Masters degrees in Bioprocess Engineering equip postgraduates with the skills to apply engineering principles to biological processes, the products of which can be used within industry.
Courses range from taught MSc degrees, to research-based MRes and MPhil programmes. Entry requirements normally include an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject such as Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering or Biotechnology.
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Bioprocess Engineering at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
From authoring definitive text books on chemical engineering to finding solutions to the world's water shortages, Swansea University has a proud tradition delivering pioneering innovative process engineering solutions.
Our research on Bioprocess Engineering builds on established process engineering areas with application to energy, health, food, water and the environment.
One of our major strengths is our close and extensive involvement with local, national and international engineering companies.
There is a wide range of research at Swansea University. This includes:
- Bioengineering, biomedical engineering
- Desalination
- Pharmaceutical engineering
- Polymer engineering
- Separation processes
- Transport processes
- Water and wastewater engineering
MSc by Research in Bioprocess Engineering typically lasts one year full-time, two to three years part-time. This is an individual research project written up in a thesis of 30,000 words.
Students enrolled on the MSc by Research in Bioprocess Engineering benefit from the facilities at the Centre for Water Advanced Technologies and Environmental Research (CWATER) at Swansea University.
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 ranks Engineering at Swansea as 10th in the UK for the combined score in research quality across the Engineering disciplines.
World-leading research
The REF shows that 94% of research produced by our academic staff is of World-Leading (4*) or Internationally Excellent (3*) quality. This has increased from 73% in the 2008 RAE.
Research pioneered at the College of Engineering harnesses the expertise of academic staff within the department. This ground-breaking multidisciplinary research informs our world-class teaching with several of our staff leaders in their fields.
Highlights of the Engineering results according to the General Engineering Unit of Assessment:
Research Environment at Swansea ranked 2nd in the UK
Research Impact ranked 10th in the UK
Research Power (3*/4* Equivalent staff) ranked 10th in the UK
One of the major strengths of Chemical Engineering at Swansea University is the close and extensive involvement with local, national and international engineering companies. The companies include:
Acordis
Astra Zeneca
Avecia
BP Chemicals
Bulmers
Dow Corning
GlaxoSmithKline
Nestle
Murco
Phillips 66
Unilever
Valero
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
-Bioprocess Synthesis and Process Mapping
-Bioprocess Validation and Quality Control
-Commercialisation of Bioprocess Research
-Fluid Flow and Mixing in Bioprocesses
-Heat and Mass Transfers in Bioprocesses
-Integrated Downstream Processing
-Mammalian Cell Culture and Stem Cell Processing
Core modules for graduate engineers
-Advanced Bioreactor Engineering
-Bioprocess Validation and Quality Control**
-Cellular Functioning from Genome to Proteome
-Commercialisation of Bioprocess Research
-Integrated Downstream Processing
-Mammalian Cell Culture and Stem Cell Processing
-Metabolic Processes and Regulation
-Structural Biology and Functional Protein Engineering
-Bioprocess Microfluidics*
-Bioprocess Systems Engineering*
-Bioprocessing and Clinical Translation*
-Cell Therapy Biology*
-Industrial Synthetic Biology*
-Sustainable Bioprocesses and Biorefineries*
-Vaccine Bioprocess Development*
*Core module for graduate biochemical engineers; **core module for both graduate engineers and graduate biochemical engineers
Research project/design project
All MSc students submit a 10,000-word dissertation in either Bioprocess Design (graduate scientists) or Bioprocess Research (graduate engineers and graduate biochemical engineers).
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.
The rapid advancements in biology and the life sciences create a need for highly trained, multidisciplinary graduates possessing technical skills and fundamental understanding of both the biological and engineering aspects relevant to modern industrial bioprocesses. Consequently, UCL biochemical engineers are in high demand, due to their breadth of expertise, numerical ability and problem-solving skills. The first destinations of those who graduate from the Master's programme in biochemical engineering reflect the highly relevant nature of the training delivered.
Approximately three-quarters of our graduates elect either to take up employment in the relevant biotechnology industries or study for a PhD or an EngD, while the remainder follow careers in the management, financial or engineering design sectors.
Top career destinations for this degree:
-PhD Degree/Further Studies(Imperial College London, UCL, Cambridge)
-Consultancy (PwC)
-Bioprocess/Biopharma Industry (GSK, Eli Lilley, Synthace)
-Financial Sector
The department places great emphasis on its ability to assist its graduates in taking up exciting careers in the sector. UCL alumni, together with the department’s links with industrial groups, provide an excellent source of leads for graduates. Over 1,000 students have graduated from UCL with graduate qualifications in biochemical engineering at Master’s or doctoral levels. Many have gone on to distinguished and senior positions in the international bioindustry. Others have followed independent academic careers in universities around the world.
Why study this degree at UCL?
UCL was a founding laboratory of the discipline of biochemical engineering, established the first UK department and is the largest international centre for bioprocess teaching and research. Our internationally recognised MSc programme maintains close links with the research activities of the Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering which ensure that lecture and case study examples are built around the latest biological discoveries and bioprocessing technologies.
UCL Biochemical Engineering co-ordinates bioprocess research and training collaborations with more than a dozen UCL departments, a similar number of national and international university partners and over 40 international companies. MSc students directly benefit from our close ties with industry through their participation in the Department’s MBI® Training Programme.
The MBI® Training Programme is the largest leading international provider of innovative UCL-accredited short courses in bioprocessing designed primarily for industrialists. Courses are designed and delivered in collaboration with 70 industrial experts to support continued professional and technical development within the industry. Our MSc students have the unique opportunity to sit alongside industrial delegates, to gain deeper insights into the industrial application of taught material and to build a network of contacts to support their future careers.
Visit the Biochemical Engineering Open Days page on the University College London website for more details on opportunities to come and see our facilities and speak to the team!
This Masters programme trains graduates of engineering, science or related disciplines in general and specialist process systems engineering subjects.
Such areas are not generally covered in engineering and science curricula, and BSc graduates tend to be ill prepared for the systems challenges they will face in industry or academia on graduation.
This programme is studied full-time over one academic year and part-time students must study at least two taught technical modules per academic year. It consists of eight taught modules and a dissertation.
Example module listing
The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
Modules related to the different groups are taught by a total of six full-time members of staff and a number of visiting lecturers.
As part of their learning experience, students have at their disposal a wide range of relevant software needed to support the programme material dissertation projects. In recent years, this work included the design of various knowledge-based and business systems on the internet, the application of optimisation algorithms, and semantic web applications.
Numerous laboratory facilities across the Faculty and the University are also available for those opting for technology-based projects, such as the process engineering facility, a control and robotics facility and signal processing labs.
The work related to the MSc dissertation can often be carried out in parallel with, and in support of, ongoing research. In the past, several graduates have carried on their MSc research to a PhD programme.
Engineers and scientists are increasingly expected to have skills in information systems engineering and decision-support systems alongside their main technical and/or scientific expertise.
Graduates of this programme will be well prepared to help technology-intensive organisations make important decisions in view of vast amounts of information by adopting, combining, implementing and executing the right technologies.
The programme aims to provide a highly vocational education which is intellectually rigorous and up-to-date. It also aims to provide the students with the necessary skills required for a successful career in the process industries.
This is achieved through a balanced curriculum with a core of process systems engineering modules supplemented by a flexible element by way of elective modules that permit students to pursue an element of specialisation relevant to their backgrounds, interests and/or career aspirations.
An integrated approach is taken so as to provide a coherent view that explores the interrelationships between the various components of the programme. The programme draws on the stimulus of the Faculty’s research activities.
The programme provides the students with the basis for developing their own approach to learning and personal development.
Knowledge and understanding
Intellectual / cognitive skills
The programme aims to strengthen cognitive skills of the students, particularly in the aspects of problem definition, knowledge and information acquiring, synthesis, and creativity, as collectively demonstrable through the successful completion of the research dissertation. The key learning outcomes include the abilities to:
Professional practical skills
The programme primarily aims to develop skills for applying appropriate methods to analyse, develop, and assess process systems and technologies. The key learning outcomes include the abilities to:
Key / transferable skills
The programme aims to strengthen a range of transferable skills which are relevant to the needs of existing and future professionals in knowledge intensive industries irrespective of their sector of operation. The key learning outcomes include the further development of the skills in the following areas:
We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.
In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.
This programme explores technology across a wide scope of engineering disciplines and will train you in general and specialist process systems engineering – crucial aspects for finance, industrial management and computer-integrated manufacturing.
There is a wide selection of modules on offer within the programme. All taught modules are delivered by qualified experts in the topics and academic members of University staff, assisted by specialist external lecturers.
Our programme combines high-quality education with substantial intellectual challenges, making you aware of current technologies and trends while providing a rigorous training in the fundamentals of the subject.
This programme is studied full-time over one academic year and part-time students must study at least two taught technical modules per academic year. It consists of eight taught modules and a dissertation.
Example module listing
The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
The programme combines advanced material in two popular and complementary topics: systems engineering and environmental engineering. The key learning outcome is a balanced combination of systems and environmental skills and prepares students in a competitive market where both topics appear attractive.
The programme will provide training in general and specialist process and environmental systems engineering subjects, and prepare the students for the systems challenges they will face in industry or academia upon graduation.
The programme disseminates technology with a wide scope among engineering disciplines, with a wide selection of modules on offer. All taught modules are delivered by qualified experts in the topics and academic members of the university staff, assisted by specialist external lecturers.
The programme provides high-quality education with substantial intellectual challenges, commensurate with the financial rewards and job satisfaction when venturing into the real world. A key component is to make the student aware of current technologies and trends, whilst providing a rigorous training in the fundamentals of the subject.
Knowledge and understanding
The programme aims to develop the knowledge and understanding in both process and environmental systems engineering. The key learning outcomes include:
Intellectual / cognitive skills
The programme aims to strengthen cognitive skills of the students, particularly in the aspects of problem definition, knowledge and information acquiring, synthesis, and creativity, as collectively demonstrable through the successful completion of the research dissertation.
The key learning outcomes include the abilities to:
Professional practical skills
The programme primarily aims to develop skills for applying appropriate methods to analyse, develop, and assess process and environmental systems and technologies. The key learning outcomes include the abilities to:
Key / transferable skills
The programme aims to strengthen a range of transferable skills which are relevant to the needs of existing and future professionals in knowledge intensive industries irrespective of their sector of operation. The key learning outcomes include the further development of the skills in the following areas:
We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.
In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Membrane Technology at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
Swansea University is a world-leader in the area of membrane technologies for water treatment.
Pressure is increasing on our limited water resources. With more people requiring clean water, effective solutions need to come from reusing water in the most efficient way. The Centre for Water Advanced Technologies and Environmental Research (CWATER) is an internationally leading centre of excellence for the development of advanced technologies in water treatment.
The Centre benefits from world-leading expertise in the area of membrane technologies for water treatment.
The Centre for Water Advanced Technologies and Environmental Research (CWATER) research areas, broadly speaking, fit into one of three categories:
- Drinking water treatment: improved methods of portable water treatment, with a view to meeting tightening regulations at cheaper capital and operating costs.
- Waste-water treatment: technologies for the efficient removal of environmentally harmful materials and thus reduced emissions per output of discharge.
- Process-water treatment: methods for the treatment of process streams enabling the recycling of water and valuable chemical intermediates.
The MSc by Research in Membrane Technology has a wide range of subject choices including:
Modelling membrane processes
Membrane and process characterisation
Hazardous substances
Bioprocessing
Development of new membranes
Ozonation and Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs)
Pilot scale studies
Our new home at the innovative Bay Campus provides some of the best university facilities in the UK, in an outstanding location.
One of the major strengths of Membrane Technology at Swansea University is the close and extensive involvement with local, national and international engineering companies. The companies include:
Acordis
Astra Zeneca
Avecia
BP Chemicals
Bulmers
Dow Corning
GlaxoSmithKline
Nestle
Murco
Phillips 66
Unilever
Valero
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 ranks Engineering at Swansea as 10th in the UK for the combined score in research quality across the Engineering disciplines.
World-leading research
The REF shows that 94% of research produced by our academic staff is of World-Leading (4*) or Internationally Excellent (3*) quality. This has increased from 73% in the 2008 RAE.
Research pioneered at the College of Engineering harnesses the expertise of academic staff within the department. This ground-breaking multidisciplinary research informs our world-class teaching with several of our staff leaders in their fields.
Highlights of the Engineering results according to the General Engineering Unit of Assessment:
Research Environment at Swansea ranked 2nd in the UK
Research Impact ranked 10th in the UK
Research Power (3*/4* Equivalent staff) ranked 10th in the UK
