Chemical Engineering - MD303 - Studies portal

The master's degree in Chemical Engineering, which is equivalent to the engineering specialization in Industrial Chemistry, is intended for students who have obtained a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and want to acquire further training in this branch of knowledge. The course has a twofold objective: to complete students' basic training as a means of ensuring professional success in the chemical industry, and to provide the foundations for a career in applied research, examining problems related to the chemical industry.

The master's degree in Chemical Engineering is particularly compatible with the socioeconomic characteristics of Barcelona and its environs, which are home to much of Catalonia's chemical industry, including manufacturers of basic and intermediate chemicals, end-products and formulations. The chemical sector in the Barcelona area comprises production, sales and distribution of chemical, pharmaceutical and food products, a range of products from related industries, and extensive consultancy services, each with their implications in terms of environmental impact and energy use.

This course provides in-depth training in the general concepts and fundamental aspects of chemical engineering and places special emphasis on the requirements of those working in the transformative chemical industry, which is the predominant chemical activity in the Barcelona area, and in other closely related sectors, such as food, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, energy and materials.

The training strikes a balance between chemistry and chemical engineering, which reflects the academic tradition of the Faculty of Chemistry.
The degree of experimental work involved in the course ensures a sufficient level of preparation for those who wish to continue to the doctoral programme.

Basic information

Type	Master's degree
Faculty or school	Faculty of Chemistry
Branch of knowledge	Chemical engineering, materials engineering and environmental engineering
Mode of delivery	Face-to-face
Credits	90
Number of places available	25
Length of course	2 academic years
Language(s) of instruction	35% Catalan - 35% Spanish - 30 % English
Approximate price per credit	27.67 euros per credit (71 euros for students who are not EU nationals and do not currently reside in Spain). Fees for the academic year 2024-2025
Coordination	JAVIER TEJERO SALVADOR
E-mail	master.eq@ub.edu
Course details	Indicators
Open pre-enrolment	No
Open enrolment	No
Lead to doctoral studies	Yes
Admission for applicants not holding a degree qualification	No
Bridging courses	Yes

Objectives and competences

Objectives

The master's degree in Chemical Engineering provides prospective chemical engineers with the training they will need for professional practice in the chemical industry, one of the most important sectors in the Spanish economy.
Chemical engineers must be able to analyse and diagnose problems that may arise in chemical plants and in chemical processes in general, and know how to implement the most appropriate solutions, conceiving, designing, building and optimizing the functions of facilities and services required. Chemical engineers are required in all industrial plants where materials undergo changes of state, composition and energy content, which typify the chemical sector and related industries (pharmaceutical, biotechnology, materials, energy, food and environment).
Chemical engineers must also be able to take on varying responsibilities as part of a team, be good communicators, have the ability to adapt to change, and demonstrate a capacity for independent learning in order to stay up to date with developments in the profession. The ability to analyse, synthesize and integrate knowledge in order to make correct decisions is also essential.

Competences

Basic competences:

On completion of the degree, students will be able to:

Demonstrate the extensive knowledge they have acquired, which enables greater creativity, and the capacity to integrate and apply this knowledge in new environments.
Formulate socially and ethically responsible judgements on the basis of limited information.
Communicate effectively in different settings and using different materials.
Adopt an independent and self-directed approach to learning.

General competences:

Students will also be able to:

demonstrate a sense of responsibility and the capacity to adapt to new situations.
Work as part of a group and in multidisciplinary and international teams.
Devise creative solutions to problems;
display initiative, emotional intelligence and the capacity to manage frustration.
Locate, analyse, prioritize and integrate information.

Specific competences:

More specifically, successful students will be able to:

Establish economically viable solutions to technical problems, applying critical reasoning skills and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry and other natural sciences.
Propose mathematical models and use specialized computer applications to solve complex problems.
Direct and oversee installations and plants and manage processed materials and energy.
Manage and organize companies, production systems and services, and manage the organization of work and human resources with a concern for industrial safety, quality management, risk prevention, sustainability and environmental protection.
Manage processes in technological research, development and innovation;
manage, monitor and control facilities, processes and products, as well as conducting certification reviews, audits, inspections, tests and report analyses.
Conduct, write up and present technical or research projects in the field of chemical engineering.

Access and admission

Applicant profile and access requirements

Recommended applicant profile

The master's degree is intended for students with academic backgrounds in scientific and technical disciplines who have acquired the skills and competences in mathematics, physics, chemistry and chemical engineering characteristic of degree programmes leading to qualification as a technical industrial engineering specializing in industrial chemistry. The ideal candidate should also have a good level of English (at least B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). Candidates matching this profile should have a professional interest in innovation and the application and development of technology for the diagnosis and resolution of problems in chemical plants.

Access requirements and conditions

General requirements
In accordance with Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, students wishing to be admitted to a university master's degree must hold one of the following qualifications:

Official Spanish university degree.

A degree issued by a higher education institution within the European Higher Education Area framework that authorizes the holder to access university master's degree courses in the country of issue.

A qualification issued by an institution outside the framework of the European Higher Education Area. In this case, applicants must request homologation of the degree to its equivalent official Spanish university qualification or obtain express approval from the University of Barcelona, which will conduct a study of equivalence to ensure that the degree is of a comparable level to an official Spanish university qualification and that it grants access to university master's degree study in the country of issue. Admission shall not, in any case, imply that prior qualifications have been recognized as equivalent to a Spanish master's degree and does not confer recognition for any purposes other than that of admission to the master's degree course.

Specific requirements
Admission to the master's degree in Chemical Engineering is open to all those who have acquired the skills outlined in section 3 of Ministerial Order CIN/351/2009, 9 February, which sets out the requirements for the verification of official academic qualifications leading to accreditation as a technical industrial engineer. The candidates' prior training must match the requirements set out in the section of the Order referring to the module on Specific Technology for Industrial Chemistry.
Therefore, students with a degree that enables them to work as an industrial technical engineer in the field of industrial chemistry can access the master's degree directly. Other degree holders with basic knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry and chemical engineering may be admitted if they complete the necessary bridging courses. The master's degree Coordination Committee determines the bridging courses that must be taken in each case.

Pre-enrolment

Calendar

First period: 2 April'19 July 2024.

Notes:

Pre-enrolment fee: A pre-enrolment fee of 30,21 euros is charged. Students who apply to more than one master's degree must pay the fee for each pre-enrolment request. Pre-enrolment requests cannot be processed until this fee has been paid.Fees will only be refunded if the master's degree in question is suspended.
Reserved places: A maximum of 5% of the new places of the master's degree are reserved for students who meet the general and specific access requirements and accredit the recognition of a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%.

Required documentation

Pre-enrolment application.
Photocopy of degree certificate or equivalent qualification. In case of admission, foreign degrees that require so should be translated and authenticated through diplomatic channels before completing the enrolment.
Other specific documentation related to the selection criteria

Selection criteria

The Master's Degree Committee applies the following general admission and selection criteria:

Candidates must hold an official degree in a preferred subject for access to the master's degree. Credit will be given for previous studies specifically linked to the areas of work of a chemical engineer and for professional experience in the field of chemical engineering (60%).
Candidates should have competences related to the languages of instruction: a basic level of English language proficiency, equivalent to B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (20%).
Candidates should have a strong academic record (10%).
Candidates should demonstrate a positive attitude and motivation (through the statement of interest and, in some cases, a personal interview) (10%).

Notification

The Master's Degree Committee is the body responsible for all decisions relating to student admissions. It consists of a coordinator, a representative of the teaching staff from departments responsible for at least 20% of the tuition, a student representative, and the head of the Secretary's Office for Students and Teaching Staff, who serves as the secretary.

Enrolment

As a general rule, at the UB you will be required to enrol online. Remember that you can lose your place if you do not enrol on the day you have been assigned

Specific information about the faculty

Welcome

Course curriculum

Subjects and course plans

Distribution of credits

Type	ECTS
Compulsory	42
Optional	18
Compulsory placements	0
Compulsory final project	30
TOTAL	90

List of subjects

Subject	Type	Language	Credits
Specialization: Chemical Engineering
Design and Operation of Discontinuous Plants	Optional	2nd semester	3
Economics and Chemical Processes	Compulsory	1st semester	6
Experiment Design and Analysis	Optional	2nd semester	3
Experimentation in Chemical Engineering	Compulsory	2nd semester	6
Final Project	Compulsory	1st semester 2nd semester	30
In-Company Placement	Optional	2nd semester	9
Industrial Processes and Environmental Management	Optional	2nd semester	6
Innovation Management	Optional	2nd semester	3
Operations Management in the Chemical Industry	Compulsory	2nd semester	6
Particle Technology	Optional	2nd semester	3
Process Engineering	Compulsory	1st semester	9
Product Engineering	Compulsory	1st semester	6
Project Management	Optional	2nd semester	3
Risk Analysis and Estimation	Optional	2nd semester	3
Simulation of Unit Operation and Processes	Compulsory	1st semester	9

Previous years

Teaching staff

List of spring and autumn teaching staff on a current course

Placements

Placements in a company or another type of organization are an integral part of university studies, providing first-hand experience of working methodologies in students' chosen professional fields. They offer invaluable practical experience for the transition into work after graduation.

Placements are supervised by tutors and subject to assessment. They are therefore included in the academic record. There is also an option to complete non-curricular placements of up to 750 hours, which can be extended to 900 hours. For both curricular and non-curricular placements, an educational cooperation agreement is signed between the UB and the company, institution or other organization at which the placement will be carried out.

Institutional information

Regulations on external placements

FeinaUB

Career opportunities

What can you work on ?

Chemical engineers are equipped to study, ensure the viability of, plan, manage, build, install, operate and maintain industrial facilities involving chemical, physicochemical and bioengineering processes (except those governed by specific civil engineering regulations) and the ancillary facilities and the equipment, machinery, apparatus and instruments involved.
Chemical engineers typically find careers in engineering companies (study, process and operation design, project management, technical evaluation, etc.) and in chemical companies and firms in related areas (management, operation and plant design, operation and maintenance of plants and equipment, studies, management, research, development and innovation, etc). They may also work as sales professionals, in insurance, as consultants, auditors, managers of integrated management systems (quality, environment, safety and health), in project evaluation and as legal advisors.
Public sector opportunities include university and secondary school teaching, research, development and innovation, management, inspection, and intervention and consultancy roles related to compliance with industrial and environmental legislation.
Independent chemical engineers are involved in diverse activities including project design, studies and assessments, audits, reports and certifications, and appraisals across a range of social and economic sectors.