chemical engineering or chemistry?

I literally have no idea what i want to do at university and i'm applying this year. I do Chemistry Maths Biology and German at AS and i don't want to do a subject involving biology i.e medicine. I would like to do something involving maths and chemistry.

Does a degree in chem eng involve a lot a of designing (something which i'm not very good at) and i've heard that chemistry graduates aren't very successful when it comes to applying for jobs post uni.

Any ideas? Or any ideas on what other courses i could look into would be a great help.

I'm taking it that you'll be carrying Maths and Chemistry onto A2. Shall you be dropping one of Biology or German though?

If you look at the course outline for universities offering Chemical Engineering, then you'll find that they do have a design aspect, but it isn't a majority aspect of the degree and so shouldn't necessarily have you discounting the course solely for that reason.

For example, here is the outline for Chemical Engineering at Manchester University: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/search2013/scholarships/course/?code=03848&pg=2

You'll have Chemistry graduates doing well, and also not doing so well. You'll have Chemical Engineering graduates doing well, and also not doing so well. I've got nothing to back it up with, and it is probably because I've read the same things as you, but I would say a Chemical Engineering graduate would have better prospects (I am applying for Chemical Engineering though, so it might just be my hoping)

If you like Maths and Chemistry, then there are many degree choices available to you. A quick search on Google brought this up: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/undergraduate/courses/f1gc_mchem_chemistry_maths_combined.page

I'm in no way saying this is for you, but it is just showing you the options available if you look into it.

I'm not going to assume anything, as it might have been because you felt German broadened your subject choices and that taking five subjects would've been too much. However, do you like physics? An understanding of physics will be needed for Chemical Engineering.

I was thinking of doing a joint honours degree in Chemistry & Mathematics but only 3 universities offer it and there's only one of those in which i'm interested in (Leeds)

Chemical engineering seems highly rewarding in the long term & I think I am capable with the work load, but I'm worried about these design projects and modules as art/design isn't one of my strong points. I agree with you on the better prospects point, and the course seems quite interesting & enjoyed physics GCSE but didn't want to take it to A-Level, I just really don't want to make the wrong decision.

And yes I'll most likely be dropping German at AS.

Thanks for your input

Design forms an important part of any chemical engineering degree. From the first year onwards you will be faced with design challenges. Initially you will undertake small projects under close supervision of an academic mentor. The size and complexity of the projects will increase until, in the third year, you will carry out a detailed design of a chemical plant. This project is carried out in a group and lasts the entire academic year. As a MEng student, you will carry out an individual research project in your final year of study, which will enable you to investigate an industry-related topic in depth.

I've just checked the website for Leeds University, and I quote:



You won't be expected to be brilliant at design as part of admissions, but it will be something that you'll have to work with throughout the duration of your degree. It isn't for me to say whether you could manage it, but it's whether you would enjoy studying a subject with such a large design component.

Do you plan on just taking Maths, Chemistry and Biology to A2, or shall you be considering taking up AS Physics or Further Maths? They wouldn't be requirements, but would show admissions of your intent to study the course and also (mainly Further Maths) be useful for the course (as it has a large component of maths).

No worries, I'm happy to help where I can. There will be plenty of people better placed to comment than me though, as I'm only a prospective student myself.

Yeah just taking those 3 to A-level, I don't think i'd enjoy it due to the design components, and i think that if i don't enjoy what i study then i have no chance of attaining a good degree in it. Looks like chem eng isn't for me. Might even think of doing a maths degree who knows!

I was going to suggest Maths, but then I considered that you don't have Further Maths and don't wish to pick AS Further Maths up. Further Maths isn't a prerequisite for many universities, but for many of the top universities it will be, and at many others a preference. And it would benefit you before arriving on the course as well. And I would imagine that universities would have enough candidates with Further Maths applying for Maths degrees.

This is why I was pushing the joint honours option more so than the above.

Is it just the graduate prospects that are putting you off applying for Chemistry at university?

I was going to suggest Maths, but then I considered that you don't have Further Maths and don't wish to pick AS Further Maths up. Further Maths isn't a prerequisite for many universities, but for many of the top universities it will be, and at many others a preference. And it would benefit you before arriving on the course as well. And I would imagine that universities would have enough candidates with Further Maths applying for Maths degrees.

This is why I was pushing the joint honours option more so than the above.

Is it just the graduate prospects that are putting you off applying for Chemistry at university?

Sorry I'm in the same situation and just don't know how to watch a thread from my phone unless I comment so yeah...

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio Z715e

To be honest yeah, think i read that most people go into further research etc, but a good Chemistry degree can lead to careers in Finance/banking/accountancy etc. This is what I would want out of a chemistry degree to be honest, and I really enjoy studying it, It's just whether I'd be likely to get a job to do with these careers post university, what do you think?

Think only around 9% of graduates go into those careers, as they have gained the skills required for them, I'm just worried about not being able to get a job after university, or should i worry about that after attaining a degree?

Studying a subject which you enjoy at degree level would be paramount in my opinion. It would take an extreme amount of discipline to come out with a 1st or 2:1, which would be what you would need, otherwise.

It isn't a question that can't be answered well, but the obvious question would be why you didn't take a degree with a more obvious route into any of those careers (i.e. Maths degree, etc.).



No, you should most definitely consider your future now and not wait until after attaining a degree to do so. You're doing the correct thing in asking the right questions on this forum. Although I can't answer them all as well as you would like, there will be people who can.

If i apply to 4 universities to do chemistry can i apply to leeds as my 5th to do chemistry and mathematics? And would i just habe to incorporate both in my personal statement?