Chemical Engineering, BS ChE

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Description

Chemical Engineers work in 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, and 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 designing and conducting 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: 129

College Requirements

See college page for college requirements.

Major 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 (11 courses)

Advanced Technical Electives (minimum 8 credits, 3 courses)

Three (3) Chemical Engineering (CHE) or Biomedical (BME) Advanced Technical Electives are required, with a minimum of eight (8) credit hours. Any CHE 400-level not listed as Chemical Engineering Required Courses or any CHE or BME 500-level class are eligible as Advanced Technical Electives.

The Advanced Technical Electives offered change each year according to current trends in the discipline. New topics are commonly offered as Selected Topics (CHE 494 ) every semester. These classes and industrially-sponsored projects (CHE 496 ) are also options to satisfy the Advanced Technical Electives requirement.

One of the Advanced Technical Electives can be an Advanced Science course. This course must be a minimum of three (3) credit hours at 300-level or above, in chemistry, physics, or biology. This class can be selected to satisfy the requirements for a minor in Biology, Chemistry, or Physics. Students can select ONE course from the lists below.

This course may also be an independent study with faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences or the College of Engineering. To substitute for one of the Advanced Technical Electives, an independent study course must be taken for a letter grade, and students must present a formal written petition to the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering before registration in the course. This requirement may also be fulfilled using up to 3 credits of co-operative education credits (ESC 300 or ESC 400 ).

Contact your advisor for assistance in selecting appropriate courses.

Chemistry

CHM 310 - Survey Analytical Chemistry and CHM 315 - Survey Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (Both courses must be taken to meet the requirement - 4 credit hours)
CHM 311 - Analytical Chemistry
CHM 322 - Physical Chemistry II
CHM 332 - Organic Chemistry II
CHM 402 - Biochemistry I
CHM 403 - Biochemistry II
CHM 411 - Instrumental Analysis

Biology

Physics

Engineering Science Required Courses (11 courses)

INQ 170 - Engineering Launch *
ESC 102 - Technical Writing and Professional Communication
ESC 130 - Engineering & Computer Science Career Preparation
ESC 152 - Programming with MATLAB or ESC 151 - C Programming
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
*INQ 170 is required for all engineering, technology, and computer science majors, and meets the Core Curriculum requirement for Inquiry Launch. ESC 120 is required in place of INQ 170 in the following cases: (a) transfer students; however, those who have had co-op experience in engineering/computer science and/or have transferred 12 credits of engineering/computer science courses can petition to waive ESC 120 ; (b) students who, as freshmen at CSU, started in another major and completed an Inquiry Launch course different from INQ 170 ; (c) Honors students who take the Honors Inquiry Launch course. Neither INQ 170 nor ESC 120 is required for transfer students with an Associates of Applied Science degree.

Mathematics Required Courses (3 courses)

Science Required Courses (8 courses)

Ethics Required Course (1 course)

PHL 215 - Technology 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 or Scholar Thesis (three credit hours, minimum) and at least six (6) additional credits of approved Upper Division Courses and/or Independent Studies. These three credits can count towards the independent study option of the Technical Electives.

The upper division Honors and University Scholars program in Chemical Engineering is to be tailored for each individual student, 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 or Biomedical Engineering. Students in the Upper Division can enroll in a graduate level course if the prerequisites are met or approval from the course instructor is secured. These courses will also fulfill the corresponding number of credits of Technical Electives in the Chemical Engineering program.
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 598 (Master’s Project). 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). Up to three credits of this research can be applied towards the Technical Electives requirement in the Chemical Engineering program.
Conference attendance: Senior honors students and scholars can travel to a regional, national, or international professional meeting with their project adviser. If appropriate, students will be encouraged to present work performed towards completion of the Honors or Scholar Thesis. Funds will be available to support travel and/or conference fees.
Accelerated Master’s Program: Students in the Honors and University Scholars Programs are eligible to participate in the Accelerated Masters Programs available in the College of Engineering. For the Upper Division coursework to be applicable towards these accelerated programs, students must be admitted to the corresponding Accelerated Master’s Program prior to registering for the applicable courses.

Accelerated Master’s Program

See the following pages: