Skip to content Skip to main navigation Report an accessibility issue

BS in Chemical Engineering

Two students working in a CBE lab.


Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

The undergraduate chemical engineering program provides a comprehensive education through broad-based course offerings in fundamental engineering science and in specialized courses that provide depth of knowledge in areas of particular interest.

For current chemical engineering course descriptions and requirements, visit the UT Undergraduate Catalog.


Academic Requirements

Applicants are initially admitted to the BS program as lower-division students. A lower-division student must apply for progression to upper-division status after completing CBE 201, CBE 235, CBE 240, and CBE 250 with a grade of C- or better in each course and an overall GPA of 2.3 or better.

Progression of students to departmental courses numbered 301 and above is competitive and is based on capacity. Factors considered include overall grade point average, performance in selected lower-division courses, and evidence of satisfactory and orderly progress through the prescribed curriculum.

Students who have completed CBE 201, CBE 235, CBE 240, and CBE 250 with an overall GPA of at least 2.3 but who do not meet the requirement of a C- or better may apply for provisional status. For further details, see the UT Undergraduate Catalog.


Technical Electives

There is considerable flexibility in the choice of technical electives, subject to the two restrictions noted below. Any course that might be relevant to your professional career can fulfill the technical elective requirement if approved by the department. Usually, however, technical electives are chosen from the areas of engineering, the physical sciences, the biological sciences, the natural sciences, mathematics, and business-related areas. The two restrictions are:

  1. At least one course must be taken in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.
  2. No more than one course may be taken in business-related areas unless the student is getting a business minor.

Interested students are encouraged to select related technical electives and earn an appropriate minor. Requirements for minors are established by the programs offering the minors. Some examples of minors often pursued by BS ChE students include chemistry, math, business administration, reliability and maintainability, engineering entrepreneurship, engineering leadership honors, and others. Refer to the UT Undergraduate Catalog for a full list of minors offered by the university.

See the departmental Advising FAQ Page for further information about technical electives as well as specific courses required in biology and chemistry.

Honors Program

Qualifying students are encouraged to pursue the Honors Concentration. For current information about the departmental Honors Concentration, visit the Chemical Engineering Honors Concentration page.