture-based courses, individual and group activities, quizzes, assessed coursework and tutorial sessions.

Assessment is mainly through examinations, quizzes, coursework and reports.

Research projects are provided to extend knowledge and understanding of the topics studied and to encourage critical thinking. Creativity and innovation are encouraged.

On this programme, you can expect approximately 12-16 hours of contact hours a week. The exact number of contact hours and composition varies throughout the terms depending on the module choices of the student. Some modules may have content online on Moodle (which you can study at your own pace), which complement weekly face-to-face sessions on campus. These sessions are a chance to talk to your lecturers and ask questions.

All teaching sessions take place Monday – Friday 9am to 6pm. Wednesday afternoons are normally kept free. There may be additional events, such as careers sessions, which may take place outside of these hours.

This is a full-time course, which means students should expect a weekly working schedule of approximately 35-40 hours a week divided between contact hours, self-directed learning, and preparing for assessments.

Modules

The programme offers 2 routes with different compulsory and optional modules. The routes are:

Advanced Chemical Engineering Route (accredited by the IChemE at F Standard)
Research Route

The different routes have been designed to cater for students with different backgrounds and aspirations. Both routes include depth chemical engineering modules that cover core chemical engineering topics, breadth chemical engineering modules related to more specific chemical engineering topics, as well as non-chemical engineering modules.

The research projects offer a balanced mix of theory and practice, helping to develop problem-solving and decision-making skills. The students work on real and open-ended problems, coordinating the knowledge acquired in taught modules to solve complex, multi-dimensional problems.

The combination of taught modules and research projects is designed to form well-rounded graduates with a strong grasp of the technical fundamentals of chemical engineering and a broad understanding of the complexity and context of chemical process engineering problems.

1. Advanced Chemical Engineering Route
The Advanced Chemical Engineering Route comprises 180 UCL credits and is accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) at F-standard, which, combined with an IChemE accredited qualification at B-Standard, meets in full the academic requirements for Chartered Chemical Engineer (see further information on the IChemE website).

Each student takes a total of nine modules comprising a major project (60 credits) and eight taught modules (120 credits) selected from the list below.

Compulsory Modules

CENG0057-Chemical Process Engineering Research Project
CENG0053-Process Engineering Modelling and Design
CENG0044-Research Skills: Qualitative
CENG0045-Research Methods: Quantitative

Optional Modules

Chemical Engineering Optional Depth Modules; at least two modules are selected from the list below.

CENG0018-Chemical Reaction Engineering II
CENG0019-Transport Phenomena II
CENG0020-Advanced Safety and Loss Prevention
CENG0023-Advanced Process Optimisation
CENG0024-Fluid-Particle Systems
CENG0027-Molecular Thermodynamics
CENG0033-Advanced Separation Processes
CENG0063 Data Driven Engineering (Taking CENG0023 Advanced Process Optimisation is a prerequisite to enrol onto this module)

Chemical Engineering Optional Breadth Modules; at least two modules are selected from the list below.

CENG0026-Energy Systems and Sustainability
CENG0028-Electrochemical Engineering and Power Sources
CENG0029-Nature Inspired Chemical Engineering
CENG0030-Advanced Materials Processes and Nanotechnology
CENG0059 Renewable Energy in the Resources Sector
CENG0060 Integrated Hydrogeology and Sustainable Water Management

Non-Chemical Engineering Optional Modules; maximum one module is selected from the list below.

BENG0090-Advanced Bioreactor Engineering
CEGE0015-Environmental Systems
CEGE0016-Financial Aspect of Project Engineering and Contracting
CEGE0022-Water and Wastewater Treatment
MSIN0053-Mastering Entrepreneurship
MSIN0144-Entrepreneurship: Theory and Practice
MSIN0179-Project Management for Engineers

2. Research Route
The Research Route comprises 180 UCL credits and is suitable for students with a first degree in Chemical Engineering or in a cognate discipline such as Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. Each student takes a total of nine modules comprising a major project (60 credits) and eight taught modules (120 credits) selected from the list below.

Compulsory Modules

CENG0057-Chemical Process Engineering Research Project
CENG0044-Research Skills: Qualitative
CENG0045-Research Methods: Quantitative

Optional Modules

Chemical Engineering Optional Modules; at least four and maximum six modules are selected from the list below.

CENG0018-Chemical Reaction Engineering II
CENG0019-Transport Phenomena II
CENG0020-Advanced Safety and Loss Prevention
CENG0023-Advanced Process Optimisation
CENG0024-Fluid-Particle Systems
CENG0026-Energy Systems and Sustainability
CENG0027-Molecular Thermodynamics
CENG0028-Electrochemical Engineering and Power Sources
CENG0029-Nature Inspired Chemical Engineering
CENG0030-Advanced Materials Processes and Nanotechnology
CENG0033-Advanced Separation Processes
CENG0053-Process Engineering Modelling and Design
CENG0059 Renewable Energy in the Resources Sector
CENG0060 Integrated Hydrogeology and Sustainable Water Management
CENG0063 Data Driven Engineering (Taking CENG0023 Advanced Process Optimisation is a prerequisite to enrol onto this module)

Non-Chemical Engineering Optional Modules; maximum two modules are selected from the list below. Only one can be selected from the School of Management (starting MSIN).

Compulsory modules

Research Skills

Research Methods

Process Engineering Modelling and Design

Chemical Process Engineering Research Project

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Chemical Process Engineering.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Where you'll study

Two students in white lab coats working on computers in chemical engineering lab

UCL Chemical Engineering is proud to offer outstanding experimental facilities with state-of-the-art equipment. Our modern laboratories and specialist tools create an ideal environment for innovation and academic growth. With access to these resources, students have the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research and to contribute to meaningful advancements in the field. The Advanced Propulsion Lab (APL), a global centre of excellence dedicated to the decarbonisation of the transport sector, specialising in battery and fuel cell electric vehicles. The Manufacturing Futures Laboratory (MFL), a multi-disciplinary research and teaching hub, driving strategic research and fostering innovative industry collaborations to deliver the sustainable products and manufacturing processes of the future.

Find out more

Visit us

All open days and events

5 December 2024

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Where can a UCL Engineering degree take you - Alumni Perspectives

12:00 — 13:00

Where can a UCL Engineering degree take you? Join us for a panel and Q&A event with UCL Engineering alumni. You'll learn what you can expect from postgraduate study at UCL Engineering and get application advice from previous students! This is an opportunity for all applicants to hear personal experiences of studying with us, but may be most relevant to those applying from the USA, Latin and South America.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students

Fee description	Full-time
Tuition fees (2025/26)	£20,500
Tuition fees (2025/26)	£39,800

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

Students may be required to cover costs of printing of final project reports and/or posters, as well as for minor laboratory equipment such as a laboratory logbook. Indicative prices for printing can be found here and UCL poster printing prices can be found here. Typically, laboratory logbooks can be purchased for approximately £2-£5.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

Current funding opportunities on offer can be found on the bursaries and scholarships page of the Chemical Engineering website.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

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.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

why you want to study Chemical Process Engineering at graduate level
why you want to study Chemical Process Engineering at UCL
what particularly attracts you to this programme
how your academic, professional and personal background meets the demands of this programme
where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

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.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

This programme only requires one reference in support of your application. Your reference should be academic unless you have been out of university education for more than four years. Further information regarding references can be found on this Selecting your references page.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.