Chemical Engineering – Everything that You Should Know

Everything around us is chemical – from the food we eat, clothes we wear, and books we read to writing with a pen. In fact, our body too contains chemicals, and we’ve no idea how many. We’re totally dependent on chemicals, which are an integral part of our everyday lives.

If you are interested in making a career in this essential field, read everything about chemical engineering here.

What is Chemical Engineering? 

Chemical engineering is one of the oldest and most promising engineering fields that you can take up. Chemical engineering refers to the group of methods and principles involved in converting raw materials or chemicals into usable products such as clothes, paint, beverages, food and more.

The field of chemical engineering takes charge of a great number of items and operations that are now considered essential. The chemical engineering field effectively applies biology, chemistry, and economics to design, build, transform and transport products, materials and energy.

Owing to its crucial applications in diverse industries, chemical engineering holds a great scope, and the demand for chemical engineers continues to stay high.

What Does a Chemical Engineer Do?

Chemical engineers invent, design new processes and enhance the existing ones to create valuable and efficient products. As a chemical engineer, your tasks would be to manage resources, ensure human health & safety and protect the environment. Additionally, a chemical engineer stays involved in the working of plant design operations and modelling.

You can enrol in an undergraduate chemical engineering course to begin your career in the field. Generally, a chemical engineering syllabus of an undergraduate programme includes chemical reaction engineering, biological engineering, nuclear engineering and more.

Courses for Chemical Engineering:

Diploma in Chemical Engineering:

If you do not want to pursue the 11th and 12th classes, you enrol for a diploma in chemical engineering after the 10th class. You will have to secure a minimum of 50% of marks in your diploma, and then you can have a lateral entry in the second year of the undergraduate programme.

Bachelor of Chemical Engineering:

Students can pursue an undergraduate course like BTech or BE in Chemical Engineering, which is a 4-year bachelor’s programme. In the course, you learn everything about chemicals through concepts and practical applications that will prepare you to work and thrive in the industry.

Masters in Chemical Engineering:

A postgraduate programme in Chemical Engineering allows students to specialise in their area of studies while also garnering industrial experience. You can study an MTech or ME in chemical engineering, which will last two years.

Doctoral Course (PhD):

Those who have achieved postgraduation with a minimum of 50% marks can apply for a PhD course if they further wish to enhance their knowledge in the chemical engineering field.

Eligibility Criteria for Chemical Engineering Courses: 

Eligibility Criteria for a Diploma Course: 

• A candidate must have a Class 10 or equivalent examination with Mathematics and Science as required subjects to pursue a diploma in this field.

Eligibility Criteria for an Undergraduate Course: 

• Students need to score a minimum of 50% in Class 11th science, with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as mandatory subjects.
• Students need to clear a university-based or generic examination to secure admission to the course.

Eligibility Criteria for a Postgraduate Course: 

• A competitive GRE or other exam score approved by the institute/university is needed.
• A Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline is necessary.
• To be accepted, students should have an average of 50% in their undergrad courses.

Eligibility Criteria for a PhD Course: 

• A postgraduate degree in Chemical Engineering or other equivalent disciplines from a reputed university is required.
• Candidates must have a postgraduate average of at least 55 per cent.
• Some colleges also permit students to begin this course immediately after graduation if they have sufficient research experience in this field.

What are Some Good Career Opportunities for Chemical Engineers? 

Since chemicals are in use almost everywhere, the scope of employment for a chemical engineering graduate is huge. You can find some great jobs with a chemical engineering degree.

Here are some of the employment sectors that hire chemical engineers:

• Food
• Paper & Pulp industry
• Aerospace
• Rubber industry
• Textiles
• Chemical manufacturing
• Petroleum
• Fertilizer industry
• Cement
• PSUs
• Plastic industry

Check out below some job roles that you can get as a chemical engineer: 

• Chemical engineer
• Materials engineer
• Quality manager
• Development chemical engineer
• Mining engineer
• Energy manager
• Analytical chemist

Create products that make life easier and better – become a chemical engineer.