Chemical Engineering

What is the objective of the course? What is it?
What does it train you for?

Chemical Engineers play a key role in contemporary society as they manage complex technologies and produce ,many products that are crucial for the high standard of life that we know. Through their efforts, they offer society a wide availability of food and drinkable water (sustainable fertilizers and pesticides, desalters and potabilizers), new energy vectors (biofuel, hydrogen, fuel cells) new materials for thousands of applications (drugs also with controlled release, traditional and adaptive polymers, organic electronics), processes for air, water and soil decontamination. Chemical Engineering graduates from Palermo successfully position themselves in many different industrial contexts: chemical, petrochemical, oil, energy, food, water, pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. The Chemical Engineering Degree Course is characterized by a strong interdisciplinary component and continuous updating of the contents. Therefore, graduates are able to understand and solve complex problems at a wide range of length scales, from the (bio)molecular to the industrial scale. Thanks to these unique characteristics, Chemical Engineers are extremely appealing candidates for all industrial sectors, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology, food, and consumer products, in the development of traditional and high tech materials and devices, and in the fields of energy and environmental preservation.

What do you learn?

The Chemical Engineering Master Degree course (Post graduate Level) further enhances the curricula of students, allowing for more specialized and advanced knowledge and capabilities for the design, management and optimization of plant and processes for the production of fuels and biofuels, materials, food matrixes and nutraceutical, environmental protection. Three curricula with many courses in English language are currently offered:

• The Chemical Engineering for Sustainable Processes curriculum delivers graduates able to work in many different fields, e.g. chemical, biochemical, food, oil, pharmaceutical sectors, with a particular focus on the design and operation of sustainable plants and processes.
• The Chemical Engineering for Materials curriculum delivers graduates able to work in the fields of traditional and innovative material, engineering and bio- and nano- technologies.
• The Chemical Engineering for Food Processing curriculum delivers graduates able to work in the fields of traditional and innovative processes for food processing and transformations and nutraceutical production and valorization.

What can you do with it?

Chemical Engineering Master Degree Graduates from University of Palermo successfully work in many different industrial sectors. The following companies frequently advertise jobs requiring this qualification: ENI, SAIPEM, ERG, SHELL, ENEL, BASF, EXXONMOBIL, LYONDELLBASELL, SOLVAY, PROCTER AND GAMBLE, GENERAL ELECTRIC, NOVARTIS, UNILEVER, BIOCHEMTEX AND MANY MORE. A major point of strength is the short time it takes after graduation to find a permanent job. In the last few years, about 85% of the Master Degree graduates from University of Palermo have found work within one year after obtaining their Degree. Every year a so-called “Chemical Engineering Week” takes place in order to facilitate the direct contact between industrial companies and graduating students.