After graduation
Many chemical engineering graduates choose to enter employment immediately after completing their chemical engineering degree. However another option is to consider a higher degree.
For those graduates wishing to study for a higher degree there are 2 main choices: A taught program leading to a Masters degree or research leading to a Masters degree or a Doctorate.
Taught programmes:
This option may be suitable if you wish to gain advanced training in a particular subject area or supplement your first degree with qualifications in a related field, or even in an entirely different discipline.
They usually take between 1 to 2 years of full-time study and lead to a Masters qualification.
You will be part of a class, attending lectures, tutorials and seminars and you will be assessed based on formal examinations and coursework.
You will also normally be required to carry out a research project which is assessed by dissertation.
The project may be carried out in an academic institution or in industry.
Research programmes:
This option appeals if you are strongly oriented towards a particular topic and want the freedom to develop your own ideas.
The research may be carried out in collaboration with industry.
Research degree programmes lead to a Masters or a Doctorate degree.
A Masters by research will take between 1 to 2 years of full-time work to complete.
There are several types of Doctorate degree programmes available in the UK but not all universities offer the same range.
Depending on your choice, a Doctorate programme may take you between 3 to 5 years full-time research work to complete.
You will have to produce a dissertation describing your work and its findings and you will be examined by viva voce (a type of interview).