Chemical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Engineering
(Schulich School of Engineering)
Chemical engineering is the most broadly based of engineering disciplines and involves the design and operation of a variety of plants and processes. For example, chemical engineers design and oversee the processes involved in producing clothing fibres and dyes, leather, pharmaceuticals, refined petroleum products, plastics, and even the semiconductor chips in computers.
The Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering offers a diverse and challenging program aimed at acquainting students with subjects common to all engineering disciplines and to the processing steps used to convert materials to more usable forms. There is also a strong emphasis on computer skills, and many courses involve the application of computer modelling software commonly used in industry. Teams of students will use their detailed knowledge to design a complete industrial process for a specific product such as polyethylene. These projects are usually industry oriented and prepare students for real-life industrial experience. Students are also offered elective courses such as biomedical or environmental studies as well as a minor in Petroleum Engineering.
Chemical engineers have professional employment opportunities in a wide variety of industries ranging from oil and gas to food processing. Furthermore, chemical engineering can serve as a springboard into biomedicine, environmental management, nuclear engineering, and metallurgy.
You can also complete a Biomedical Engineering Specialization or an Energy and Environment Specialization alongside many regular BSc degrees in Engineering.
Admission Requirements
Enrolment in the Schulich School of Engineering is limited.
To be considered for admission to the Schulich School of Engineering, applicants are required to present five appropriate high school subjects and a competitive average.
Applicants who present a two-year Engineering diploma or applied technology degree will be considered on the basis of their cumulative GPA on the diploma or applied technology degree. An Admission GPA will not be calculated using credits transferable from individual courses within the diploma or applied technology degree.
Applicants who receive transfer credits for the first year engineering program are eligible to be considered for direct admission to a degree program (major). Each degree program has a separate quota. Transfer students who are considered for direct admission to a degree program will be admitted to the specializations based on their grade point average (GPA) on the most recent eight to ten university transferable technical or scientific courses. If a transferable course is repeated, only the first passing grade (C- or better) will be counted in this GPA. The GPA required for admission may be different for each degree program.
Application/Document Deadlines
Why Study Chemical Engineering?
It's everywhere
Practically everything that we use is somehow connected to the work of chemical engineers: from the packaged foods we eat, to the cars we drive, to the buildings we work in. They are involved in the production of materials used to make almost everything in our environment. Students interested in the creation and chemical design of products and materials should consider chemical engineering, and can look forward to a highly challenging and rewarding career in a variety of industries.
Supply and demand
Career prospects for chemical engineers are stable and positive because they manufacture items that are in constant demand, regardless of the economic climate. People continue to use gasoline, paper, medications and all sorts of products at all times. For this reason, chemical engineers enjoy a steady job market and consistently the highest average pay compared to others in different engineering fields.
Welcome to the real world
The knowledge and techniques covered in the chemical engineering program are directly applicable to real world projects in the chemical engineering field, providing students with a clear idea about work performed in the industry. While the degree is highly specialized, the chemical engineering program also teaches students general project management and communication skills that can be applied in any managerial or leadership position.
Get experience
Calgary is known as the "engineering capital of Canada" and the Schulich internship is the largest of its kind in the country. 80% of students take advantage of a 12 - 16 month internship after the third year to make contacts, get experience, and offset the costs of education. International placements expand horizons even further.
What Can I Do with My Degree?
Graduates have acquired extensive knowledge and technical understanding of the engineering sciences and designs on which the profession is built. They possess excellent critical thinking, teamwork, and communication skills. They can design and model complex industrial systems, and are comfortable using computer and simulation applications. Graduates are particularly well suited for careers in chemical process and manufacturing industries, petroleum recovery and petrochemicals, minerals, and oil and gas technologies, biomedical and biochemical technologies, and waste and pollution control. Career opportunities also exist in the following sectors:
Government: National Defence, Environment Canada
Education/Communications: Institutional research, technical writing
Business: Project management, industry consulting
Additional Information
Student Finance
