Program Overview

Chemical and Biological Engineering Program

The Chemical and Biological Engineering Program offers an in-depth undergraduate curriculum that draws from the fundamentals of biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics to encompass technologies and industries where chemical processing is utilized in any form.

Program Description

To explore the many opportunities available as a chemical or biological engineer, students may choose a track which provides depth in specific areas, e.g., biological engineering, process engineering, or Honors Research.

Program Educational Objectives

In addition to contributing toward achieving the educational objectives described in the Mines Graduate Profile, the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department at Mines has established three program-wide educational objectives for all of its graduates. Within three to five years of completing their degree, our graduates will:

• Be in graduate school or in the workforce utilizing their education in chemical engineering fundamentals
• Be applying their knowledge of, and skills in, engineering fundamentals in conventional areas of chemical engineering and in contemporary and growing fields
• Have demonstrated both their commitment to continuing to develop personally and professionally and an appreciation for the ethical and social responsibilities associated with being an engineer and a world citizen.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
2. Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
3. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences
4. Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

ABET Accreditation Status

The Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Chemical, Biochemical, Biomolecular Engineering.

Curriculum

The Chemical Engineering curriculum is structured according to the goals outlined above. Accordingly, the programs of study are organized to include three semesters of science and general engineering fundamentals followed by five semesters of chemical engineering fundamentals and applications.

Degree Requirements

The degree requirements for the Chemical Engineering program include:

• Completion of a minimum of 133 semester hours
• A minimum GPA of 2.0 in all courses taken at Mines
• Completion of all required courses with a grade of C- or better

Courses

The program offers a wide range of courses, including:

• CBEN110: Fundamentals of Biology I
• CBEN120: Fundamentals of Biology II
• CBEN200: Computational Methods in Chemical Engineering
• CBEN201: Material and Energy Balances
• CBEN210: Intro to Thermodynamics
• CBEN250: Introduction to Chemical Engineering Analysis and Design
• CBEN298: Special Topics
• CBEN299: Independent Study
• CBEN304: Anatomy and Physiology
• CBEN305: Anatomy and Physiology Lab
• CBEN307: Fluid Mechanics
• CBEN310: Introduction to Biomedical Engineering
• CBEN311: Neuroscience
• CBEN312: Unit Operations Laboratory
• CBEN313: Unit Operations Laboratory
• CBEN314: Chemical Engineering Heat and Mass Transfer
• CBEN315: Introduction to Electrochemical Engineering
• CBEN320: Cell Biology and Physiology
• CBEN321: Genetics
• CBEN322: Biological Psychology
• CBEN324: Introduction to Brewing Science
• CBEN325: MCAT Review
• CBEN340: Cooperative Education
• CBEN350: Honors Undergraduate Research
• CBEN351: Honors Undergraduate Research
• CBEN357: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
• CBEN358: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics Laboratory
• CBEN360: Bioprocess Engineering
• CBEN365: Introduction to Chemical Engineering Practice
• CBEN368: Introduction to Undergraduate Research
• CBEN372: Introduction to Bioenergy
• CBEN375: Chemical Engineering Separations
• CBEN398: Special Topics
• CBEN399: Independent Study
• CBEN401: Process Optimization
• CBEN402: Chemical Engineering Design
• CBEN403: Process Dynamics and Control
• CBEN408: Natural Gas Processing
• CBEN409: Petroleum Processes
• CBEN411: Neuroscience, Memory, and Learning
• CBEN412: Pharmacokinetics
• CBEN413: Quantitative Human Biology
• CBEN414: Chemical Process Safety
• CBEN415: Polymer Science and Technology
• CBEN416: Polymer Engineering and Technology
• CBEN418: Kinetics and Reaction Engineering
• CBEN420: Mathematical Methods in Chemical Engineering
• CBEN422: Chemical Engineering Flow Assurance
• CBEN424: Computer-Aided Process Simulation
• CBEN426: Advanced Functional Porous Materials
• CBEN428: Advanced Reactor Design
• CBEN430: Transport Phenomena
• CBEN431: Immunology for Engineers and Scientists
• CBEN432: Transport Phenomena in Biological Systems
• CBEN435: Interdisciplinary Microelectronics
• CBEN440: Molecular Perspectives in Chemical Engineering
• CBEN450: Honors Undergraduate Research
• CBEN451: Honors Undergraduate Research
• CBEN454: Applied Bioinformatics
• CBEN460: Biochemical Process Engineering
• CBEN461: Biochemical Process Engineering Laboratory
• CBEN469: Fuel Cell Science and Technology
• CBEN470: Introduction to Microfluidics
• CBEN472: Introduction to Energy Technologies
• CBEN480: Natural Gas Hydrates
• CBEN497: Special Summer Course
• CBEN498: Special Topics
• CBEN499: Independent Study

Specialty Tracks

The program offers several specialty tracks, including:

• Biological Engineering Track
• Process Engineering Track
• Chemical Engineering Honors Research Track

Biomedical Engineering Minor

The program also offers a Biomedical Engineering minor, which requires completion of at least 18 credits related to Biomedical Engineering.

Combined Baccalaureate/Masters Degree Program

The Chemical and Biological Engineering Department offers the opportunity to begin work on a Master of Science (with or without thesis) degree while completing the requirements of the BS degree. These combined BS/MS degrees are designed to allow undergraduates engaged in research, or simply interested in furthering their studies beyond a BS degree, to apply their experience and interest to an advanced degree.