Chemical engineers transform raw materials into useful products in a vast array of industries, including pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, mining, oil and gas, environmental, automotive, health care, and food processing.
Waterloo provides a flexible program with opportunities to specialize in emerging areas like biomedical and biotechnology. You'll learn to design, implement, and supervise processes where matter is transformed - from fuel to energy, from raw materials to finished product, or from waste to useful by-products.
The department is one of the largest chemical engineering departments in Canada, with over 35 professors whose research and consulting enrich your classes.
Gain 2 years of paid co-op work experience, earn money to help pay for your education, and try out different career areas through the world's largest co-op program.
About Chemical Engineering
Gain 2 years of experience in the co-op program
Apply directly to this program on your application
Earn a Bachelor of Applied Science degree
Engineering school in Canada (US News & World Report 2016)
Offered through the
Faculty of Engineering
Students earn $17,800 on average per co-op term
Admission requirements
- Ontario students: 6 Grade 12 U and/or M courses including
- Advanced Functions (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
- Calculus and Vectors (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
- Chemistry (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
- Physics (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
- English (ENG4U) (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
- Admission averages: Individual selection from the high 80s
- An Admission Information Form is required
- Not studying in Ontario? Search our admission requirements database.
First-year courses
September to December
CHE 100 - Chemical Engineering Concepts 1
CHE 102 - Chemistry for Engineers
MATH 115 - Linear Algebra
MATH 116 - Calculus 1
PHYS 115 - Mechanics
January to April or May to August
CHE 101 - Chemical Engineering Concepts 2
CHE 121 - Engineering Computation
CHE 161 - Engineering Biology
GENE 123 - Electrical Circuits
MATH 118 - Calculus 2 for Engineering
1 Complementary Studies Elective
After first year
- See the range of courses available in Chemical Engineering.
- View all the courses required for your degree.
Co-op
By alternating school terms and paid co-op work terms throughout your degree, you can explore new career areas and types of employers as your career interests evolve.
Sample co-op positions
- Process Engineering Intern, Suncor Energy
- Environmental Engineering, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
- Research Assistant, University of Waterloo
- Extraction Process Engineering, Suncor Energy
- Business Process Manager, K.I. Abdulkadir & Partners Co Ltd
Careers in Chemical Engineering
Recent graduates
- Drilling Engineer, Husky Energy
- Polymer Engineer, Kingspan Insulated Panels
- Area Leader/Process Engineer, Proctor & Gamble
- Chemical Engineer, NOVA Chemicals
- Founder, Kiwi Wearables
- Metallurgist, Goldcorp
- Project Development Engineer, Shell Canada
Possible professional designation
Helpful links
- Visit the Chemical Engineering website
