Core curriculum
The core curriculum for chemical engineering master's degrees is made up of four courses and accounts for 48 units of the degree. The core courses are offered each year with focus on technical depth and computational skills:
- 06-623 Mathematical Modeling of Chemical Engineering Processes
- 06-625 Chemical & Reactive Systems
- 06-663 Analysis & Modeling of Transport Phenomena
- 06-665 Process Systems Modeling
Master of Science - Applied Study: additional requirements
The MS - Applied Study degree requires 72 units of coursework (about 7 courses), 72 units of research, and 3 units of internship, totaling 147 units. The following requirements are in addition to the core curriculum:
- 1 graduate ChemE elective
- 1-2 graduate ChemE electives and/or outside technical courses (9 or more units)
- 06-608 Graduate Professional Development Seminar (3 units but does not count towards total minimum required units)
- 39-699 Career & Professional Development for Engineering Master's Students (3 units but does not count towards total minimum required units)
- 3 units of internship
- 72 units of research and final independent project
Master of Science: additional requirements
The MS degree requires 72 units of coursework (about 7 courses) and 72 units of research, totaling 144 units. The following requirements are in addition to the core curriculum:
- 1 graduate ChemE elective
- 1-2 graduate ChemE electives and/or outside technical courses (9 or more units)
- 06-608 Graduate Professional Development Seminar (3 units but does not count towards total minimum required units)
- 39-699 Career & Professional Development for Engineering Master's Students (3 units but does not count towards total minimum required units)
- 72 units of research and final independent project
Independent project
The independent project for Master of Science - Applied Study and Master of Science students is designed to orient students to research topics in chemical engineering. Students begin work on their independent project in their second semester, in parallel with their coursework, and continue for the remainder of their degree program. Ultimately, students will:
- Specialize in an area of modern chemical engineering
- Complete an independent project with technical depth
Master of Chemical Engineering: additional requirements
The MChE degree requires a minimum total of 96 units (about 9 courses). The following requirements are in addition to the core curriculum:
- Graduate ChemE elective OR outside technical elective (9 or 12 unit course)
- Minimum of 3 breadth/depth/skill electives (minimum of 36 units)
- Graduate elective
Two professional development courses are recommended for MChE students, though they are not required.
- 06-608 Graduate Professional Development Seminar (3 units but does not count towards total minimum required units)
- 39-699 Career & Professional Development for Engineering Master's Students (3 units but does not count towards total minimum required units)
Flexible electives
Students choose elective courses to fit their interests and career goals. Sampling the diverse course offerings at a world-class research institution is done with the advice of the chemical engineering faculty. In their first semester, students can select from 48 units of courses from the College of Engineering, designed to provide a base from which to make informed course decisions and create an engineering-focused degree.