Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) Honours

Chemical engineering at ECU is a four-year Bachelor Honours degree. That means you finish with an honours-level qualification in one go, not a three-year pass degree plus a separate fourth year. The extra year is where the research and design depth sits, and it is why the degree carries the Honours label on the testamur.

What you actually study

The early years build the base: chemistry, mathematics, physics, materials, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and heat and mass transfer. Later you move into reaction engineering, process control, separation processes, process design and plant economics. You will spend a lot of time on mass and energy balances, the daily language of the profession. The final year is dominated by a capstone design project and a research thesis, where you take a real process problem through to a designed solution and defend your work.

Units are delivered across semesters. Each unit carries credit points, and you need to accumulate the required total to graduate. The honours component is assessed on the quality of your thesis and design work, and it is graded, a strong honours result opens the door to a PhD or a research role.

Work-integrated learning

Chemical engineering is a field where placement matters, and the degree includes professional practice. You may find yourself on a mine site, at a water treatment plant, in a refinery, at a food or pharmaceutical manufacturer, or with an engineering consultancy. Western Australia's resources and processing sector is a large employer of chemical engineers, so placements often sit close to that industry. You will also work in teams on design projects that mirror how engineering firms actually operate.

Who it suits

This suits someone who likes chemistry and maths and wants to apply them to something physical, turning raw materials into products, managing energy, treating water, or reducing waste. If you are interested in how things are made and how plants run safely and efficiently, this is the right fit. It also suits students who want a qualification that lets them work as an engineer in Australia and overseas, and who are prepared to put in the hours in the lab and on the design desk. The degree is accredited by Engineers Australia, which matters for registration and for recognition under the Washington Accord.

International students should check the official ECU page and the CRICOS register for current tuition, intake dates and English requirements. The Student visa allows you to work up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream is available to eligible graduates.

• Process engineer in mineral processing, oil and gas, or chemicals
• Production or plant engineer in manufacturing
• Water and wastewater treatment engineer
• Environmental or sustainability engineer
• Design engineer with an engineering consultancy
• Research and development engineer in food, pharmaceutical or materials companies
• Mining and resources sector roles across Western Australia and nationally
• Further study: Master of Engineering or PhD