Program Overview

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering

Program Overview

The Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering is a doctoral degree program specifically designed to prepare students for advanced and specialized careers in research and development in industry, the government, and academia. Students partner with our faculty to explore new ideas, create new knowledge, and address societal challenges by applying theory and experimentation in our state-of-the-art facilities. This program offers research opportunities in a diverse range of focus areas that include:

• Additive manufacturing
• Biochemical engineering
• Biomaterials
• Catalysis
• Crystallization kinetics and processes
• Experimental design and data analysis
• Green engineering
• Lean manufacturing
• Membrane separations
• Pharmaceutical processing
• Polymers, polymer composites, and polymer thin films
• Process design and optimization
• Process systems
• Reaction engineering
• Renewable energy
• Social life cycle analyses
• Sustainable design
• Tissue engineering

The program offers a highly flexible multidisciplinary structure that gives students the freedom to pursue a wide range of graduate elective courses while ensuring their proficiency in core chemical engineering principles, technical writing, advanced mathematics, and research.

Potential Industries and Occupations include:

• Chemical Industries
• Energy
• Oil and Gas
• Pharmaceuticals
• Polymers
• Cosmetics
• Consumer Goods
• Environmental Policy and Regulations
• Pollution Prevention
• Federal agencies
• National Labs
• Engineering Consultancy
• Health and Safety

Curriculum

The Rowan University Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Chemical Engineering program requires the completion of coursework, teaching assistantships, research requirements, qualifying and candidacy examinations, dissertation, and dissertation defense.

For a student who possesses a bachelor’s degree, a minimum of 72 semester hours of graduate-level coursework will be required:

• Graduate Chemical Engineering Core Courses – 12 Credits
• Graduate Level Writing Course – 3 Credits
• Graduate Level Mathematics Course – 3 Credits
• Graduate Technical Electives – 12 Credits
• Doctoral Research – 42 Credits
• Total Required Credits – 72 Credits

For a student who possesses a master’s degree in a related field, a minimum of 42 semester hours (credits) of graduate-level coursework beyond the master’s degree will be required.

Student Learning Goals and Outcomes

Candidates will obtain a level of technical proficiency in advanced mathematics, core chemical engineering principles, and a breadth of technical subjects that prepare them to face complex challenges in real-world chemical engineering applications.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be able to apply advanced mathematical principles to solve engineering problems.
• Students will have an in-depth understanding of the terminology and processes that are core to the field of chemical engineering.
• Students will have the ability to read, understand, analyze, and critique research papers with advanced Chemical Engineering content.
• Students will develop a level of technical writing proficiency sufficient for them to produce quality manuscripts, grant proposals, and a meaningful dissertation.
• Students will demonstrate their ability to explain complex topics in written formats.
• Students will be able to write effective external documents including manuscripts for journal submissions and grant proposals.
• Students will learn to identify and approach unsolved problems in chemical engineering, formulate a hypothesis on how to solve such a problem, design and execute experimental or analytical methodologies to test the hypothesis, analyze results, and draw meaningful conclusions.
• Students will demonstrate their ability to conduct independent research.

Course Requirements

The following courses make up the Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering program:

• 72 Semester Hours
  • Required Courses: 18 Semester Hours
  • Graduate Elective Courses: 12 Semester Hours
  • Research Courses: 42 Semester Hours
• Foundation Courses: No
• Graduation / Exit / Thesis Requirements: Yes

Admission Requirements

The following is a list of items required to begin the application process for the program:

• Completed Rowan Global Application Form
• $65 (U.S.) non-refundable application fee
• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or related field from an accredited institution of higher learning.
• Official transcripts from all colleges attended (regardless of number of credits earned)
• Current professional resume.
• Typewritten statement of professional objectives and research interest
• Minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
• Three letters of recommendation
• Interview (Applicants will be contacted directly by the Faculty Admission Committee regarding this interview. The interview can be in person or via telephone/)
• TOEFL Language test (International)
• WES evaluation (International)

Deadlines, Tuition, and Financial Aid

Entry Terms & Deadlines:

• Fall: March 1
• Spring: November 1
• Summer: April 1

Tuition rates can be found on the Bursar's website.

Financial aid is available in the form of grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships.