CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, B.CHE

DESCRIPTION

Chemical Engineers work in the petrochemical, specialty chemical, coatings, adhesives, polymer, pharmaceutical, energy, biomedical, materials, environmental, and many other industries. 

WHAT CAREERS CAN THIS MAJOR PREPARE YOU FOR?

Graduates work in careers such as process engineer, manufacturing engineer, production manager, project manager, quality control, environmental health and safety, research and development. 

WHAT SKILLS ARE DEVELOPED WITHIN THIS MAJOR?

Students learn to apply principles of mathematics, science, and engineering in a variety of contexts. They hone their ability to use the techniques, skills, and tools necessary for science and engineering practice as well as design and conduct experiments. They learn to analyze and interpret data.

ADMISSION TO MAJOR

Admission to Washkewicz College of Engineering

HOURS REQUIRED FOR DEGREE

Minimum hours required for degree: 128-129 (not including credits earned in the Engineering Cooperative Education Program)

MAJOR-FIELD REQUIREMENTS

2-D in ESC and CHE rule: Chemical Engineering students are limited to a combined maximum of two grades of D in Engineering Science (ESC) or Chemical Engineering (CHE) courses to be eligible for graduation. 

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING REQUIRED COURSES (10 COURSES)

• CHE 300 - Chemical Engineering Principles
• CHE 302 - Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
• CHE 306 - Transport Phenomena
• CHE 307 - Chemical Engineering Methods
• CHE 404 - Chemical Reactor Design
• CHE 408 - Separation Processes
• CHE 420 - Senior Chemical Engineering Laboratory
• CHE 430 - Chemical Process Control
• CHE 440 - Process Design I
• CHE 441 - Process Design II

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING TECHNICAL ELECTIVES (2 COURSES)

2 CHE 400-level courses required - use the list below as a guide but courses must be approved by the department for engineering design and science contents

• CHE 444 - Colloidal and Interfacial Phenomena
• CHE 448 - Chemical Process Safety
• CHE 451 - Agile Manufacturing
• CHE 460 - Industrial Wastewater Treatment
• CHE 461 - Principles Of Air Pollution Control
• CHE 464 - Fuel Cells
• CHE 466 - Biochemical Engineering
• CHE 470 - Characterization and Selection of Solid Materials
• CHE 474 - Multiphase Reactors
• CHE 478 - Introduction to Molecular Simulation
• CHE 482 - Introduction To Combustion Phenomena
• CHE 486 - Fundamentals Of Polymers
• CHE 493 - Independent Study in Chemical Engineering
• CHE 494 - Selected Topics In Chemical Engineering
• CHE 496 - Chemical Engineering Projects

ENGINEERING SCIENCE REQUIRED COURSES (11 COURSES)

• ESC 100 - New Student Orientation
• ESC 102 - Technical Writing and Professional Communication
• ESC 120 - Introduction to Engineering Design
• ESC 151 - C Programming or ESC 152 - Programming with MATLAB 
• ESC 250 - Differential Equations For Engineers
• ESC 270 - Materials Science & Engineering
• ESC 282 - Engineering Economy
• ESC 301 - Fluid Mechanics
• ESC 321 - Engineering Thermodynamics I
• ESC 350 - Linear Algebra for Engineers
• ESC 310 - Engineering Statistics and Probability

CO-OP REQUIRED COURSE

This course is optional for the degree but required by the Co-Op program.

• ESC 130 - Engineering Co-op Orientation

MATHEMATICS REQUIRED COURSES (3 COURSES)

• MTH 181 - Calculus I
• MTH 182 - Calculus II
• MTH 283 - Multivariable Calculus For Engineers or MTH 281 - Multivariable Calculus 

SCIENCE REQUIRED COURSES (9 COURSES)

• CHM 261 - General Chemistry I
• CHM 266 - General Chemistry Laboratory I
• CHM 262 - General Chemistry II
• CHM 267 - General Chemistry Laboratory II
• CHM 331 - Organic Chemistry I
• CHM 336 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
• CHM 322 - Physical Chemistry II
• PHY 241 - University Physics I
• PHY 242 - University Physics II

ADVANCED SCIENCE ELECTIVE (1 COURSE)

A minimum of three (3) credit hours of advanced science are required. Advanced science credits must be earned in a 300-level or above course in the fields of chemistry, physics, biology, or biomedical engineering. This course must be selected in consultation with a program academic advisor to ensure it aligns with the objectives of the program. Approval by the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering must be secured prior to registration.

Independent studies with faculty from the College of Sciences and Health Professions (COSHP) can be used to fulfill this requirement. These courses must be taken for a letter grade, and students are required to present a formal written petition to the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering prior to registration in such independent studies.

ETHICS REQUIRED COURSE (1 COURSE)

• PHL 215 - Engineering Ethics or PHL 213H - Environmental Ethics - Honors 

HONORS PROGRAM/UNIVERSITY SCHOLARS REQUIREMENTS

Students in the Honors or University Scholars programs who are majoring in Chemical Engineering are required to complete an Honors Thesis (three credit hours, minimum) and at least six (6) additional credits of approved Upper Division Courses and/or Independent Studies. These credits can be used to fulfill graduation requirements within the traditional program, by substituting for senior Chemical and Biomedical Engineering electives. Credits earned through Honor’s Thesis can be used towards the fulfillment of the Advanced Science Elective requirement.

The upper division Honors and University Scholars program in Chemical Engineering is to be tailored for each individual student, in order to address the student’s specific educational goals (e.g. preparation for industry, graduate school, medical school, professional schools). Students will select, or be assigned, an Upper Division adviser who will assist the student in formulating a “Plan of Study” designed to achieve the student’s educational goal. This plan of study must be formulated by the first semester of the student’s junior year, and filed with the student’s academic records and the Honors and University Scholars Programs Office.

UPPER DIVISION HONORS AND UNIVERSITY SCHOLARS PROGRAM

• Students in the Honors and University Scholars Programs will fulfill the six (6) credits requisite of upper-level technical electives by enrolling in two (2) 500 level graduate courses in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering. Students in the Upper Division are allowed to enroll in a graduate level course so long as the prerequisites are met or approval from the course instructor is secured. These courses will fulfill the two (2) Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Technical Electives graduation requirement.
• All Chemical Engineering Honors/Scholars students are required to write and present a thesis in their senior year, as a culmination of their honors experience. Students completing this requirement should register for CHE 499H (Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Honors Thesis). Thesis work will be performed under the guidance of a faculty member of the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and may take the form of a proposal, a research paper, a business plan, or a design project, representing the work and interest of the student. At the outset, the topic and scope of the thesis will be detailed and approved by the student’s academic and Honors/Scholars adviser(s).
• If the proposed research project for the Honors Thesis is anticipated to require more than one semester, the student can register for CHE 496H (Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Honors Project) in those semesters when research is performed prior to the semester when the Honors Thesis completion (CHE 499H) is anticipated. Unlike the traditional Chemical and Biomedical Engineering (Senior) Project (CHE 496, open to seniors only), this course will be open to both juniors and seniors in the Honors Program. Students in the University Scholars Program can become eligible to register in CHE 496H by requesting permission from the Honors and Departmental Programs.
• Conference attendance: Senior honors students will have the opportunity to travel to a regional, national, or international professional meeting with his or her project adviser. If appropriate, students will be encouraged to present work performed towards completion of the Honors Thesis. Funds will be available to support travel and/or conference fees.
• Replaced courses: Credits from the honors courses can be used to replace two chemical and biomedical engineering electives as well as the advanced science elective.
• Accelerated Masters Program: Students in the Honors and University Scholars Programs are eligible to participate in the Accelerated Masters Programs available in the College of Engineering. In order for the Upper Division coursework to be applicable towards these accelerated programs, students must be admitted to the corresponding Accelerated Masters Program prior to registering for the applicable courses. Students in the Accelerated Masters Program in Chemical Engineering or Biomedical Engineering must register for CHE 598 (Master’s project), instead of CHE 499H, when completing their Honors Thesis.

ACCELERATED 4+1 PROGRAM

See the following pages:

• Biomedical Engineering, Accelerated 4+1 B.ChE/MS BME 
• Chemical Engineering, Accelerated 4+1 B.ChE/MS ChE