Biochemical Engineering

Have you ever wondered how the latest life science discoveries - such as a novel stem cell therapy - can move from the lab into commercial scale production? Would you like to know whether it is possible to produce bio-polymers (plastics) and biofuels from municipal or agricultural waste? If you are thinking of a career in the pharma or biotech industries, the Biochemical Engineering MSc could be the right programme for you.

Our MSc programme focuses on the core biochemical engineering principles that enable the translation of advances in the life sciences into real processes or products. Students will develop advanced engineering skills (such as bioprocess design, bioreactor engineering, downstream processing), state-of-the-art life science techniques (such as molecular biology, vaccine development, microfluidics) and essential business and regulatory knowledge (such as management, quality control, commercialisation).

Three distinct pathways are offered tailored for graduate scientists, engineers, or biochemical engineers.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme offers three different pathways (for graduate scientists, engineers, or biochemical engineers) and consists of core taught modules (120 credits) and a research or design project (60 credits).

Core modules for graduate scientists

• Advanced Bioreactor Engineering
• Dissertation on Bioprocess Research
• Fundamental Biosciences
• Integrated Downstream Processing
• Sustainable Industrial Bioprocesses and Biorefineries

Students can chose two options

Core modules for graduate engineers

• Bioprocess Management – Discovery to Manufacture
• Bioprocess Microfluidics
• Bioprocess Systems Engineering
• Bioprocess Validation and Quality Control
• Commercialisation and Bioprocess Research
• Vaccine Bioprocess Development

Students can choose one option

Core Modules for Biochemical Engineering Graduates

Sustainable Industrial Bioprocesses and Biorefineries 

Bioprocess Systems Engineering 

Cell Therapy Biology, Bioprocessing and Clinical Translation 

Industrial Synthetic Biology 

Bioprocess Validation and Quality Control 

Bioprocess Research Project 

Students can choose three options

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, and individual and group activities. Guest lectures delivered by industrialists provide a professional and social context. Assessment is through unseen written examinations, coursework, individual and group project reports, individual and group oral presentations, and the research or design project.

Normal entry requirements are at least a second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or the equivalent from an approved overseas institution. Candidates offering recent industrial experience are also encouraged to apply. As with any engineering discipline numeracy skills are important for the quantitative description of biological and physical phenomena. Evidence of numerical ability is requested as either an A level in Mathematics (or in exceptional cases, in Physics) or some mathematics studied at university. The department provides mathematics tutoring for Master's students throughout the year adjusted to a candidate's ability.