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Undergraduate Programs and Degrees
The primary undergraduate degree offered by the department is a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering.
Chemical engineers are involved in transfer of scientific discoveries to modern technologies and novel products that benefit society and minimize the impact to the environment. They deal with multi-scale aspects of generating clean energy, producing novel and superior materials, and utilizing the biological revolution in manufacturing new products. They are involved in the development and manufacture of consumer products as well as in design, operation, and control of processes in a variety of industries (e.g., petroleum, petrochemical, chemical, consumer products, food, feed, pharmaceutical, etc.). Their broad training in basic sciences (e.g., chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics) coupled with the strong foundation in chemical engineering principles (e.g., thermodynamics, mass and energy balances, transport phenomena, kinetics, separations, reaction engineering, control, product development, and process design) makes them invaluable team members and leaders in any engineering enterprise. It also prepares them well for graduate studies in biochemical, biomedical, chemical, environmental, and materials engineering. In addition, the B.S. degree in chemical engineering is a great starting point for pursuing a degree in business, law, or medicine.
The mission of our department is to teach chemical engineering principles and their application in an inspiring learning environment and to prepare students for engineering careers. We strive to develop in our students the capabilities to think critically and analytically, to communicate their thoughts clearly, and to conduct themselves professionally in a manner that is ethically and socially responsible.
The curriculum is planned so as to provide students with a strong background in basic chemical engineering concepts while allowing individual latitude to emphasize study in a specialized area. The faculty devotes a considerable amount of time to individual advising. A contemporary approach to chemical engineering is emphasized, consistent with modern developments in computer-supported problem solving, focused on the multi-scale aspects of the discipline. Molecular-level understanding is utilized in product development and process design, which in turn are evaluated in terms of their impact on the environment and society according to the principles of green engineering.
Advising
The department takes pride in mentoring undergraduate students. Each student who declares chemical engineering as a (potential) major is assigned an academic adviser from the tenure–track ChE faculty. Typically, the same adviser follows the student’s academic progress and serves as a mentor from the freshman year through graduation.
The Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering
This ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accredited B.S. ChE degree requires the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 126 units indicated in enclosed Table 1. The program of study consists of 39 units of basic sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics), 12 units of engineering sciences, 39 units of core chemical engineering courses, and 18 units of humanities, social sciences, and technical writing. The final 6 courses for 18 units must be chosen from the approved list of engineering ( or science) electives. A sample year by year ChE curriculum is shown in Table 2.
The objectives of our program are: (1) to impart a thorough grounding in sciences; (2) to impart working knowledge of engineering topics essential to the chemical engineering profession, such as material and energy balances, thermodynamics of physical and chemical equilibria, principles of momentum, mass, and heat transfer, continuous and stage separations, chemical kinetics, reaction engineering, process dynamics and control; (3) to expose students to open-ended design-type interdisciplinary problems throughout the curriculum and have students demonstrate design proficiency in a capstone design project oriented either toward product development or process synthesis that encompasses safety and environmental considerations; (4) to implement the use of computers and information technology throughout the curriculum; (5) to expose the students to modern instrumentation and experimentation and have them demonstrate their knowledge of engineering statistics and of physical principles in designing, implementing, running, and interpreting laboratory experiments. The above technical expertise, coupled with writing and communication skills, as well as firm grounding in ethical principles and other social sciences and humanities gained by additional course work and seminars, leads to the profile of a modern chemical engineer that our curriculum strives to create.
The department provides the students with the opportunity to focus on an area of concentration of most interest to them. The 18 units of engineering electives shall be chosen in one of the following four areas of concentration: bio-processing, environmental engineering, materials engineering, and product development and process design. The student should choose the area of concentration as early as possible but no later than the end of the fall semester of the sophomore (second) year. The choice of eligible electives should be planned carefully with academic adviser. The eligible electives for each area are outlined below.
A graduate degree oriented student, or a student with special requirements, with the help of the academic ChE adviser, can present an alternative choice of electives for ChE faculty approval. Once it is determined that the proposed selection of electives satisfies the mission of the department and ABET criteria, the student will be allowed to pursue it. If ABET criteria are not met by the proposed course of study, the student will be so advised. One choice then is to change the selected electives so as to meet the criteria for the BS ChE accredited degree. Another choice is to pursue the proposed course of study leading to the BS degree with Applied Science Major in Chemical Engineering, which is outlined below.
Selection of Engineering Electives Update (04/03/06) ( See Link )
The list of electives in all areas will be posted on the website and will vary periodically as the department and the School of Engineering add new courses.
As mentioned earlier, many students who major in chemical engineering continue their studies beyond the bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering or in another field. A B.S. degree in chemical engineering provides an excellent background for advanced studies in biomedical, chemical, environmental, and materials engineering. It is also a good background for law or medicine.
Double Majors, Minor, Premedical Program
You may be able to take more than the 126-unit minimum during your four-year program, especially if you have advanced-placement units. This permits the choice of additional free electives from such areas as biology, computer science, the social sciences, or other engineering courses. It also provides an opportunity to pursue a double major. The rules for combining majors in engineering and multiple majors involving other university divisions are described on page ??. Particularly popular with chemical engineering students is a double major with biomedical engineering or a combined degree program in process control systems.
Traditionally, the undergraduate chemical engineering degrees, both the accredited one and the applied science option, have been popular with students interested in medicine since the curriculum automatically satisfies most of the premed requirements. The additional needed courses are taken as electives.
A minor in environmental engineering science can be obtained with no additional units by careful selection of engineering and free electives and is described below. A minor in computer science is also possible.
The Bachelor of Science Degree with the Applied Science Major
This degree serves students who like a more flexible curriculum yet want to be exposed to key chemical engineering principles. To pursue the applied science major in chemical engineering, you must take at least 18 units of upper-level (300 or higher) chemical engineering core courses. If you complete the applied science major, you may later obtain the accredited Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering degree with additional study.
Minor in Environmental Engineering Science
The Department of Chemical Engineering, along with the departments of Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering, sponsors an undergraduate minor in environmental engineering science. This 18-unit program prepares you to seek an entry-level position as an environmental engineer, scientist, or analyst. The minor also provides a solid foundation for undertaking graduate study in environmental engineering.
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