Nuclear power is a significant component of the energy supply mix of many industrialised nations. Currently, the nuclear industry worldwide has a major shortage of skilled engineers capable of designing, building, operating and decommissioning such facilities. Concerns over climate change have prompted a major resurgence of interest in nuclear power in the UK and elsewhere, so the demand for qualified engineers is likely to become even stronger in the future. To help meet this demand, this course will give you specialist knowledge in various aspects of nuclear energy, so that after graduation you can expect to pursue an exciting and highly rewarding career in the industry. You will also have the flexibility to pursue many other exciting career paths open to chemical engineers. As with the core Chemical Engineering course, in the early years you will be exposed to the fundamental science underpinning a wide range of engineering concepts. In the third year you will go on to study more specialised topics, such as nuclear science and engineering, uranium extraction and fuel element manufacture, reactor design and construction, as well as core chemical engineering subjects. The group design project will involve the design of a nuclear facility. In the fourth (MEng) year, you will study a range of research-informed topics, including reactor control systems, waste disposal and plant decommissioning, and nuclear futures, while the individual research project will focus on a nuclear-related topic. The first two years of our four chemical engineering degree share the same set of modules that focus on the fundamental science and engineering concepts associated with the subject. A key benefit of having a common first two years is that you can easily switch between our chemical engineering degrees.

Careers in the field of Chemical Engineering are wide-ranging, and employment prospects are excellent. Recent graduates have successfully secured positions in chemical and pharmaceutical companies, fossil fuel and renewable energy plants, mineral processing and metals recycling operations, as well as other areas such as the utilities, consulting, environmental, health and safety, and other government agencies and banking and finance.