Chemical Engineering

Chemical Engineering involves large-scale industrial processes that convert raw materials – by physical or chemical change – into products with higher economic and social value.

Overview

Design, operate and manage large-scale industrial conversion processes.

Chemical Engineering involves large-scale industrial processes that convert raw materials – by physical or chemical change – into products with higher economic and social value. For example, coal, petroleum, natural gas, vegetation and microorganisms are converted into fuels and chemicals. Chemical engineers are needed in fields such as plastics, oil refinery, explosives, fertilisers, detergents and food.

Chemical engineering plays an important role in society by minimising and controlling the impact of modern industry on the environment, society and businesses.

The curriculum therefore includes courses on environmental engineering, management principles and professional practice and ethics. Courses such as Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, Chemical Reactor Theory, Process Control, Solid Fluid Systems, Transport Phenomena, Mass-Transfer Operations and Chemical Plant Design are studied after first year. In final year, you will study elective subjects in advanced chemical engineering topics.

You need a thorough understanding of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry and must be computer literate.

Career Opportunities

  • Biochemical Engineer
  • Environmental Engineer
  • Food Processing Engineer
  • Process Control Engineer
  • Process Design Engineer
  • Process Plant Manager
  • Systems Engineer
  • Technical Sales Engineer

Curriculum

A common first-year programme was introduced from 2019 across all professional engineering disciplines. The academic curriculum is regularly modernised in order to ensure that it meets the highest professional and academic standards and that it simultaneously remains locally relevant and applicable.

Many engineering students entering the engineering programmes have limited knowledge of the different branches of engineering and only gain the knowledge to make an informed choice of the programme during their first year.

A first-year curriculum that is identical for all programmes allows students to amend their choice at the end of the first year.

First-year
  • Engineering Chemistry
  • Introduction to the Engineering Profession Engineering
  • Analysis and Design IA AND IB
  • Engineering Mathematics IA AND IB
  • Engineering Physics IA AND IB
  • Applied Physics I

AND, one of the following courses:

  • Elementary IsiZulu Language and Culture IA
  • Elementary Sesotho Language and Culture IA
  • The International Relations of South Africa and Africa
  • Introduction to Political Studies
  • Southern Africa in the Era of Globalisation
  • Identity and Society
  • Introduction to Ethics I
  • Introduction to Philosophy: Knowledge and Reality
  • Global Encounters and Contemporary Realities IA 
Second-year
  • Computing for Process Engineering
  • Energy Balances and Applications
  • Engineering Chemistry IIA AND IIB
  • Process Engineering Fundamentals A AND B
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Mathematics II
Third-year
  • Chemical Engineering Laboratory
  • Numerical Methods
  • Environmental Process Engineering
  • Momentum and Heat Transport
  • Mass Transport and Operations
  • Applied Thermodynamics
  • Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
  • Chemical Reaction Engineering A AND B
  • Process Design Principles A AND B
Fourth-year
  • Management for Process Engineers
  • Solid Fluid Systems
  • Chemical Engineering Design
  • Process Control
  • Chemical Engineering Research Project
  • Biochemical Engineering and one of the following course combinations:
    a) Extractive Metallurgy
    • Hydrometallurgy
    • Fundamentals of Pyrometallurgy
    • Fundamentals of Mineral Processing

         b) Advanced Chemical Engineering

    • Advanced Chemical Reaction Engineering
    • Waste Water Engineering
    • Synthetic Fuels

Entry Requirements

APS 42+

English Home Language OR First Additional Language
Level 5

Mathematics
Level 5

Physical Sciences
Level 5

Wait-listing

Applicants with English, Mathematics and Physical Sciences at Level 5 will be wait-listed, subject to place availability. Generally, applicants who achieve Level 6 in English, Mathematics and Physical Sciences stand a greater chance of being accepted.

University Application Process

  • The Student Enrolment Centre at Wits handles all student applications.
  • Please click here for an overview of the application process. 
  • Check the admission requirements for your degree. Check if any additional selection requirements apply. 
  • Submit your application, required documentation and application fee before the closing date.
  • Once you have applied, an admissions consultant will be assigned to your application.
  • Applicants can monitor the progress of their applications via the Self Service Portal.
  • If you are an international applicant and/or have a foreign qualification, please click here.

Compliance with the minimum requirements does not guarantee a place at the University. The University has a specific number of places for first year undergraduates, approved by the Department of Higher Education and Training. Final selection is made subject to the availability of places, academic results and other entry requirements where applicable.

University Fees and Funding

Click here to see the current average tuition fees for the first year of study. The Fees website also provides information about the payment of fees and closing dates for fees payments. Once you have applied you will be able to access the fees estimator on the student self-service portal. 

The Financial aid office provides information on student funding and scholarships. University-funded Scholarships include Vice-Chancellor's Scholarships, University Entrance Scholarships, Equality Scholarships, Sports Scholarships and National Olympiad winner awards. For information about NSFAS funding, please visit the NSFAS website. External bursaries portal: The Bursaries South Africa website provides a comprehensive list of bursaries in South Africa.

Wits Plus applicants: terms of payment are in accordance with University regulations, and students are not eligible for University bursaries/NSFAS or residential accommodation.