Chemical Process Engineering and Safety MSc

Start date

22 September 2025

Duration

1 year full-time

Places available (subject to change)

15 (subject to change)

About the course

Chemical engineering is a discipline that is of critical importance to the World economy. This postgraduate course in Chemical Process Engineering and Safety covers key areas that are relevant to chemical engineering in modern industrial settings including process integration, process control and safety, process design and computer-aided process engineering. The programme comprises four 30-credit taught modules and two 30-credit project modules which include a group Design Project and an individual Research. These complementary project modules will give a balanced and broad educational experience that will serve students well in their future employment.

Course detail

The modules are:

Process Operations

This module is designed to convey advanced concepts and tools related to unit operations and management operations. The module reviews design equations for selected unit operations and extends these to advanced considerations, in order to consolidate proficiency in design calculations. It introduces biofuels and extends fundamental chemical engineering concepts into these important vectors of renewable energy. Both of these themes are complemented by a practical lab component. The module then extends into management operations with emphases on team dynamics, systems thinking and independent, reflective learning

Process Automation and Safety Systems

This module provides knowledge and understanding of process control strategies and an engineering approach to process safety in chemical industry. The module will also explain the need for process control, explore applications and develop control strategies for multiple processes. This will include the study of controllers for the control of parameters in process plant unit operations, controller tuning strategies, methods for the testing of process plant control systems and additional control strategies.

Process Integration

This module aims to equip you with knowledge and critical understanding of the concept of process integration, and to provide you with the methods that are being used to implement these concepts in chemical processes. The module introduces the concepts of heat integration in the context of the onion model of process design, leading to energy targeting and design of maximum energy recovery heat exchanger networks. The concept of the composite curves is also introduced as part of heat integration and is further expanded and adapted in the context of water integration, leading to the design of maximum water reuse systems and minimum flowrate wastewater treatment networks. In addition, selected case studies of mass integration are critically analysed and applied in real-life examples.

Computer-Aided Process Engineering

In this module you will learn how to use a range of software packages relevant to chemical process engineering. The applications of these software packages will be illustrated through case studies and relevant underpinning theory. The proposed suite of packages will allow you to holistically manage a chemical plant, from the design, the optimization of its operation and the environmental impact assessment, in different levels of detail and complexity.

Process Design Project

This module aims to: give experience of the design of a process from the conceptual stage through to detailed design; apply and integrate a broad range of chemical engineering skills and knowledge; encourage a creative approach to chemical engineering design; gain experience of working in a team; gain experience of the presentation of technical material in extended written reports and orally. This Design Project module covers the initial Part 1 Design Proposal, Part 2 Individual Detailed Design, Part 3 Consolidated Design, Peer-, Self- and Supervisor-evaluated Teamwork component, Group Presentation and Individual Oral Interview

Research Project

An independent research programme related to process development or process safety within chemical engineering discipline, drawing on the School’s research activities in this area. Supervisors will outline the aims of the project and direct you to the most recent literature. You will undertake a review of the literature related to their project in order to prepare a research proposal that presents a reasoned case for undertaking the research. You will plan your project in light of the current state of the field of research and the opportunities within the School’s resources and activities. You will be given advice on research methods but will be expected to lead the planning yourself. The project will show depth and will involve advanced laboratory, instrumental and/or theoretical or computational techniques. They will be open ended and you will be expected to review progress regularly and modify research plans accordingly. Group projects will be encouraged, though you will be expected to work independently.

Teaching and Assessment

The course is taught via lectures, tutorials and practical laboratory classes. Recordings of sessions (e.g. lectures) will be made available through our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), Brightspace.

Project work is frequently carried out using the same equipment that is used for advanced research at the university. You may have the opportunity to carry out your major project under the supervision of researchers who are recognised in their fields.

On average 29% of the study time on this course is spent with your tutors (either face to face or online) in lectures, seminars, tutorials etc.

There is an Academic Skills Tutor within the School of Applied Sciences who can help with things like report writing, revision and examination technique, numeracy skills, etc.

Assessment is usually via a combination of examination and assignment/lab work. The precise method of assessment for a given module is contained within the relevant module specification and handbook documents.

Feedback (either written and/or verbal) is normally provided on all coursework submissions within three term time weeks – unless the submission was made towards the end of the session in which case feedback would be available on request after the formal publication of results. Feedback on final coursework is available on request after the publication of results

Teaching excellence

Triple proof of teaching excellence: our staff rank in the top three in England for the proportion who hold doctorates, who have higher degrees, and hold teaching qualifications (HESA 2024). So, you’ll learn from some of the best, helping you to be the best.
We are joint first in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 23 since 2008 (2024 data).
We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award, recognising the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017).

Entry requirements

An honours degree in Chemical Engineering with a minimum of a 2:2 or equivalent qualification.

Applicants with other appropriate professional qualifications and/or experience will be considered on an individual basis, including an interview with the Course Leader.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum of IELTS is 6.0 overall with no less than 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in any other single component. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

Facilities

Chemical Engineering student using equipment

Chemistry laboratory

Chemistry facilities

Chemical Engineering laboratory

Applied Sciences students' Hub

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Fees and Finance

Tuition Fees - full-time

In 2025/26 the full-time tuition fee for UK postgraduate students on this course will be £9,900 (Band 3).

Tuition fees for UK students will cover the cost of your study at the University. For more information about funding, fees and finance for UK students, including what your tuition fee covers, please see our Fees and Finance. Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years of study may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X).

If you are an EU or international student coming to study at the University of Huddersfield, please visit the International Fees and Finance pages for full details of tuition fees and support available.

Please email the Student Finance Office or call 01484 472210 for more information about fees and finance.

Fees and Finance

Tuition Fees - full-time

In 2025/26 the full-time tuition fee for UK postgraduate students on this course will be £9,900 (Band 3).

Please email the Student Finance Office or call 01484 472210 for more information about fees and finance.

Important information

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

Changes to option modules:

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes:

We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment, or pandemics.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.