Master's Programs
We offer a Master of Science (MS) degree and a Master of Engineering (ME) degree in chemical engineering. Students enrolled in these programs achieve mastery of core and specialized areas of chemical engineering, as well as the ability to conduct research on a well-defined problem formulated by the student's faculty advisor.
What's the difference between the MS and the ME?
Master of Science (MS)
Our MS degree is designed for those with prior chemical engineering training. The program can be taken full-time or part-time and typically takes one to two years to complete, depending on your track. There are three available tracks:
- Track 1: Thesis
24 months long, research-based - Track 2: Project
24 months long, research-based - Track 3: Courses
12 months long, course-based
Master of Engineering (ME)
Our ME degree is a research-based degree with an industrial focus that typically takes 18 – 24 months to complete. It is designed to accommodate applicants with and without prior chemical engineering training. Students can choose one of four focus areas that reflect current market demands:
Our master's programs require a combination of coursework and/or research for a total of 30 credit hours. MS and ME programs differ in requirements and duration.
Chemical Engineering MS
Track 1: Thesis
The Thesis track provides students with rigorous hands-on training in the areas of their choice. Completing the degree typically takes two years, including class work, during which time the students participate in original research under faculty advisement as part of a research group. The study culminates in a public defense and a written thesis that is submitted to a thesis committee for approval and published in the national MS thesis repository.
Track 2: Project
The Project track provides students with rigorous hands-on training in the areas of their choice as part of a research group. The degree typically takes two years to complete and requires a public defense attended by a committee but does not require publication of a written thesis in the national MS thesis repository. Instead, a written project report is submitted to the faculty advisor for final approval.
Track 3: Courses
Enrolling in a course-based MS allows a student to graduate with a master’s degree in 12 months (e.g. fall, spring, and summer). This degree option may be appropriate for those who require accelerated learning of a broad range of topics within the chemical engineering discipline either to achieve career advancement or to complement other advanced degrees, e.g. in business, law, or medicine. Successful completion of the “Comprehensive Exam” is required.
Chemical Engineering ME
Our Chemical Engineering ME course focus areas are designed to maximize student readiness for future careers by developing core competencies in specific areas of high student and industry interest. Students can choose one of four focus areas (reflecting current market demands) and achieve their training goals by enrolling in a coherent set of companion courses.
The Biotechnology course focus trains students for careers in biotech, pharmaceutical and other life sciences industries, such as manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics, tissue culture, agricultural products, and new food and energy sources. The job market demand for students with a background in biotechnology-related fields is expected to grow at an increased rate as companies continue to search for students with advanced training in these areas.
The ideal student for this program will have a background or related coursework in chemical or related engineering fields, biomedical sciences and engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, physics, or a related natural science field.
Required Courses
| CE 517 Bioengineering Principles | Fall |
| CE 503/504 Culminating experience | Fall/Spring |
Elective Courses (Pick at least 4)
| CE 508 Metabolic Engineering | Fall |
| CE 550 Protein Engineering | Fall |
| CE 564 Tissue Engineering | Fall |
| CE 5XX Bioprocessing Modeling | Spring |
| CE 505 In vivo Molecular Imaging | Spring |
| CE 547 Biochemical Engineering | Spring |
| Plus any additional remaining CE Electives |
The course focus in Modeling, Simulation and Informatics brings the digital and data revolution to chemical engineering. It is designed to train students in computational and data-driven research techniques used in virtual laboratories that are increasingly augmenting and even replacing traditional research in the chemical and materials domains. The corresponding skills – ranging from modeling and simulation to scientific scripting and programming to high-performance computing to big data analytics, machine learning, and informatics – are becoming vitally important in both academic and industrial settings.
Industrial job opportunities are growing in chemical, pharmaceutical, and petroleum areas as well as in the technology, software, and information sectors. Government jobs are available at national laboratories and various government agencies.
Required Courses
| CE 531 Mathematics and Computation | Fall |
| CE 551 Computer-Aided Research in the Chemical and Material Sciences | Spring |
| CE 503/504 Culminating experience | Fall/Spring |
Elective Courses (Pick at least 3)
| CE 509 Transport Phenomena I | Fall |
| CE 561 Applied Chemical Kinetics I | Fall |
| CE 620 High Performance Computing I | Fall |
| CE 530 Molecular Simulation | Spring |
| CE 5XX Bioprocess Modeling | Spring |
| CE 621 High Performance Computing II | Spring |
| CE 526 Statistical Mechanics | Spring |
| Plus any additional remaining CE Electives |
The course focus in Chemistry and Processing of Materials is intended to train students in the design and production of new materials, including polymers, biomaterials, inorganic nanomaterials, catalysts, and complex formulations for applications ranging from biomedicine to energy.
Students are prepared for job opportunities in industrial positions in production as well as in product and process development in the semiconductor, energy (e.g. batteries, photovoltaics), specialty chemicals, biomaterials, and consumer products industries.
Required Courses
| CE 540 Materials Principles | Fall |
| CE 503/504 Culminating experience | Fall/Spring |
Elective Courses (Pick at least 4)
| CE 509 Transport Phenomena I | Fall |
| CE 522 Electrochemistry, Energy, and Environmental Technologies | Fall |
| CE 535 Polymer Science and Engineering I | Fall |
| CE XXX Principles of Nanosensors | Spring |
| CE 527 Colloid and Surface Phenomena | Spring |
| CE 530 Molecular Simulation | Spring |
| CE 534 Materials Science and Corrosion | Spring |
| CE 551 Computer Aided Research in the Chemical and Materials Sciences | Spring |
| CE 563 Heterogeneous Catalysis | Spring |
| Plus any additional remaining CE Electives |
The focus in Energy and Sustainability trains students in both the fundamental and practical aspects of energy conversion, conservation, and supplies, as well as the sustainable use of resources and our environment. This includes the study of conventional and renewable energy technology, fuels, catalysis and chemical reaction engineering, green chemistry and materials, processing, separations, remediation, and thermodynamics. These skills and insights will equip our students to pursue potential solutions in this vital field of engineering.
Industrial job opportunities are growing in chemical, materials, petroleum and agriculture areas as well as in the technology and policy sectors. Government jobs are available at national laboratories and various government agencies.
Required Courses
| CE 522 Electrochemistry for Energy and Environmental Technologies | Fall |
| CE 525 Advanced Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics | Fall |
Elective Courses (Pick at least 4)
| CE 514 Petroleum Engineering | Fall or Spring |
| CE 527 Colloid and Surface Phenomena | Spring |
| CE 529 Application and Advanced Topics of Colloid and Surface Phenomena | Spring |
| CE 534 Materials Science and Corrosion | Spring |
| CE 535 Polymer Science and Engineering | Fall |
| CE 540 Materials Principles | Fall |
| CE 551 Computer-Aided Research in the Chemical and Materials Sciences | Spring |
| CE 556 Introduction to Aerosol Science | Fall or Spring |
| CE 561 Applied Chemical Kinetics | Fall |
| CE 563 Heterogeneous Catalysis | Spring |
| CE 508 Metabolic Engineering | Fall |
| CE 509 Transport Phenomena I | Fall |
| CE 526 Statistical Mechanics | Fall or Spring |
| CE 530 Molecular Simulation | Fall or Spring |
| CE 531 Chemical Engineering Mathematics & Computation | Fall |
| CE 536 Polymer Science and Engineering II (Polymer Synthesis) | Fall or Spring |
| CE 537 Polymer Thermodynamics | Fall or Spring |
| Plus any additional remaining CE Electives |