Chemical Engineering
About the Program
Master of Science in Chemical Engineering (MSCHE): 45.0 quarter credits
Doctor of Philosophy: 90.0 quarter credits
The graduate program in the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department integrates current chemical engineering science with the growing fields of engineering applications and processes. In emphasizing engineering design, as well as scientific analysis. The department intends to develop broadly educated individuals who are knowledgeable in modern theories, cognizant of the behavior of engineering systems, and aware of current mathematical and engineering tools that are useful for the solution of problems in complex processes and systems, especially those in the fields of chemical, environmental, biochemical, and materials process engineering. Areas of particular strength include biological engineering, energy and the environment, multiscale modeling and process systems engineering, and polymer science and engineering.
Programs are arranged to meet the needs and interests of individual students. The plan of study is initially formulated in consultation with the departmental graduate advisor and subsequently guided by the thesis advisor.
Graduates have pursued a variety of careers, ranging from faculty positions in academia to research and development in industry, in the U.S. and overseas.
Additional Information
For more information about this program, visit Drexel University's Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering web page.
Admission Requirements
Students should fulfill Drexel University's general requirements for admission to graduate studies. The subjects normally included in an undergraduate program in chemical engineering provide a satisfactory background. Decisions regarding prerequisite qualifications for students who may be deficient in some areas are made after consultation with the departmental graduate advisor.
The core courses are designed for students with undergraduate training in chemical engineering. However, students with a background in biological sciences and engineering can also enroll in the core courses after completing the necessary basic engineering courses. Programs for such students are determined on an individual basis after consultation with the departmental graduate advisor.
Graduate study in chemical engineering is offered on a regular full-time basis and on a part-time basis. Details not covered in the following information may be obtained by contacting the departmental graduate advisor. The General (Aptitude) Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for applicants pursuing full-time study.
Financial Assistance
Financial aid in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and fellowship grants is available to qualified full-time PhD students. Awards are made annually on a competitive basis.
For additional information on how to apply, visit Drexel's Admissions page for Chemical Engineering.
Master of Science in Chemical Engineering
Degree Requirements
In general, each program leading to the Master of Science in Chemical Engineering must meet the following requirements: core chemical engineering, 15 credits; area of concentration, 15.0 credits; electives, 6.0 credits; research, 9.0 credits.
The 15.0 credits of core courses in chemical engineering are listed below. The 9.0 credits of research can either be 9 credits of thesis research (CHE 898) or up to 9.0 credits of independent study (CHE 799), with the remaining credits taken in the area of concentration.
The thesis may be based on either a theoretical or an experimental investigation, or both, of limited scope but involving a significant degree of originality. The nature of the research may involve multidisciplinary areas such as environmental engineering, biomedical engineering, ceramic processing, molten metals processing, and other topics. The scope and content of the thesis is guided by the thesis advisor.
Courses in an area of concentration enable students to develop expertise in a technology area closely related to chemical engineering, such as environmental engineering, biochemical engineering, and materials engineering. Those contemplating a career in management of technology may consider the area of concentration in engineering management. Concentration in computer science is suggested for students interested in computer applications in chemical engineering. The courses listed under each area of concentration are recommended for students who have no prior exposure to that field. Students who have prior experience in a field should select courses in consultation with the graduate advisor.
Electives may be chosen from course offerings in chemical engineering, mathematics, science, and other engineering disciplines, subject to approval.
Full-time students usually take the core courses in the first year. Other courses may be substituted for the core courses, if equivalent courses are available and if the substitution is approved by the graduate advisor.
Seminars, attended by all full-time students and faculty, provide a forum for the discussion of original research problems and other topics of interest to chemical engineers.
Full-time students normally require a minimum of one calendar year to complete their study and research.
Some courses are offered in the late afternoon or evening for the convenience of part-time students.
Non-chemical engineering electives, other than those listed above, require prior approval by the graduate advisor. The current schedule of evening courses for part-time students are available upon request.
| Curriculum | ||
| CHE 502 | Mathematical Methods in Chemical Engineering | 3.0 |
| CHE 513 | Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics | 3.0 |
| CHE 525 | Transport Phenomena I | 3.0 |
| CHE 543 | Kinetics & Catalysis I | 3.0 |
| CHE 554 | Process Systems Engineering | 3.0 |
| Area of Concentration | 15.0 | |
| Thesis/Research | 9.0 | |
| Electives | 6.0 | |
| Sample Areas of Concentration | ||
| Biochemical Engineering | ||
| Sample Courses | ||
| Biochemistry I | ||
| Biochemistry of Metabolism | ||
| Medical Sciences I | ||
| Bioreactor Engineering | ||
| Unit Operations in Bioprocess Systems | ||
| Computer Science | ||
| Sample Courses | ||
| Operating Systems | ||
| Compiler Construction I | ||
| Compiler Construction II | ||
| Programming Languages | ||
| Engineering Management | ||
| Sample Courses | ||
| Engineering Management I | ||
| Engineering Management II | ||
| Communications | ||
| Economics for Engineering Management | ||
| Problems in Human Relations | ||
| Environmental Engineering | ||
| Sample Courses | ||
| Chemistry of the Environment | ||
| Fate of Pollutants in Air and Water | ||
| Env Engr Op-Chem & Phys | ||
| Enviro Engr Unit Oper-Bio | ||
| Spec Topics Envr Engineering | ||
| Materials Science and Engineering | ||
| Sample Courses | ||
| Structure and Properties of Metals | ||
| Structure and Properties of Polymers | ||
| Structure and Properties of Ceramic and Electronic Materials | ||
| Phase Equilibria | ||
| Kinetics | ||
| Total Credits | 45.0 | |
PhD in Chemical Engineering
Superior students with MS or BS degrees will be considered for the doctoral program in chemical engineering. Students joining with a Master’s degree may satisfy up to 45 credit hours of the PhD course/research credit requirements depending on the courses taken and/or research carried out in their Master’s programs, subject to approval by graduate program advisor.
Requirements
The following general requirements must be satisfied in order to complete the PhD in chemical engineering:
- 90 credit hours total
- Qualifying exam (first year)
- Establishing a plan of study (first term)
- 18 core credits
- 15 credit hours of specialized plan of study
- 57 credit hours of research
- Candidacy exam (5th term)
- Dissertation/Thesis
- Defense of Dissertation/Thesis
- GPA requirements: 3.0 overall; 3.0 in graduate Chemical Engineering (CHE) courses; 3.0 core graduate courses
Qualifying Exam
The qualifying exam takes place in the first year. The department administers the exam twice a year – in January and June. The objective of the exam is to evaluate proficiency in core undergraduate chemical engineering material. The format is made up of seven problems, each covering a separate core topic from the undergraduate curriculum, including thermodynamics, heat transfer, mass transfer, fluid mechanics, kinetics, control, and separations. Students must display mastery of five out of the seven topics to pass the qualifying exam. Each student will be given two opportunities to pass the qualifying exam.
Thesis Advisor/Plan of Study
All students must meet with their advisor in their first term to work out a plan of study.
| Core Requirements | ||
| CHE 502 | Mathematical Methods in Chemical Engineering | 3.0 |
| CHE 513 | Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics | 3.0 |
| CHE 525 | Transport Phenomena I | 3.0 |
| CHE 543 | Kinetics & Catalysis I | 3.0 |
| CHE 614 | Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics II | 3.0 |
| CHE 626 | Transport Phenomena II | 3.0 |
| Specialized Plan of Study Courses | 15.0 | |
| 15.0 credit hours of courses approved by research advisor. All students are expected to develop competence in their area(s) of specialization. | ||
| Research | 57.0 | |
| 57.0 credit hours of research (CHE 998), which may include up to 6.0 credit hours of electives. | ||
| Ph.D. Dissertation | ||
| Total Credits | 90.0 | |
Candidacy Exam
The components of the candidacy exam are as follows::
- Proposal Document (Written): The student is required to write a research proposal of about 15 pages, including background, preliminary results, and a research plan (with his/her advisor's input). The proposal must be submitted to each member of the student’s thesis committee and to the Graduate Program Advisor before 5:00 pm on the first day of the student's 5th term.
- Proposal Defense (Oral): The student provides a formal defense of his/her proposal to his/her thesis committee before the end of the student's 5th term.
Thesis/Dissertation and Defense
As the culmination of intensive study and independent research, the doctoral dissertation represents a major scholarly endeavor; accordingly, it is recognized as the most important requirement of the degree. All doctoral candidates must present an acceptable dissertation based on significant work. The dissertation must represent a unique contribution to chemical engineering or biochemical engineering knowledge. A final oral examination is conducted, in part, as a defense of the dissertation.
A preliminary exam is targeted for the student's 12th term, with this scheduling subject to the research advisor's discretion. This preliminary exam is to ensure that the student has made adequate progress in his/her project and that s/he has gained skills to write an independent research proposal.
The requirements of the thesis/dissertation and defense include:
- Proposal Document, a.k.a. “Second Proposal”: The student is required to write a research proposal of about 15 pages, including background, summary of results to date, and a plan for completion of the thesis work (with minimal advisor input). The proposal must be submitted to each member of the student’s thesis committee well in advance of the oral exam date.
- Preliminary Defense (Oral Examination): The student must defend the second proposal and the thesis work to-date in an oral examination by his/her thesis committee.
- Manuscript Submission: Before taking the preliminary exam, the student is required to submit at least one paper based on his/her PhD research to a refereed journal. This must be an original article, not a review.
- A copy of the written proposal, together with a copy of the submitted paper with acknowledgment of submission from the journal editor, must be submitted to the Graduate Program Advisor before the Preliminary Defense and at least 6 months before the Thesis Defense.
- The student is responsible for scheduling the Preliminary Defense
- Students should submit a copy of the Preliminary Exam Reporting Form no later than three days after the exam.
For more information, visit the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department web page.
Facilities
Polymer Processing Laboratory (PALMESE)
Cat-471
- Nicolet Nexus 670 FTIR
- Water GPC (RI, UV Detectors)
- Brookfield digital viscometer
- DMA 2980 Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer
- Electrospinning station
- Instron 8872
- Perkin Elmer Differential Scanning Calorimeter 7
- SPI supercritical extraction setup
- Brinkmann rotary evaporator
- PMI Mercury pycnometer
Access to:
- Thermo Gravimetric Analyzer
- Scanning Electron Microscope
- Micro Reflectance FTIR
- Solatron Impedance Analyzer
Abrams Laboratory (ABRAMS)
Cat-472
- Beowulf Computer Clusters
- 16-dual AthlonMP 2200 with Dolphin/Wulfkit
- 16-dual AthlonMP 2200
- 17-dual AthlonMP 2400
- 4 quad-Opteron 242 with Infiniband
- Terabyte RAID server
- Workstation PCs
- 3 dual Opteron
- 2 dual Athlon MP 2800
- 1 single Pentium
Biomaterials and Drug Delivery laboratory (LOWMAN)
Cat-262, 263, 264
- Nicolet Magna 560 FTIR with ATR optics
- Brinkmann temperature controlled centrifuge
- Elisa Plate Reader
- TA Instruments DSC 2010
- Instron 4400 Materials Testing System
- Homogenizer – Kinematica Polytron PT 3100
- Waters Alliance 2690 HPLC with 996 Photodiode Array Detector
- 2 Distek 2100B automated baths
- 2 Laminar flow hoods
- 6 incubator baths
- precision balances
Coating and Drying Technology Laboratory (CAIRNCROSS)
Cat-265
- High Airflow Drying Experimental Setup
- Flexible Tube Flow Experiment
- Extrusion Visualization
- TGA
Process Systems Engineering Laboratory (SOROUSH)
- Pilot-scale setup for systems engineering studies
- Interacting liquid level tanks
- Desktop PCs and MACs
Access to:
2-liter RC1 Calorimeter @ DuPont Marshall Laboratory, Philadelphia
Other facilities:
Cat-462: 90 sf of cold room maintain at 6.5 C
Cat-463: 90 sf of hot room maintain at 37 C
Courses
CHE 502 Mathematical Methods in Chemical Engineering 3.0 Credits
Emphasizes formulation of differential and difference equations, both ordinary and partial, governing chemical engineering operations in the steady and unsteady state.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 513 Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics 3.0 Credits
Examines thermodynamic principles from a classical viewpoint, including properties of materials, equations of state of mixtures, and chemical and phase equilibria of complex mixtures.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 525 Transport Phenomena I 3.0 Credits
Presents a unified treatment of transport rate theory, with emphasis on analogies among momentum, energy, and mass transfer, and continuum and molecular theories of matter.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 534 Mass Transfer Operations I 3.0 Credits
Theory and design of equilibrium stage operations. Separation processes for binary and multicomponent mixtures.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 543 Kinetics & Catalysis I 3.0 Credits
Covers chemical reaction kinetics as applied to chemical engineering. Introduces chemical kinetics and mechanisms and heterogeneous kinetics and catalysis. Includes design of ideal and non-ideal chemical reactors.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: CHE 502 [Min Grade: C]
CHE 554 Process Systems Engineering 3.0 Credits
Covers the basic concepts of the systems engineering approach to the design and operation of processing plants. Includes methods for developing control strategies.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: CHE 502 [Min Grade: C]
CHE 556 Process Optimization 3.0 Credits
Focuses on optimization of processes from the viewpoint of economic return.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 560 Transport Phenomena in Biological Systems 3.0 Credits
Covers gas-liquid mass transfer in microbial systems, mass transfer in cells and biofilms, membrane transport, fluid mechanics of fermentation broth, power consumption in agitated vessels, heat transfer, and scale-up of mass transfer equipment.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 562 Bioreactor Engineering 3.0 Credits
Covers growth and product formation kinetics, batch and continuous stirred tank bioreactors, tower reactors, immobilized-cell reactors, and immobilized-enzyme reactors.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 564 Unit Operations in Bioprocess Systems 3.0 Credits
Covers liquid-liquid extractions, membrane separations, chromatographic separations, filtration, centrifugation, distillation, and leaching.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 566 Dynamics and Control of Biological Process Systems 3.0 Credits
Dynamics of pH and temperature control systems, dynamics of bioreactors to feed upsets, substrate feed rate control, start-up of bioreactors, dynamics of multiple microbial populations, instrumentation of bioreactors, computer interfacing and control of bioreactors.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 614 Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics II 3.0 Credits
The second in a two-quarter sequence in thermodynamics for graduate students in Chemical and Biological Engineering. Students learn theory and application of statistical mechanics with emphasis on prediction of volumetric and thermal properties of pure fluids and mixtures, as well as phase equilibrium. Modern methods in applied statistical mechanics are covered, including Monte Carlo and molecular-dynamics simulations. Non-equilibrium statistical mechanics in terms of linear response theory applied to chemical kinetics is also covered. Students are evaluated on homework sets, two exams, and a term project.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Restrictions: Can enroll if major is CHE and program is PHD.
Prerequisites: CHE 513 [Min Grade: C]
CHE 626 Transport Phenomena II 3.0 Credits
Transport of mass, energy, and momentum of turbulent systems.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 631 Heat Transfer 3.0 Credits
Advanced topics in heat conduction, convection, and radiation with application to design.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 635 Mass Transfer Operations II 3.0 Credits
Theory and design of continuous contact operations including fixed-bed and fluid-bed processes.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 644 Kinetics and Catalysis II 3.0 Credits
Advanced topics in kinetics and catalysis including: diffusion and catalysis; optimization of chemical reaction systems; analysis and treatment of kinetic data.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 658 Advanced Process Design 3.0 Credits
Covers flowsheet analysis and synthesis, batch process design and scheduling, project scheduling, and economic considerations.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: CHE 502 [Min Grade: C]
CHE 670 Real-Time Microcomputer Applications 3.0 Credits
Application of microcomputers in monitoring and control of external devices and processes. Topics include: digital input/output, real-time clock, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion, noise removal, signal processing, and data communications. Includes hands-on computer laboratory.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
CHE 799 Independent Study in Chemical Engineering 9.0 Credits
Provides advanced independent study in chemical engineering or related interdisciplinary fields.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
CHE 800 Special Topics 0.5-9.0 Credits
Covers selected advanced-level topics in chemical engineering. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
CHE 898 Master's Thesis 9.0 Credits
Requires fundamental research in chemical engineering. Hours and credits to be arranged.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
CHE 998 Ph.D. Dissertation 1.0-9.0 Credit
Requires dissertation research in chemical engineering. Hours and credits to be arranged.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
