Overview
A program that focuses on the general application of chemical principles to the analysis and design of chemical, industrial and environmental systems. The chemical engineering field is the broad application of the principles of chemistry, physics, and mathematics to solve problems primarily in production, utilization and treatment of materials in all forms or phases.
What is Engineering Chemistry?
The study of chemical engineering is primarily the application of scientific principles, methods and concepts to solve problems in the production, utilization and treatment of materials. It is an area that concentrates on chemistry, physics and mathematics. The term "Chemical Engineering" can be used as a job title or field designation to identify someone who has studied chemical in addition to mathematics, physics or other related fields. A person with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering can work at a variety of jobs that require these knowledge such as working as an account executive or specialized engineer at a chemical company; designing various chemicals; hazardous waste disposal; designing chemicals for use in plants and petro-chemical facilities; designing water treatment systems.
Note: Many students pursue a Chemical Engineering degree with an emphasis in specific areas. See degree listings on the department's website.
The Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering offers courses that typically include freshman chemistry, mathematics, physics, engineering economics and computer programming as well as advanced courses in kinetics, thermodynamics and reactor design. Students must complete a capstone design project which applies skills learned during the degree program through application to an industrial problem of importance. To graduate with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering students must also pass a series of general and specific education requirements resulting from the Texas Education Code (TEC) (See "Department Requirements" for details). The general education requirements includes University Studies (see "General Education Requirements").
The undergraduate curriculum is approved by the college and the Chemical Engineering Department. Its purpose is to provide students with a broad background in chemical engineering and to develop the analytical, quantitative and design skills necessary for a successful career in industry or for graduate studies. The curriculum includes courses chosen from those offered by the departments of Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering in addition to core program courses that are required of all students. Students must also complete a capstone design project which applies skills learned during their degree program through application to an industrial problem of importance.
The B.S. in Chemical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
The curriculum is designed to provide flexibility in course selection. Both lower- and upper-division courses, as well as selected 300- and 400-level courses from other departments, are acceptable for fulfilling the chemical engineering degree requirements. Electives are needed to allow completion of the minimum number of hours required for a bachelor's degree.
Lower division major courses include an introduction to chemical engineering and chemistry, mathematics, physics, thermodynamics (both statics and dynamics), kinetics, and fluids and heat transfer (both turbomachinery and microscale). Some upper division courses may be used to fulfill specific requirements (see "Electives").
Recognizing that every student is unique, the department emphasizes individualized planning and tailoring of coursework to the student's performance level. Most students take fewer than 135 credit hours. Most students require one to two years of study beyond the bachelor's degree program.
Chemical Engineering major students have opportunities for electives and independent research during their studies. Students in the course sequence shown below receive credit for only those courses listed under "Required Courses". The rest are available by completing a special selection form from a faculty advisor or from designated department faculty members. The department has established a program of required learning experiences and research opportunities for majors that can be utilized at any time during their studies. The learning experiences are arranged in a systematic, sequential fashion.
Each student in the chemical engineering major must use the grade point average system to calculate their grade point average (GPA) for all courses taken, including those that are considered pass/fail and those in which a grade was not submitted. The GPA is calculated as follows: (4.0 for letter grades, 3.67 for corequisite grades, .67 for pass/fail grades) + (grade points in the course). For example a grade of A- would be a 3.67 GPA and a grade on Pass/Fail would be 1.00 GPA. Course that are not on the same level as that listed under "Required Courses" are considered electives and will not count toward the total number of credits needed to complete the degree program.
Students must earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 to graduate with the degree in chemical engineering. The minimum required GPA is 2.00 for all courses used to fulfill units of competency requirements except those listed below ("Thesis"). The required GPA is 2.67 for all courses used to fulfill the "Thesis" requirement.
Per the College of Engineering, University requirements for all undergraduate degree programs, a student must earn at least 150 hours at Texas A&M University and cannot include more than 45 hours from any one institution or system. However, those hours may be counted as electives.
Course Description Guide
Select any course from Fundamentals, Special Topics or Research for your elective with approval from your advisor. Also select a second course from 3000 level or higher that is not being used in the core units of competency (most likely will be an upper division course).
English and mathematics are necessary for success in the chemical engineering curriculum. Students who do not place into English Composition I or II must take those courses in addition to their chemistry, mathematics, physics and engineering economics requirements. Students who place into English Composition III or above may use those credits during their studies in chemical engineering.
