Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering) (Honours)

The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Chemical Engineering at Curtin University Malaysia is a four-year undergraduate programme that trains students to develop, design, operate, and optimise chemical processes and plants for extracting, converting, and recovering materials across a wide range of industries. It suits students who aim for careers in energy, petrochemicals, polymers, bioprocessing, sustainable materials, and food or fine chemical production, combining strong scientific foundations with practical design and industry-oriented learning. 

Curriculum structure

Year 1:
In the first year, students begin with a Bachelor of Engineering pre-major, where core engineering principles are introduced alongside units in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and fundamental Engineering Skills. These early courses develop strong analytical, quantitative, and laboratory skills while familiarising students with engineering contexts common across all disciplines. Practical classes help learners understand how scientific principles apply to real systems and set the groundwork for specialised chemical engineering study. 

Year 2:
In the second year, learners transition into core chemical engineering topics such as Mass and Energy Balances, Fluid Mechanics, Process Heat Transfer, and Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, which explore how mass, momentum, and energy behave in engineered systems. Courses like Process Mass Transfer and Process Simulation and Data Analytics introduce unit operations and modelling tools essential for analysing process performance. Students deepen both theoretical understanding and practical problem-solving ability through project-based and simulation work.

Year 3:
The third year advances students’ technical expertise with modules including Reaction Engineering, Process Synthesis and Design, Fluid and Particle Processes, Process Instrumentation and Control, and Engineering Economics, Management and Sustainability, which integrate system design with economic and sustainable considerations. These courses emphasise how chemical engineers design processes, manage resources, and deploy instrumentation and control systems in real-world environments. Elective options and specialisations allow students to explore areas such as natural gas processing or bioprocess engineering. 

Year 4:
In the final year, students focus on professional integration with a two-part Engineering Industry Research Project, along with advanced units such as Process Safety and Risk Management, Advanced Unit Operations, and a Chemical Engineering Design Project that brings together technical knowledge in a comprehensive design challenge. Specialisation electives such as Advanced Thermodynamics and Reactor Engineering or Computational Fluid Dynamics allow learners to tailor their expertise toward specific engineering fields. Industry projects and research prepare graduates for transition into professional practice or postgraduate study. 

Focus areas (in a string):
Mass and energy balances, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, reaction engineering, process synthesis and design, instrumentation and control, process safety, advanced unit operations, sustainable engineering, process simulation. 

Learning outcomes (in a string):
Apply core chemical engineering principles; model and analyse chemical processes; design and optimise unit operations and plants; integrate process control and safety; use computational tools for simulation and data analytics; communicate engineering solutions; and demonstrate ethical and professional responsibilities. 

Professional alignment (accreditation):
The programme is accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and recognised by professional bodies including Engineers Australia (EA) and the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE, UK), aligning it with both national and international engineering education standards. 

Reputation (employability rankings):
Curtin University Malaysia is part of the globally recognised Curtin University network and appears in international university listings, with strong employer recognition in engineering and science fields; chemical engineering graduates are sought after in process, energy, materials, and sustainable technologies sectors. (General global reputation context — specific rankings for the Malaysia campus may vary.)