Department of Chemical Engineering
Graduate Study
Graduate studies reflect the strong trend toward diversification in the industry and offer opportunities for study in a variety of subjects related to the manufacture of pulp and paper as well as the broader bioprocess industries. Individual study programs are designed to meet specific personal needs.
M.S. & Ph.D. Degrees
An important component of the M.S. and Ph.D. graduate programs is research under direction of a major professor.
The Department of Chemical Engineering provides graduate education leading to the master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees through the graduate program in the different fields of chemical engineering listed below.
Graduate studies are focused on specialization and advanced studies of the fundamentals of chemical engineering and the applications for a sustainable future. The development and applications of biorenewable materials and bioenergy are among the most critical challenges for the future.
The advanced graduate study programs in the department of chemical engineering are focused on these future challenges.
Our faculty members are leaders in their respective fields and guide thesis and dissertation research of MS and PhD scholars in these programs. (Please see individual webpages for individual faculty members' research interests and profiles).
Students can be accepted into the program from a variety of backgrounds. Successful students who have pursued advanced degrees in the Department of Chemical Engineering have had backgrounds in chemical engineering, pulp and paper engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, environmental engineering, chemistry, biological engineering, biology, biotechnology, and manufacturing, among many others. Students planning to obtain graduate degrees should have strong undergraduate preparation in some of the following areas, depending on the particular area of study chosen: mathematics, chemistry, physics, engineering, biological sciences, and computer science.
Students in this program master a variety of subjects that are normally found in a chemical engineering program, and supplement those studies with advanced courses specific to Bioprocess Engineering. The program focuses on the use of wood and other renewable biomass materials to replace petroleum in energy and industrial product applications.
The department enjoys excellent external support in the form of graduate assistantships, fellowships, research assistantships, and support from industry as well as a number of governments granting agencies.
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