PhD in Chemical Engineering

Admission Requirements

The department reviews each applicant on an individual basis. Complete transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate work must be submitted. In addition to meeting the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

  • Baccalaureate Field Engineering or natural science.
  • Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study, for the master’s program, and at least 3.50 for the doctoral program. In exceptional cases, applicants with averages below 3.00 but above 2.75 may be admitted on limited standing if they show evidence of substantial ability to complete the program successfully.
  • Test Required None
  • Minimum English Competency Test Score
    • TOEFL iBT 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21, OR,
    • IELTS Academic 6.5, with 6.0 in each of the four subscores, OR,
    • PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
  • Letters of Recommendation Three required.
  • Personal Statement Required.

Degree Requirements

In addition to meeting the minimum requirements of the Graduate College, students must also meet the following program requirements:

Entering with BS in Chemical Engineering

  • Minimum Semester Hours Required 108 from the baccalaureate. 
  • Coursework At least 24 semester hours must be at the 500 level.
Required Core Courses (6 courses, 24 hours)
CHE 501
Advanced Thermodynamics
or CHE 502
 Fluid Phase Equilibria
CHE 510
Separation Processes
or CHE 511
 Advanced Mass Transfer
or CHE 512
 Microhydrodynamics, Diffusion and Membrane Transport
CHE 520
Transport Phenomena
CHE 527
Advanced Chemical Reaction Engineering
CHE 531
& CHE 545
Numerical Methods in Chemical Engineering
and Mathematical Methods in Chemical Engineering
Electives (6 courses, 24 hours)
All courses at the 400 level or above.
CHE 595
Seminar in Chemical Engineering Research (one semester hour each term, to a maximum of 4 hours)
Research Credit
CHE 599
Ph.D. Thesis Preparation (60 semester hours)
  • Examinations 
    • ​Qualifying Examination: Not required.
    • Preliminary (Research) Examination: Required; oral.
  • Dissertation Required.
  • Other Requirements Each student must present a seminar based on his or her research in CHE 595 at least once.

Entering with MS in Chemical Engineering

  • Minimum Semester Hours Required 76 from the MS. 32 semester hours are given for the MS.
  • Coursework 
Courses (6 courses, 24 hours including CHE 595)
Seminar in Chemical Engineering Research (1 semester hour each term, to a maximum of 4 hours). Courses in the core requirement above, not completed in the prior degree, must be taken. No course from prior degree may be repeated. At least 24 semester hours must be taken (or given credit from prior degree) at the 500 level. Electives, if needed, must be 400 level or above.
Research Credit
CHE 599
Ph.D. Thesis Preparation (52 semester hours)
  • Examinations 
    • Qualifying Examination: Not required.
    • Preliminary (Research) Examination: Required; oral.
  • Dissertation Required.
  • Other Requirements Each student must present a seminar based on his or her research in CHE 595 at least once.