Department of Chemical Engineering | UCT - 2023

Department of Chemical Engineering | UCT

With almost a third of South Africa’s chemical engineering graduates coming from UCT and with the largest national research programme, the Department of Chemical Engineering is at the forefront of excellence in education and research.

The Department of Chemical Engineering at UCT aims to educate students in modern process engineering principles and prepare them for lifelong professional growth and a dynamic range of careers.

Our approach is to integrate the fundamentals of science and the principles of process engineering into multi-disciplinary teaching and research programmes aimed at producing world-class graduates and internationally competitive research.

Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes promote student learning and development, with staff providing a caring and supportive environment. Our programmes are fully accredited with the Engineering Council of South Africa and the Institution of Chemical Engineers in the UK. As a result, our graduates are highly sought after and occupy key positions in leading companies.

Our multi-disciplinary postgraduate research programmes are aimed primarily at benefiting the process industries, specialist technology firms, business and service sectors. Industrial partners are a part of our team, contributing to bursaries, commissioning research and serving on our Advisory Board.

The Department is committed to maintaining world-class standards of academic excellence and to preserving our core values of scholarship, professionalism and integrity. We firmly believe that our profession must continue to find ways to improve the quality of life of all South Africans.

Department of Chemical Engineering | UCT Undergraduate Studies

BSc degree in Chemical Engineering

Department of Chemical Engineering | UCT Postgraduate studies

Overview

As the custodian of the largest national research programme, the Department is recognised as the leading academic centre of its kind in Africa.

The Department has dynamic research programmes and students who have obtained satisfactory results in their undergraduate courses are encouraged to return for postgraduate study.

Our postgraduate degree programmes are fully accredited by the Engineering Council of South Africa.

Postgraduates may register as Masters or PhD students. Both the MSc degree and the PhD degree incorporate the planning and execution of a research project within a particular time frame.

Masters and PhD programmes

Masters

The purpose of the MSc degree is to master the scientific method, with emphasis on critical evaluation of all information and data. There are two routes available for achieving a Masters degree.

A student may register for a full research Masters or take a Coursework Masters degree in one of the following:

Bioprocess engineering
Catalytic process engineering
Hydrometallurgical engineering

PhD

The purpose of the PhD degree is to develop new insights in the field of Chemical Engineering.

Doctoral degrees are always full-time research programmes, and can be taken in any of the departmental research interest areas.

These are are:

Bioprocess engineering
Catalysis
Minerals processing
Hydrometallurgy
Environmental engineering
Crystallization and precipitation
Chemical engineering education

Apply to UCT

Graduates with a BSc(Eng) or BSc(Hons) degree in Chemical Engineering or allied disciplines may apply. It is also possible to undertake postgraduate studies with a three-year degree or BTech under certain conditions and accompanied by appropriate coursework.

Prospective postgraduate students first need to find a supervisor in the department before they complete the application forms.

Contact us for assistance or visit the the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment website or the UCT website for more information.

Department of Chemical Engineering | UCT CONTACT DETAILS

Chemical Engineering Department
Tel: 021 650 2518
Email: nelly.dili@uct.ac.za

Physical address
Chemical Engineering Building
South Lane, Upper Campus
University of Cape Town
Rondebosch