Qualifications
Overview
Chemical Formulation Design is one of three majors of the Bachelor of Product Design degree combining creative innovation with technical and business skills.
Chemical, biological, pharmaceutical, food, nutraceutical, and personal care products need to be crafted in a sustainable way, using active ingredients that enable their practical use. For example, to create a moisturising skin lotion that would be an attractive product for the consumer, it would need to contain moistening properties and other elements to create suitable viscosity, skin feel, and fragrance, and contain antimicrobial agents to enhance shelf life. You will explore innovative ways to better formulate these products, and to analyse existing products and suggest improvements.
This subject combined with others such as Biochemistry will help you understand the total product design process — from idea generation to commercialisation. Other skills you will gain include practical experience in product formulation prototyping, methods of analysis, commercial production, testing, and process economics.
Why study Chemical Formulation Design at UC?
- UC’s Te Kura Hanga Otinga | School of Product Design brings together creative design, science, engineering, and business, and there are opportunities to apply your learning through team-based projects, entrepreneurship courses, and the use of dedicated hands-on product innovation spaces.
- UC is ranked 240th in the world for Engineering and Technology, and in the top 250 universities in the world for Business and Management Studies (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2020).
Recommended preparation
Students should ideally have 14 credits in Level 3 NCEA chemistry (or the IB/CIE equivalent of these).
Courses
UC offers a major in Chemical Formulation Design as part of the Bachelor of Product Design.
At all levels, students will undertake significant hands-on projects, working in teams and individually, to design, formulate, and test physical product prototypes in our dedicated formulation laboratory, to the level needed to pitch a new product concept to a client or investor.
Chemical Formulation Design major
To complete a major in Chemical Formulation Design within the Bachelor of Product Design, you will need to take the following courses throughout the degree:
100-level
- CHEM 111 Chemical Principles and Processes
- PROD 131 Introduction to Formulation Science
- One 100-level Engineering or Science course
200-level
- PROD 231 Product Formulation 1
- PROD 232 Natural Products Properties and Production
- PROD 233 Chemical and Healthcare Product Formulation 1A
- PROD 234 Chemical and Healthcare Product Formulation 1B
- PROD 235 Formulation Chemistry
- PROD 230 Product Properties and Processing or ENCH 291 Mass and Energy Balances
300-level
- PROD 331 Product Formulation 2
- PROD 333 Chemical and Healthcare Product Formulation 2A
- PROD 334 Chemical and Healthcare Product Formulation 2B
- One 200-level Engineering or Science course
- One 300-level Engineering or Science course
Career opportunities
Graduates with this scientific background could pursue opportunities that lead to a career in the food, healthcare, and pharmaceutical industries.
Possible jobs are formulation scientist, quality manager, chemist, laboratory technician, product/marketing manager, marketing analyst, portfolio analyst, business development manager. Some qualified product designers have chosen to start their own businesses for new product lines that they developed during their studies.
Find out more about what you can do with a degree in Chemical Formulation Design.
Contact us
School of Product Design | Te Kura Hanga Otinga
Phone +64 3 369 4271 or +64 3 369 4272
Email [email protected]
Location
Len Lye Building – see the School’s website for up-to-date location details.
Postal address
College of Engineering | Te Rāngai Pūkaha
University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140
New Zealand