Undergraduate & honours qualifications

Diploma in Chemical Engineering

Qualification code:	90130
NQF level:	6
Total credits:	360
SAQA ID:	112178
APS/AS:	18
Rules: Please note that all practicals will be conducted at Unisa Science campus, in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province. Further note that this is compulsory to all students and for all the engineering modules that require practical work in the laboratories. Compilation of curriculum: A student may register for a maximum of 60 NQF credits per semester (consequently 120 NQF credits for an academic year); Students should take cognizance of prerequisite modules when selecting modules for registration. From 2024, Engineering modules will be offered as year modules only. Please click on the modules to see further information.
Purpose statement: The specific purpose of the Diploma in Chemical Engineering is to build the necessary knowledge, understanding, abilities and skills required for further learning towards becoming a competent practising professional engineering technician. This qualification provides: Preparation for careers in engineering and areas that potentially benefit from engineering skills, for achieving technical proficiency and competency to contribute to the economy and national development. The educational base required for registration as a candidate or a professional engineering technician with ECSA (Refer to qualification rules). Possible admission to an appropriate Advanced Diploma NQF Level 7 qualification, or equivalent. The qualification reflects the new standard for engineering technologists as required by the Engineering Council of South Africa based on the new HEQF (ECSA document E-02-PN rev.3, 26 November 2015: Qualification Standard for Diploma in Engineering: NQF Level 6). This qualification is primarily vocational, or industry-oriented, characterised by the knowledge emphasis, general principles and application or technology transfer. The qualification provides learners with a sound knowledge base in a particular field or discipline and the ability to apply their knowledge and skills to specific career or professional contexts while equipping them to undertake more specialised and intensive learning. Programmes leading to this qualification tend to have a strong vocational, professional, or career focus and holders of this qualification are usually prepared to enter a specific niche in the labour market. Engineering learners completing this qualification will demonstrate competence in all the Exit Level Outcomes contained in this standard.
This qualification will be presented using both online and distance learning modes.

Who can register?

Applicants (new applicants & Unisa students who applied for admission to a new qualification) may only register if they have received an offer of placement from Unisa and have accepted the offer online. Unisa reserves the right to not process and / or to cancel your registration if it is found that you were incorrectly admitted to a qualification.
Re-registering students may register for the 2024 academic year once the registration period opens.

Please note: Should you wish to start a new qualification, please apply online for the alternative qualification during the prescribed application period.

How to choose your modules

Each Unisa qualification is structured in such a way that you need to pass a certain number of NQF level credits within a certain amount of time in order to graduate.

Co-requisite: Module A is a co-requisite for Module B. You want to register for Module B, but have not yet passed Module A. You must then register for both Modules A and B simultaneously. You may NOT cancel your registration for Module A unless Module B is also cancelled.
Pre-requisite: If Module A is a pre-requisite for Module B, you must pass Module A before you may register for Module B.

You may not register for more than the allowed maximum number of credits / modules per academic year and / or semester: 60 credits per semester or 120 credits per academic year.

The maximum number of credits do not include supplementary and / or aegrotat examinations from a previous semester. Modules taken for non-degree / non-diploma purposes also count towards the maximum number of credits allowed.

You must take your available time into consideration when choosing your modules, as this will impact your academic performance. You need approximately

6 to 8 hours per week for semester modules.
4 to 6 hours per week for year modules.

Click here for more information on managing your studies.

Curriculum for this qualification

While you are deciding on the modules for which you will be registering, write down the module names and codes so that you have something to refer to when completing your registration.

Please click on the modules below to see further information (eg semester/year module, NQF level)

First level

Module (Please click on the module to see further information)	Pre-requisite/Co-requisite/Recommendation
Group A. Compulsory
CEF1501 - Chemical Engineering Fundamentals IA	Co-requisite:MAT1581, CHE181T
CHE181T - Chemistry I (Theory)	Co-requisite:CHE1PRA
CHE1PRA - Chemistry I (Practical)	Co-requisite:CHE181T
DRC1501 - Drawing: Chemical Engineering IA
EMT1501 - Materials Engineering	Co-requisite:CHE181T
ENG1503 - Academic Language and Literacy in English
EUP1501 - Ethical Information and Communication Technologies for Development Solutions
FIC1501 - Physics IA (Theory)
FIC1PRA - Physics I (Practical)	Co-requisite:FIC181C or FIC1501 or FIC1502
MAT1514 - Precalculus (Engineering)
MAT1581 - Mathematics I (Engineering)
PSE1501 - Process Safety and Environmental Engineering

Second level

Module (Please click on the module to see further information)	Pre-requisite/Co-requisite/Recommendation
Group A. Compulsory
CEF2601 - Chemical Engineering Fundamentals IIB	Pre-requisite:MAT1581, CEF1501, CHE181T
CEP2601 - Chemical Engineering Practicals I	Co-requisite:CEF2601, SPP2601, TPH2601, CET2601
CET2601 - Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics	Pre-requisite:MAT1581, CEF1501
CPT2601 - Chemical Engineering Computational Techniques I	Pre-requisite:EUP1501
ENM2601 - Engineering Management I
MAT2691 - Mathematics II (Engineering)	Pre-requisite:MAT1581
ORC2601 - Organic Chemistry	Pre-requisite:CHE181T, CHE1PRA Co-requisite:ORC2PRA
ORC2PRA - Organic Chemistry II (Practical)	Pre-requisite:CHE181T, CHE1PRA Co-requisite:ORC2601 or ORC221F
REE2601 - Reaction Engineering	Pre-requisite:MAT1581, CEF1501, CHE181T Co-requisite:MAT2691, CEF2601, CET2601
SPP2601 - Separation Principles IA	Pre-requisite:MAT1581, CEF1501 Co-requisite:CEF2601
TPH2601 - Transport Phenomena IA	Pre-requisite:MAT1581, CEF1501 Co-requisite:CEF2601

Third level

Module (Please click on the module to see further information)	Pre-requisite/Co-requisite/Recommendation
Group A. Compulsory
CED3601 - Chemical Engineering Design	Pre-requisite:CEF1501, CEF2601 Co-requisite:CET2601, SPP2601, REE2601, CPT2601
CEP3601 - Chemical Engineering Practicals II	Pre-requisite:CEP2601, CEF2601, SPP2601 Co-requisite:REE2601, PRC3601, MPP3601
MPP3601 - Mineral Processing Principles	Pre-requisite:MAT1581, CEF1501, CEF2601 Co-requisite:SPP2601
PRC3601 - Process Control	Pre-requisite:MAT1581, CEF1501 Co-requisite:CEF2601
Group B. Choose 1 from the following.
CWL3601 - Workplace- based Learning: Chemical Engineering	Pre-requisite:TPH2601, REE2601, CPT2601 Co-requisite:PRC3601, MPP3601, CED3601, CEP3601
CWL3602 - Work Directed Theoretical Learning: Chemical Engineering	Pre-requisite:TPH2601, REE2601, CPT2601 Co-requisite:PRC3601, MPP3601, CED3601, CEP3601