MEng Chemical Engineering

Studying Chemical Engineering at Southampton is all about rolling up your sleeves and learning by doing. Right from your first year, you’ll be in purpose-built labs, using industry-standard software, and even stepping into a virtual control room that feels like the real thing. These experiences aren’t just add-ons—they’re built into your degree so you graduate with the kind of practical confidence employers notice straight away.

Here’s how that plays out during your course:

• Specialist chemical engineering labs – get hands-on with real equipment, from distillation columns and fluidised beds to fermentation systems and reverse osmosis units, so you see how classroom theory works at industrial scale.

• Dedicated IT suite – access simulation tools for process modelling, heat and mass transfer, and plant operations, giving you the same software skills used by professional engineers.

• Virtual control room – step into an immersive environment where you can practise running and troubleshooting chemical plants without the risks of a real site.

• Modern facilities upgrade – benefit from newly refurbished, energy-efficient labs with smart design features like adjustable workbenches and cutting-edge fume hoods, part of a £12m investment in chemical engineering at Southampton.

• Research-led projects – in your final years you’ll work alongside academics on areas like clean energy, water treatment, and sustainable chemical processes, bringing innovation to life.

• Industrial placement option – you can choose to take a year in industry, gaining paid, professional experience that strengthens your CV and career prospects.

A Chemical Engineering degree from Southampton really opens doors. Graduates go on to work as process engineers, sustainability consultants, energy systems specialists, and R&D scientists, applying their skills to solve big challenges in industries ranging from clean energy to advanced manufacturing. What makes the difference is that you won’t just leave with theory—you’ll graduate with practical lab, project, and placement experience that employers value right away.

And beyond that, Southampton gives you plenty of support to shape your future:

• Careers and Employability Service – one-to-one career coaching, CV workshops, employer networking events, and help finding paid placements.

• Excellent job outcomes – around 91% of engineering graduates are in work or further study within 15 months, and nearly all are in highly skilled roles.

• Competitive salaries – graduates typically start on about £30,000, rising steadily as they progress in their careers.

• Industry connections – with tools like the virtual control room and group design projects, plus the option of a paid industrial placement year, you’ll graduate ready for the workplace.

• Professional recognition – the course is on the pathway for accreditation by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), putting you on track for Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.

Further Academic Progression:
If you’re keen to take your studies further, Southampton makes it seamless to move into the MEng programme, or advance to a specialist MSc or PhD. Many graduates choose to explore areas such as clean energy, sustainable processing, or advanced materials, often working within the university’s research centres to push the boundaries of innovation.