MS in Chemical Engineering Curriculum
The Master of Science with a major in chemical engineering builds on our undergraduate chemical engineering curriculum to provide a deeper understanding of fundamental chemical engineering concepts. This program is appropriate for students who aim to pursue certain roles in industry, including process engineer and project engineer positions. Students enrolled in the PhD program may earn a concurrent MS degree while enrolled. Applicants should have an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering or related discipline. Please be award that the CBE department at UT does not offer financial support for MS students.
The following required core courses must be completed by all graduate students:
- CBE 506 Advanced Engineering Mathematics, Fall
- CBE 579 Advanced Biomolecular Engineering, Fall
- CBE 531 Advanced Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, Fall
- CBE 547 Advanced Transport Phenomena, Spring
- CBE 551 Advanced Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Kinetics and Reactor Design, Spring
The remainder of the required course work credits may be fulfilled with technical elective courses. Any approved courses listed in the graduate catalog under any engineering or certain science programs may be counted as a technical elective with advisor approval. Approved elective sciences include math; physics; chemistry; biochemistry, cellular, and molecular biology; microbiology; and plant sciences. Other courses with substantial technical content may be counted with approval by the advisor and the Director of Graduate Admissions and Studies Gila Stein.
CBE offers both thesis and non-thesis options for the Master of Science with a major in chemical engineering.
Non-Thesis Option
The standard master’s program is the non-thesis option. The requirements for completion of the MS degree, non-thesis option, are:
- Completion of a total of 30 hours of graduate course work. At least 18 of those hours must be in the department and must include the five core courses.
- Active participation in graduate seminars in the department. Resident students must register for CBE 501 every semester it is offered.
Thesis Option
MS students may choose a thesis-option Master of Science degree. Minimum departmental requirements for the degree are as follows:
- A total of at least 21 semester hours in graduate-level courses (excluding CBE 500, CBE 501, CBE 503, CBE 511) in chemical and biomolecular engineering and related areas beyond the baccalaureate. These courses must include the five core courses.
- Research and a thesis to give at least 9 hours of credit in CBE 500.
- Active participation in graduate seminars in the department. Resident students must register for CBE 501 or a departmentally approved substitute every semester it is offered.
- A final oral examination covering the thesis and related fields and graduate course work.