MEng Chemical Engineering with a Foundation Year

At Sheffield, chemical engineering is taught by doing. From your very first year, you’ll spend time in the labs, work on group design projects, and use industry-standard digital tools to solve problems the way real engineers do. It’s not just about learning the theory—you’ll be putting it into practice on equipment and software that mirrors what you’d find in industry.

Here’s what that looks like in reality:

• Diamond Pilot Plant (DiPP): This is the jewel of Sheffield’s engineering facilities—a fully-operational pilot plant right in the middle of campus. You’ll run experiments on continuous powder processing lines and get used to the scale and complexity of real chemical processes.

• Specialist Labs: Whether it’s the Analytics Lab for crystallisation, the Thermodynamics Lab, or the Bioanalytical and Biomedical labs, you’ll be carrying out hands-on experiments that connect theory to real applications in energy, materials, and healthcare.

• Digital Engineering Tools: You won’t just be in the lab—you’ll also learn to design and model processes using professional software like AutoCAD, ASPEN, MATLAB and Python, plus explore the Digital Twin of the pilot plant for next-generation process simulation.

• Collaborative Design Projects: Highlights include Design Week, where you and your team will design a complete chemical process—drawing flow diagrams, writing up reports, and pitching your ideas just like a professional engineering team.

• Global Engineering Challenge: Early in your degree, you’ll take part in this intensive, week-long project where students from different disciplines team up to tackle real global engineering problems. It’s an amazing way to sharpen teamwork and creativity.

• Placement and Study Abroad Opportunities: You can choose to add a year in industry or study overseas. Both give you the chance to apply your skills in a new context, boost your CV, and explore where chemical engineering could take you.

• The Diamond and Beyond: Your home base is The Diamond—Sheffield’s state-of-the-art teaching hub with open labs, project spaces, and 24/7 study areas. You’ll also have access to world-class libraries, computer suites, and tailored academic support whenever you need it.

One of the biggest strengths of this course is where it can take you afterwards. Many Sheffield chemical engineering graduates step into careers as process engineers, product development scientists, energy engineers, or even production managers. The combination of technical knowledge, hands-on lab experience, and industry exposure means you’ll graduate with skills that employers actively want.

Here’s how Sheffield helps you get there:

• Personal career support: You won’t be left to figure things out alone. The department has its own employability team, with staff like Dr Eleni Routoula and Rebecca Wormald on hand to give you one-to-one advice on CVs, applications, and interviews. On top of that, the university’s Careers Service runs drop-ins and longer appointments whenever you need them.

• Exclusive employer events: Each year there’s a careers conference just for chemical engineering students, where you’ll meet recruiters from big-name companies like BP, GSK, Unilever and Siemens. It’s the perfect way to network and explore options while you’re still studying.

• Strong outcomes and salaries: Around 9 in 10 graduates are in work or further study within 15 months. Typical starting salaries are already high—around £32,000–£33,000—and can rise to around £40,000+ after just a few years.

• Powerful industry links: Sheffield works with world-leading organisations including Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Siemens, AstraZeneca and GSK, giving you opportunities to benefit from real industrial insights and collaborations.

• Global recognition: Because your degree is accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), it puts you on the path to becoming a Chartered Engineer—a professional status that’s recognised worldwide and adds real weight to your CV.

Further Academic Progression

If you discover you love research or want to specialise further, Sheffield makes it easy to continue your journey. Many graduates move on to Master’s degrees, PhDs, or professional training in areas like clean energy technologies, materials science, or advanced process engineering—building on the strong foundation you’ve already gained.