Chemical Engineering, PhD

Program Overview

This PhD program in Chemical Engineering equips students with expertise in designing, developing, and operating processes involving material transformations. Graduates are prepared for careers in research, development, and industrial production, with opportunities in various sectors including government, corporations, and education. The program emphasizes coursework, seminars, research, and teaching experience, culminating in a dissertation defense.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

• This PhD program trains students to design, develop, and operate processes involving chemical and physical changes of material.
• Graduates can pursue careers in research, development, pilot-scale operations, and industrial production.
• Students can also work in process and plant operation, technical services, research and development laboratories, and plant design groups.

Outline:

• Coursework:
• Thirty-three semester hours of coursework, including:
• Twelve semester hours of core graduate coursework
• Twenty-four semester hours of dissertation research
• Seminars:
• Required enrollment in ECH 5935 Chemical Engineering Seminar (0) every semester.
• Research:
• Selection of a research topic and major professor(s)
• Formation of a supervisory committee
• Submission and defense of a dissertation prospectus
• Completion of at least twenty-four semester hours of dissertation research (ECH 6980 Dissertation (24-))

Assessment:

• Passage of the ECH 8965 Doctoral Preliminary Exam (0)
• Submission of scholarly articles based on original dissertation research in peer-reviewed journals
• Successful passage of the ECH 8985 Dissertation Defense (0)

Teaching:

• One semester of teaching assistantship in an undergraduate laboratory.

Careers:

• Graduates can work in a wide range of organizations, including:
• Local, state, and federal governments
• Private and public corporations
• Education
• Technical sales, training, and management
• Careers can include positions in process and plant operation, technical services, research and development, plant design, occupational safety programs, and business and law.