General Information

Today the Chemical Engineer and the Environmental Engineer are called on to undertake a leading role in developing new technologies and materials, as well as in the restoration, protection and management of the environment, aiming at the sustainable development of the country.

The mission of the School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering is to provide advanced education of a high standard in environmental science and engineering and to prepare qualified engineers to measure, monitor, assess, and treat problems caused by human intervention in the environment.

The provision of programs of studies at undergraduate and graduate level by the Technical University of Crete resulted in the creation of a unique Greek undergraduate and graduate center for environmental engineering, which is in constant communication/co-operation with respective university centers and research institutes world-wide. The programs of study provide scientific expertise in the following areas:

design, construction and operation of
- air pollution management,
- wastewater treatment plants,
- air pollutant emissions control systems,
- solid waste management and treatment units,
- agricultural and food industry waste treatment units
- toxic and hazardous waste management and treatment units
surface and subsurface water management,
measurement systems for air, soil and water pollution,
soil and ground water remediation,
environmental impact and risk assessment,
noise and radiation control,
renewable energy sources and energy conservation systems.

Objectives of the Undergraduate Program

The objective of the Undergraduate Program (UP) of the School of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering is to provide future Professional Engineers with advanced technical and communication skills, in combination with up-to-date knowledge of global chemical engineering and environmental issues, so that they assume leading positions in the world.

In particular, the educational objectives are:

To offer courses related to chemical engineering and environmental engineering science, data analysis and system design.
To help students develop basic skills such as: synthesis ability, integrated systems logic, experimentation and cooperation.
To incorporate social, economic, and cultural issues into the educational program aiming at optimal problem solving.

Undergraduate studies' structure and duration

The academic year starts on the September 1st of each year and ends on August 31st of the following year. The educational program of studies for each academic year is divided in two semesters. The exact start and end dates of semesters and exam periods are determined by the Senate of the Technical University of Crete. Each semester includes at least thirteen (13) full weeks of classes and two (2) weeks of examinations.

The teaching methods employed by the School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering follow modern educational standards and, depending on the course, include open lectures to broad audiences, targeted seminars to small groups, tutorials and recitations, laboratory exercises and practical training.

Open lectures are not mandatory, although attendance is strongly recommended.

Additional educational activities take place in small, predefined groups of students, and attendance is mandatory.

Laboratory exercises play an important role in the training of Engineers. Specialized laboratories provide consolidated knowledge and practice via planned experiments.

The courses are divided into two categories: (a) required and (b) elective.

The first category includes core courses that provide students with fundamental knowledge; students should register for all required courses and successfully complete them. The second category includes a large number of specialized courses; each student should select, register for and successfully complete a predetermined minimum number of elective courses.

The sequential order of courses in semesters is indicative and not compulsory except for the sequence of prerequisite and dependent on prerequisite courses. The Standard Undergraduate Program Guide of the School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering presents the order of courses.

The total duration of undergraduate studies is ten (10) semesters, including the diploma thesis project.

Requirements for the Diploma of Chemical Engineering or Environmental Engineering

The requirements for earning the Diploma in Chemical Engineering or Environmental Engineering are as follows:

Enrollment in the Chemical and Environmental Engineering School and registration for courses for a minimum of ten (10) semesters, for regularly enrolled students.
The required number of courses leading to the Diploma either in Chemical or Environmental Engineering is that, described by the curriculum in force during the student’s first enrollment in the Undergraduate Program. However, students may have to take additional courses due to changes in the undergraduate program of studies included in amendments to the Undergraduate Program Guide during the period of their studies.
In each semester, students are allowed to register for up to ν+5 courses, where ν represents the number of courses in the curriculum for the corresponding semester. In the 9th semester, students may register for up to ν+10 courses and from the 10th semester onwards students may register for up to 16 courses.
Students have the opportunity to participate in two (2) examination periods for each course they have registered for during an academic semester. For the fall semester, the first examination period is held in January while the second in September. For the spring semester, the first examination period is held in June whereas the second one is also held in September.
Students who do not satisfy the requirements for the successful completion of a course even after the second examination period have to re-register for the particular course in a subsequent semester and fulfil all attendance and examination requirements anew.
The Diploma grade is calculated from the grades of all courses required for graduation and from the Diploma thesis grade. The Diploma Thesis grade contributes 20% to the final Diploma grade.
In the calculation of the Diploma grade, the grade for each course is multiplied by the course weighting factor. The sum of the weighted grades divided by the sum of the weighting factors for all courses yields the mean course grade. The mean course grade contributes 80% to the final Diploma grade while the Diploma thesis grade contributes the remaining 20%.