The chemical engineering profession is a close-knit group with a common background in chemical processes, systems analysis, and systems economics. Chemical engineering training occurs through course and laboratory work addressing mathematical, scientific, and engineering fundamentals. Chemical engineers study, design and operate processes to provide food, water, energy, clothing, medicine and materials. These processes transform raw materials from the environment into desired products. They also return spent products and by-products to the environment in an ecologically sustainable manner.
Chemical engineering is the study of transforming matter under constraint. Chemical engineers find industrial employment in areas of energy, the environment, biomedicine, electronics, food production, and materials. Chemical engineers also find careers in academia and government and military service. Students study chemical processes at the molecular level and the chemical plant level and gain an engineering education deeply grounded in mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, and materials science.
Engineering Undeclared Students
See section on College of Engineering Admission for additional details on Direct-to-College admission and placement process for Engineering Undeclared students. The deadline to submit a request for placement in an engineering major occurs annually on July 1.
If the number of Engineering Undeclared students requesting the major exceeds the department capacity for such students, a matching process is implemented. Factors considered include performance in prerequisite courses, quality of overall academic record, content of personal statement, applicable work or extracurricular activities, and other special circumstances as disclosed by the applicant.
Core courses within the department form a seven-quarter curriculum designed to start spring quarter of the sophomore year. Because the curriculum is cohort-based and all students start and proceed at the same pace, Engineering Undeclared students admitted to Chemical Engineering after their first year are expected to start the curriculum in spring quarter of their second year.
Engineering Undeclared students in good standing with respect to the continuation criteria described below may request placement into an engineering major after completion of minimum requirements as specified below:
Chemical Engineering is the only engineering major that requires students to complete CHEM 152 (or CHEM 153 or CHEM 155) to request placement because that course is required in order to complete the major in four years.
Students in good standing who do not meet the placement requirements by July 1 will be placed into a major on a conditional basis pending the completion of all placement requirements and readiness to begin the chemical engineering core course sequence in the following spring quarter. Additional advising resources will be available to these students. See section on College of Engineering Continuation Policy for Engineering Undeclared Students for additional details.
Current UW Students and Transfer Students
The department follows a cohort model beginning in spring quarter. Transfer students, current UW students without Engineering Undeclared status, and current UW students with Engineering Undeclared status who are eligible to begin the chemical engineering core sequence of courses in their first spring quarter may apply. Admission is competitive.
Factors evaluated for admission include performance in prerequisite courses, quality of overall academic record, demonstrated ability to handle rigorous course load, record of honors, content of personal statement, applicable work or extracurricular activities, and other special circumstances as disclosed by the applicant.
General Expectations of Academic Progress: Completion of all admission requirements listed for "Current UW Students and Transfer Students" as well as the following courses by the start of autumn quarter of the junior year: organic chemistry I and II (CHEM 237 and CHEM 238; or CHEM 223, CHEM 224; or CHEM 335 and CHEM 336), PHYS 123 (or PHYS 143), AMATH 301 (or CSE 122 or CSE 142 or CSE 160), MATH 208 (unless MATH 136 or AMATH 352 is taken), CHEM 310.
All students must make satisfactory academic progress in the major. Failure to do so results in probation, which can lead to dismissal from the major. For the complete continuation policy, contact the departmental adviser or refer to the department website.
The Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (B.S.Ch.E.) is a highly marketable, professional degree that prepares undergraduate students for employment in industry or graduate study. With a strong background in mathematics, chemistry, and physics, chemical engineering students study transport phenomena (the description of momentum, heat, and mass transfer in chemical processes); chemical kinetics and reaction engineering; process control and design; and optimization of chemical processes and apply this knowledge to engineering solutions in a wide variety of areas.
180 credits
General Education Requirements
Basic Skills
Areas of Inquiry
Major Requirements
73 credits
Of Special Note:
Many engineers design new equipment and processes or design modifications to them. The design experience is integrated throughout the curriculum, with open-ended problems (sometimes involving economic constraints) in several courses: design of heat exchangers (CHEM E 340) and distillation towers (CHEM E 435), design of piping and pumping systems (CHEM E 330), design of chemical reactors (CHEM E 465). The design experience culminates in two capstone design courses (CHEM E 485 and CHEM E 486 or CHEM E 485 and CHEM E 497 or faculty approved alternative) which involve the design of an integrated chemical system.
19 credits
Additional electives to reach 180 credits
The Nanoscience and Molecular Engineering (NME) Option in the Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering is a transcriptable option focusing on nanoscale principles in molecular engineering that provides hands-on experience and stresses the interdisciplinary nature of the field.
180 credits
General Education Requirements
Basic Skills
Areas of Inquiry
Major Requirements
73 credits
Of Special Note:
Many engineers design new equipment and processes or design modifications to them. The design experience is integrated throughout the curriculum, with open-ended problems (sometimes involving economic constraints) in several courses: design of heat exchangers (CHEM E 340) and distillation towers (CHEM E 435), design of piping and pumping systems (CHEM E 330), design of chemical reactors (CHEM E 465). The design experience culminates in two capstone design courses (CHEM E 485 and CHEM E 486 or CHEM E 485 and CHEM E 497 or faculty approved alternative) which involve the design of an integrated chemical system.
Option specific credits (19 credits)
Additional electives to reach 180 credits
Student Outcomes and Opportunities
Of Special Note:
Entrance into most chemical engineering courses is ordinarily limited to majors in chemical engineering and bioresource science and engineering. Other students who wish to take departmental courses must meet the prerequisites and obtain instructor approval (except for CHEM E 485 and CHEM E 486, which are open to majors only).
Contact department for requirements.
Contact department for requirements.
Contact department for requirements.
Contact department for requirements.
Contact department for requirements.
Contact department for requirements.
Contact department for requirements.
Contact department for requirements.
Contact department for requirements.
Contact department for requirements.