Chemical Engineering undergraduate curriculum

The following information on required course work includes semester-specific advising information. This information is intended to be a supplement for meeting with your advisor to discuss your career goals and professional development. We hope it will serve to guide your discussions with your advisor and allow you to concentrate on more important issues than what classes to take during your meetings.

Use these links to navigate to your class:

Class of 2025 and beyond    Class of 2024    Classes of 2021, 2022, 2023

Course spotlight: Introduction to Chemical Engineering

Class of 2025 and beyond

First Year - Fall

Course Description Units
21-120 Differential and Integral Calculus (C grade or better) 10
76-xxx Designated Writing/Expression Course 9
99-101 Computing @ Carnegie Mellon 3
06-100 Intro to Chemical Engineering 12
09-105 Intro to Modern Chemistry I 10
Total Units 44

First Year - Spring

Course Description Units
21-122 Integration, Differential Equations & Approximation (C grade or better) 10
xx-100/101 Introductory Engineering Elective (other than ChE) 12
33-141 Physics I for Engineering Students 12
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, or GE 9
Total units 43

Second Year - Fall

Course Description Units
21-254 Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus for Engineers  11
06-223 Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics 12
06-222 Sophomore Chemical Engineering Seminar* 1
09-106 Modern Chemistry II 10
xx-xxx Computer Sci./Physics II** 10 or 12
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, or GE 9
39-210 Experiential Learning I 0
Total units 53 or 55

Second Year - Spring

Course Description Units
06-261 Fluid Mechanics 9
06-262 Mathematical Methods of Chemical Engineering 12
09-221 Lab I: Introduction to Chemical Analysis 12
xx-xxx  Physics II/Computer Sci.** 10 or 12
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, GE (excluding category(ies) fulfilled after 1st year) 9
39-220 Experiential Learning II 0
Total units 52 or 54

Third Year - Fall

Course Description Units
06-325 Numerical Methods & ML for Chemical Engineering 6
06-326 Optimization, Modeling & Algorithms 6
06-322 Junior Chemical Engineering Seminar* 2
06-323 Heat and Mass Transfer 9
09-217/219 Organic Chemistry I or Modern Organic Chemistry 9 or 10
06-310 Molecular Foundations of Chemical Engineering 9
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, GE (excluding category(ies) fulfilled after 1st year) 9
39-310 Experiential Learning III 0
Total units 50 or 51

Third Year - Spring

Course Description Units
06-361 Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering 9
06-363 Transport Processes Laboratory 9
06-364 Chemical Reaction Engineering 9
xx-xxx Advanced Chemistry Elective*** 9
xx-xxx Unrestricted Elective 9
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, GE (excluding category(ies) fulfilled after 1st year) 9
Total units 54

Fourth Year - Fall

Course Description Units
06-421 Chemical Process Systems Design 12
06-423 Unit Operations Laboratory 9
xx-xxx Unrestricted Elective 9
xx-xxx Unrestricted Elective 9
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, GE (excluding category(ies) fulfilled after 1st year) 9
Total units 48

Fourth Year - Spring

Course Description Units
06-463 Chemical Product Design**** 9
06-464 Chemical Engineering Process Control 9
xx-xxx Unrestricted Elective 9
xx-xxx Unrestricted Elective 9
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, GE (excluding category(ies) fulfilled after 1st year) 9
Total units 45

Courses include projects.

* For students pursuing the additional major in Biomedical Engineering, the Junior Chemical Engineering Seminar course (06-322) is replaced by the Biomedical Engineering course Professional Issues in Biomedical Engineering (42-201).

** Computer Science/Physics II: Students should complete 15-110 (Introduction to Programming) or 15-112 (Fundamentals of Programming & CS) as well as 33-142 (Physics II for Engineering and Physics Students) by the end of the second year. The recommended sequence is 33-141 / 142 for engineering students, however, 33-151 / 152 will also meet the College of Engineering physics requirement. Another acceptable course for Physics I is 33-121.

For those students who have not taken 06-100 as one of the two Introductory Engineering electives, 06-100 should be taken in the fall semester of the second year. The general education course normally taken during that semester may be postponed until the third year. These students should consult with their faculty advisors as soon as possible.

*** Advanced Chemistry Elective may be any technical course offered by the Department of Chemistry for at least 9 units at the 200-level or above, or one of the following: 03-232 Biochemistry, 06-607 Physical Chemistry of Colloids and Surfaces, or 06-609/09-509 Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules. Students may petition the Undergraduate Committee to approve other chemistry-focused courses offered by other departments on a case-by-case basis.

Students pursuing the additional major in Engineering and Public Policy are waived from taking the Advanced Chemistry Elective. They will take 36-220 Engineering Statistics and Quality Control.

**** For students pursuing the additional major in Biomedical Engineering, the 06-463 Chemical Product Design requirement is waived, provided they complete both 42-401 Foundations of Biomedical Engineering Design (6 units, fall) AND 42-402 Biomedical Engineering Design Project (9 units, spring).

Notes:

  1. In addition to the graduation requirement of an overall QPA of 2.0 (not counting the first year), the Department of Chemical Engineering requires a cumulative QPA of 2.0 in all chemical engineering courses (all those numbered 06-xxx).
  2. Minimum number of units required for degree: 391.
  3. All mathematics (21-xxx) courses required for the engineering degree taken at Carnegie Mellon must have a minimum grade of C in order to be counted toward the graduation requirement for the BS engineering degree.
  4. A minimum grade of C must be achieved in any required mathematics (21-xxx) course that is a pre-requisite for the next higher level required mathematics (21-xxx) course.
  5. Overloads are permitted only for students maintaining a QPA of 3.5 or better during the preceding semester.
  6. Electives: To obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering, students must complete 06-100 and one other Introductory Engineering elective. There are also five unrestricted electives. At most, 9 units of ROTC or physical education can be counted toward these electives. Students must discuss their choices of electives with their faculty advisors.
  7. Undergraduate research: Independent research projects are available by arrangement with a faculty advisor. Many students conduct these research projects for elective credit by enrolling in 06-200, 300, or 400 (Sophomore, Junior, or Senior Research Projects) or 39-500 (College of Engineering Honors Research) for eligible seniors.

Class of 2024

First Year - Fall

Course Description Units
21-120 Differential and Integral Calculus (C grade or better) 10
76-xxx Designated Writing/Expression Course 9
99-101 Computing @ Carnegie Mellon 3
06-100 Intro to Chemical Engineering 12
09-105 Intro to Modern Chemistry I 10
Total Units 44

First Year - Spring

Course Description Units
21-122 Integration, Differential Equations & Approximation (C grade or better) 10
xx-100/101 Introductory Engineering Elective (other than ChE) 12
33-141 Physics I for Engineering Students 12
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, or GE 9
Total units 43

Second Year - Fall

Course Description Units
21-259 Calculus in Three-Dimensions (C grade or better) or 21-254 Linear Algebra and Vector Calculus for Engineers (11 units) 10
06-223 Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics 12
06-222 Sophomore Chemical Engineering Seminar* 1
09-106 Modern Chemistry II 10
xx-xxx Computer Sci./Physics II** 10 or 12
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, or GE 9
39-210 Experiential Learning I 0
Total units 51 or 53

Second Year - Spring

Course Description Units
06-261 Fluid Mechanics 9
06-262 Mathematical Methods of Chemical Engineering 12
09-221 Lab I: Introduction to Chemical Analysis 12
xx-xxx  Physics II/Computer Sci.** 10 or 12
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, GE (excluding category(ies) fulfilled after 1st year) 9
39-220 Experiential Learning II 0
Total units 52 or 54

Third Year - Fall

Course Description Units
06-325 Numerical Methods & ML for Chemical Engineering 6
06-326 Optimization, Modeling & Algorithms 6
06-322 Junior Chemical Engineering Seminar* 2
06-323 Heat and Mass Transfer 9
09-217/219 Organic Chemistry I or Modern Organic Chemistry 9 or 10
06-310 Molecular Foundations of Chemical Engineering 9
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, GE (excluding category(ies) fulfilled after 1st year) 9
39-310 Experiential Learning III 0
Total units 50 or 51

Third Year - Spring

Course Description Units
06-361 Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering 9
06-363 Transport Processes Laboratory 9
06-364 Chemical Reaction Engineering 9
xx-xxx Advanced Chemistry Elective*** 9
xx-xxx Unrestricted Elective 9
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, GE (excluding category(ies) fulfilled after 1st year) 9
Total units 54

Fourth Year - Fall

Course Description Units
06-421 Chemical Process Systems Design 12
06-423 Unit Operations Laboratory 9
xx-xxx Unrestricted Elective 9
xx-xxx Unrestricted Elective 9
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, GE (excluding category(ies) fulfilled after 1st year) 9
Total units 48

Fourth Year - Spring

Course Description Units
06-463 Chemical Product Design**** 9
06-464 Chemical Engineering Process Control 9
xx-xxx Unrestricted Elective 9
xx-xxx Unrestricted Elective 9
xx-xxx Select one: PPC, SDM, I&I, W&E, GE (excluding category(ies) fulfilled after 1st year) 9
Total units 45

Courses include projects.

* For students pursuing the additional major in Biomedical Engineering, the Junior Chemical Engineering Seminar course (06-322) is replaced by the Biomedical Engineering course Professional Issues in Biomedical Engineering (42-201).

** Computer Science/Physics II: Students should complete 15-110 (Introduction to Programming) or 15-112 (Fundamentals of Programming & CS) as well as 33-142 (Physics II for Engineering and Physics Students) by the end of the second year. The recommended sequence is 33-141 / 142 for engineering students, however, 33-151 / 152 will also meet the College of Engineering physics requirement. Another acceptable course for Physics I is 33-121.

For those students who have not taken 06-100 as one of the two Introductory Engineering electives, 06-100 should be taken in the fall semester of the second year. The general education course normally taken during that semester may be postponed until the third year. These students should consult with their faculty advisors as soon as possible.

*** Advanced Chemistry Elective may be any technical course offered by the Department of Chemistry for at least 9 units at the 200-level or above, or one of the following: 03-232 Biochemistry, 06-607 Physical Chemistry of Colloids and Surfaces, or 06-609/09-509 Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules. Students may petition the Undergraduate Committee to approve other chemistry-focused courses offered by other departments on a case-by-case basis.

Students pursuing the additional major in Engineering and Public Policy are waived from taking the Advanced Chemistry Elective. They will take 36-220 Engineering Statistics and Quality Control.

**** For students pursuing the additional major in Biomedical Engineering, the 06-463 Chemical Product Design requirement is waived, provided they complete both 42-401 Foundations of Biomedical Engineering Design (6 units, fall) AND 42-402 Biomedical Engineering Design Project (9 units, spring).

Notes:

  1. In addition to the graduation requirement of an overall QPA of 2.0 (not counting the first year), the Department of Chemical Engineering requires a cumulative QPA of 2.0 in all chemical engineering courses (all those numbered 06-xxx).
  2. Minimum number of units required for degree: 390.
  3. All mathematics (21-xxx) courses required for the engineering degree taken at Carnegie Mellon must have a minimum grade of C in order to be counted toward the graduation requirement for the BS engineering degree.
  4. A minimum grade of C must be achieved in any required mathematics (21-xxx) course that is a pre-requisite for the next higher level required mathematics (21-xxx) course.
  5. Overloads are permitted only for students maintaining a QPA of 3.5 or better during the preceding semester.
  6. Electives: To obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering, students must complete 06-100 and one other Introductory Engineering elective. There are also five unrestricted electives. At most, 9 units of ROTC or physical education can be counted toward these electives. Students must discuss their choices of electives with their faculty advisors.
  7. Undergraduate research: Independent research projects are available by arrangement with a faculty advisor. Many students conduct these research projects for elective credit by enrolling in 06-200, 300, or 400 (Sophomore, Junior, or Senior Research Projects) or 39-500 (College of Engineering Honors Research) for eligible seniors.