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Washington State University
The Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering

Graduate Curricula

Through the Voiland School, students can earn advanced degrees in Chemical Engineering or Engineering Science with an emphasis in Bioengineering. Typical curriculia for the MS in Chemical Engineering, PhD in Chemical Engineering or the Engineering Science PhD with an emphasis in Bioengineering are shown below. In addition, students without an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering or Bioengineering may choose to individualize their studies and enroll in the Engineering Science PhD program.

Official Course Listings in the University Catalog

Please refer to the university catalog for official course listings:

Graduate student Chuhua Jia working with a centrifuge
Graduate student Chuhua Jia working in Dr. Hongfei Lin’s lab

Doctoral Degree Programs

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering:

Download PhD in Chemical Engineering Requirements in PDF format)

Required Courses # credits
ChE 510 Transport Phenomena 3
ChE 596 Research Methods 3
ChE 529 Chemical Kinetics 3
ChE 527 Thermodynamics 3
Supporting graduate courses (500 level) 3
ChE 598 Seminar 1 credit every semester
ChE 800 Research Variable every semester
Graded Credits 15
Minimum Total Credits Needed to Graduate 72

NOTE: Submit Program of Study form, by the end of second semester after admission into the Chemical Engineering program.

Ph.D. in Engineering Science with an emphasis in Bioengineering:

Students who are interested in Bioengineering are encouraged to use the Engineering Science PhD program, using the program outlined below.

Required Courses – Option #1 # credits
500 Level Electives – courses must be of an engineering prefix 12
500 Level Elective – any course, must be supported by graduate committee 3
CHE 598 – Graduate Seminar (recommended to take 1 credit every semester) Variable
CHE 800 – Research Credit Variable
Minimum Total Credits Needed to Graduate 72
Required Courses – Option #2 # credits
500 Level Electives – courses must be of engineering prefix 9
500 Level Mathematics or Statistics course 3
500 Level Elective – any course, must be supported by graduate committee 3
CHE 598 – Graduate Seminar (recommended to take 1 credit every semester) Variable
CHE 800 – Research Credit Variable
Minimum Total Credits Needed to Graduate 72

NOTE: Submit Program of Study form, by the end of second semester after admission into the Engineering Science program.

There are two Bioengineering courses (BE 541 and BE 550) that are intended to provide BE graduate students with a common foundation of quantitative, engineering analysis of biological systems from the cellular and molecular to the systems level. The objectives of BE 550, Cellular Bioengineering, are to integrate cellular biology and engineering science, understand cellular phenomena from engineering perspectives and apply quantitative engineering principles for cellular-based materials, diagnostic devices and sensor designs. BE 541, Systems Bioengineering, presents fundamental concepts and analytical approaches to physiological systems, emphasizing the cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, endocrine, musculoskeletal, nervous, and sensory systems.

Suggested mathematics and statistics courses are:

  • Math 512 Ordinary Differential Equations
  • Math/Stat 523 Statistical Methods for Engineers and Scientists
  • Math 540/541 Applied Mathematics I/II
  • Math 548 Numerical Analysis
  • Math 560/561 Partial Differential Equations I/II
  • Math 564/565 Nonlinear Optimization I/II
  • Stat 536 Statistical Computing

Suggested existing relevant electives include (but are not limited to):

  • BE 525 Biomechanics
  • BE 540 Unified Systems Bioengineering II
  • ChE 510 Transport Processes
  • ChE 560 Biochemical Engineering
  • MBioS 501 Cell Biology
  • MBioS 503/504 Molecular Biology I/II
  • MBioS 513/514 General Biochemistry I/II
  • MBioS 521 Cell Biotechnology
  • MBioS 540 Immunology
  • MBioS 578 Bioinformatics
  • MSE 506 Biomaterials
  • Phys 566 Biological Physics
  • PT 511/512 Topics in Pharmacology/Toxicology (Targeted Drug Delivery and Therapy; Pharmaceutical Gene Delivery Systems)
  • VPh 555 General and Cellular Physiology

Master’s Degree Programs

M.S. in Chemical Engineering

Students may choose to pursue the MS in Chemical Engineering with a thesis or as a non-thesis Master’s degree. In addition, many students whose undergraduate degree is in a science program, such as chemistry, have chosen to participate in our conversion program.

Download MS in Chemical Engineering (Thesis and Non-Thesis) Requirements in PDF format

MS in Chemical Engineering: Thesis

ChE Courses # credits
ChE 510 – Transport Phenomena 3
ChE 596 Research Methods 3
ChE 527 Thermodynamics 3
ChE 529 Kinetics 3
Supporting courses as approved by advisor 9
CHE 598 Seminar 1 credit every semester
CHE 700 – Research Credit At least 1 every semester;
variable per semester;
at least 9 total
Graded Credits 21
Minimum Total Credits Needed to Graduate 30

NOTE: Submit Program of Study form, by the end of second semester after admission into the Chemical Engineering program.

 

M.S. in Chemical Engineering: Non-Thesis

Required Courses # credits
ChE 510 Transport Phenomena OR Equivalent 3
ChE 596 – Research Methods and Communications 3
ChE 527 Thermodynamics 3
ChE 529 Kinetics 3
CHE 500 Level Electives 6
Additional credits approved by advisor 8
CHE 598 Seminar 1 credit every semester
CHE 702 research credit At least 1 every semester;
variable per semester;
at least 4 total
Graded Credits 26
Minimum Total Credits Needed to Graduate 30

NOTE: Submit Program of Study form, by the end of second semester after admission into the Chemical Engineering program.

M.S. in Engineering (Bioengineering) Non-Thesis

Required Courses # credits
500 Level Electives – courses must be of an engineering prefix 12
500 Level Elective – any course, must be supported by graduate committee 3
Additional electives – supported by graduate committee 11
*Up to 9 credits can be of the 300 – 400 level
CHE 598 seminar 1 credit every semester
CHE 702 (research) 4
Graded Credits 26
Minimum Total Credits Needed to Graduate 30

 

The department encourages applications from students with chemical engineering backgrounds as well as students from other engineering or science disciplines as well. We can accommodate individuals possessing degrees in chemistry, however, deficiencies in other disciplines will need to be satisfied for proper progress through the program.

M.S. in Chemical Engineering: Conversion Program

Students with a BS in chemistry or other scientific field who desire to obtain an advanced degree in Chemical Engineering are encouraged to consider the conversion program. This program enables such students to obtain a chemical engineering advanced degree with a minimal amount of extra effort.

The Conversion program is designed to accommodate individuals possessing degrees in chemistry. However, the program can also accommodate students with degrees in other scientific/engineering disciplines on an individual basis. We can accomodate individuals possessing degrees in chemistry, however, deficiencies in other disciplines will need to be satisfied for proper progress through the program. Students seeking advanced degrees should complete the equivalent of the following undergraduate courses.

Students seeking to complete an advanced chemical engineering degree via this conversion program may be eligible for financial assistance (RA/TA appointment) once she/he has completed at least 9 credits of chemical engineering undergraduate coursework from among the courses listed below. Such an appointment is, however, not guaranteed and would be subject to normal departmental policies. For example, students seeking such appointments would need to have grades and skills similar to those held by others who are offered financial assistance.

Undergraduate Courses That Satisfy Deficiencies
Math 315 Differential Equations
Phys 201 Physics for Engineers I
Phys 202 Physics for Engineers II
Chem 331 Physical Chemistry
Chem 345 Organic Chemistry I
ChE 201 Chem Process Principles & Calcs
ChE 310 Intro to Transport Processes
ChE 321 Kinetics and Reactor Design
ChE 332 Fluid Mechanics & Heat Transfer
ChE 334 Chemical Engineering Separations