These notes describe the admissions
procedure and the teaching of Chemical Engineering at Queens',
and should be read in conjunction with the relevant sections
of the Cambridge University Undergraduate Prospectus.
Chemical Engineering has proved
to be an extremely popular subject in recent years, primarily
because of the excellent job prospects and very high pay for
chemical engineers, particularly when compared with salaries
for pure scientists and in all other branches of Engineering.
The course at Cambridge takes
four years. Part I of the Chemical Engineering Tripos is normally
taken in a student's second year and Parts IIA and IIB during
the third and fourth years, respectively. Students are normally
awarded the B.A. degree and also the degree of M.Eng. after passing
Part IIB at the end of the fourth year.
Chemical Engineering cannot
be studied in the first year of the Cambridge course, and so
application must be made for either Natural Sciences or Engineering;
however, it is also possible to enter Chemical Engineering by
taking Part IA Computer Science (which will include a Chemistry
course) in the first year. Details of entry into these first-year
Triposes are available separately. This preliminary one year
at Cambridge provides a good grounding in the relevant branches
of either Science or Engineering, with possibly some computing
too; it also gives each student time to decide on a final area
of specialisation. Those entering Chemical Engineering via the
Natural Sciences or Computer Science routes are required to study
Chemistry as one of their first year Part IA subjects. In principle,
it is also possible to transfer to Chemical Engineering after
two years of reading either the Natural Sciences Tripos (when
the IB course in Fluid Mechanics is essential) or the Engineering
Tripos.
The Cambridge course in Chemical
Engineering is an interesting one, is modern and provides exemption
from the professional examinations leading to registration as
a Chartered Engineer (C.Eng.). It is very well regarded by the
Chemical Industry which operates internationally. Cambridge chemical
engineers have an excellent background in pure science, engineering
in a very wide sense and also in management and economics. It
is worth adding that in the assessment (in 1996) of teaching
quality in Chemical Engineering, Cambridge gained more points
than any other University in England.
In recent years Queens' has
had about four people graduating each year in Chemical Engineering
and is one of the Colleges with a Fellow (Prof. Hayhurst) in
the subject.
January 2000
Admissions - Subjects