Course details

Summary

‌Engineers revolutionise the world. With a chemical and process engineering degree you will do that by tackling some of society's greatest challenges:

• supplying clean, safe drinking water
• creating sustainable energy opportunities
• improving society's health and well-being,
• providing a sustainable food supply.

Chemical and process engineers transform raw materials into processed, marketable products by chemical, physical or biological means. They take science experiments performed in the laboratory and operate them on a commercial-scale taking into account economics, safety and sustainability. Others are involved in the research and development of new products and processes, such as those in nanotechnology, biotechnology or advanced materials. It is the only traditional Engineering discipline that explicitly builds on Physics, Chemistry and Biology along with the mathematical rigour required of all engineers.

The UC Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a research-only degree carried out under expert supervision and using world-class facilities.

A PhD involves extensive, sustained and original research and study in your chosen subject, with the results being presented in a thesis that will contribute to intellectual knowledge of the field. It is a mark of intellectual ability, self-discipline and commitment. A PhD prepares you for a number of careers, including as an academic.

The minimum period of enrolment for a full-time candidate is two years and the maximum period four years; most PhD students take between three and three-and-a-half years.

Further study

These courses are particularly relevant for students planning postgraduate degrees in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Plant Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology and Zoology.

Research work related to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is being actively carried out by staff and postgraduate students in the School of Biological Sciences and the Department of Chemistry.

Career opportunities

Chemical and process engineers work in areas such as renewable energy, biofuels, environmental control, fermentation, waste treatment, food industry, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

Even with the current decline in gas reserves, the petrochemical industry continues to grow and employs chemical engineers at oil refineries and a number of gas processing plants. As new oil and gas fields are discovered demand for graduates will certainly increase.

Other graduates are employed helping to make aluminium, steel, fertilisers, food, pharmaceutical and medical products, and in related areas such as project coordination, waste treatment, research, consulting, marketing, computing and management.

Graduates are eligible for membership of both IChemE and IPENZ after a period of experience as a practising engineer.

Entry criteria

Enrolment in a PhD requires completion of a research-focused honours or master's degree at first-class or second-class division 1 level (or equivalent qualifications). Applicants with qualifications from outside New Zealand must have been granted admission to the University.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 575 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum B+ grade; CAE or CPE score of 176 with a minimum of 169 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 64 and no PTE communicative skills score below 58.