Chemical Engineering

The Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at The University of Utah offers students a comprehensive and rigorous education in the principles and practices of chemical engineering. This program is designed to prepare students for a diverse range of careers in industries such as energy, pharmaceuticals, environmental protection, materials manufacturing, and food processing. The curriculum combines foundational knowledge in chemistry, mathematics, and physics with advanced training in process design, thermodynamics, reaction engineering, transport phenomena, and materials science. Students learn to analyze, design, and optimize chemical processes, emphasizing safety, sustainability, and innovation. The program includes laboratory work, design projects, and opportunities for research to develop practical skills and hands-on experience. The university’s state-of-the-art facilities and collaborations with industry partners provide a dynamic learning environment. Graduates of the program are equipped with the technical expertise, problem-solving abilities, and ethical understanding necessary to excel in both industry and academia. The program also encourages interdisciplinary learning and emphasizes communication skills, teamwork, and leadership to prepare students for future professional challenges. With a strong foundation in engineering principles and a focus on emerging technologies, the Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at The University of Utah aims to foster the development of innovative engineers who will contribute positively to society and the global economy.

First Year

Fall Semester

• MATH 1310 - Engineering Calculus I 4 Credit(s)  - Fulfills QR Requirement

• or

• MATH 1311 - Accelerated Engineering Calculus I 4 Credit(s) 1

•  

• CHEM 1210 - General Chemistry I 4 Credit(s)
• CHEM 1215 - General Chemistry Laboratory I 1 Credit(s)
• CH EN 1703 - Introduction to Chemical Engineering 2 Credit(s)
• WRTG 2010 - Intermediate Writing: Academic Writing and Research 3 Credit(s)  - Fulfills WR2 Requirement
• General Education (AI) - 3 Credit(s)

Total Hours: 17

Spring Semester

• MATH 1320 - Engineering Calculus II 4 Credit(s) or
• MATH 1321 - Accelerated Engineering Calculus II 4 Credit(s) 1

•  

• CHEM 1220 - General Chemistry II 4 Credit(s)
• CHEM 1225 - General Chemistry Laboratory II 1 Credit(s) 2
• CH EN 1705 - Chemical Engineering Design & Innovation 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 4755 - Undergraduate Seminar 0.5 Credit(s)
• PHYS 2210 - Physics for Scientists and Engineers I 4 Credit(s)

Total Hours: 16.5

Second Year

Fall Semester

• MATH 2250 - Differential Equations and Linear Algebra 4 Credit(s)
• PHYS 2220 - Physics for Scientists and Engineers II 4 Credit(s)
• CH EN 2300 - Thermodynamics I 2 Credit(s)
• CH EN 2450 - Numerical Methods Applications in Chemical Engineering 2 Credit(s)
• CH EN 4753 - Undergraduate Seminar 0.5 Credit(s)
• General Education (HF) - 3 credit(s)

Total Hours: 15.5

Spring Semester

• MATH 3140 - Vector Calculus and Partial Differential Equations for Engineers 4 Credit(s)
• CH EN 2800 - Fundamentals of Process Engineering 3 Credit(s)
• CHEM 2310 - Organic Chemistry I 4 Credit(s)
• General Education (FF) - 3 Credit(s)

• Technical Elective (3) Credits / Units: 3

Total Hours: 17

Third Year

Fall Semester

• CHEM 3060 - Quantum Chemistry and Spectroscopy 4 Credit(s)  - Fulfills QI Requirement
• CH EN 3353 - Fluid Mechanics 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 3453 - Heat Transfer 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 3853 - Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics 3 Credit(s)  - Fulfills QI Requirement
• CH EN 4753 - Undergraduate Seminar 0.5 Credit(s)
• Technical Elective 3 Credit(s) 3

Total Hours: 16.5

Spring Semester

• CH EN 3603 - Mass Transfer and Separations 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 3253 - Chemical Process Safety 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 3553 - Chemical Reaction Engineering 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 5103 - Biochemical Engineering 3 Credit(s)
• General Education (BF)/Bachelor Degree (DV) - 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 3255 - Communication and Chemical Process Safety 1 Credit(s)

Total Hours: 16

Fourth Year

Fall Semester

• CH EN 4903 - Projects Laboratory I 4 Credit(s)
• CH EN 4253 - Process Design 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 4203 - Process Dynamics and Control 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 4753 - Undergraduate Seminar 0.5 Credit(s)
• Technical Elective 3 Credit(s) 3
• General Education (HF)/Bachelor Degree (IR) - 3 Credit(s)

Total Hours: 16.5

Spring Semester

• CH EN 4905 - Projects Laboratory II 3 Credit(s) 5  - Fulfills CW Requirement
• CH EN 5253 - Process Design II 3 Credit(s)
• Technical Elective 6 Credit(s) 3
• General Education (BF) - 3 Credit(s)
• General Education (FF) 3 Credit(s)

Total Hours: 12

Total Hours: 127

1. Students with adequate AP scores may wish to take the MATH 1311 & MATH 1321 calculus series in place of MATH 1310 and MATH 1320.
2. Students who qualify may wish to take CHEM 1221 - Honors General Chemistry II, and CHEM 1241 - Honors General Chemistry Laboratory II, instead of CHEM 1220 - General Chemistry II, and CHEM 1240 - Honors General Chemistry Laboratory I.
3. A total of 15 credit hours of technical elective courses are required.
4. Students who qualify may wish to take CHEM 2311 - Honors Organic Chemistry I, instead of CHEM 2310 - Organic Chemistry I.
5. CH EN 4905 fulfills the upper division writing/communication requirement

Chemical Engineering Electives

Complete 6 credit(s)

• CH EN 4973 - Thesis Research: Undergraduate 1 - 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 4975 - Chemical Engineering Clinic 1 - 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 4977 - Cooperative Education Work Period 1 - 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 4980 - Undergraduate Research 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 5153 - Fundamentals of Combustion 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 5203 - State Space Control 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 5305 - Air Pollution Control Engineering 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 5307 - Green Engineering 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 5810 - Nanoscience: Where Biology, Chemistry and Physics Intersect 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 5950 - Independent Study 1 - 5 Credit(s)
• CH EN 5960 - Special Topics .5 - 5 Credit(s)
• NUCL 3000 - Nuclear Principles in Engineering and Science 3 Credit(s)
• NUCL 3100 - Introduction to Neutron-Based Engineering 3 Credit(s)
• NUCL 3200 - Radiochemistry with Laboratory I 3 Credit(s)
• NUCL 4000 - Nuclear Engineering & Science Using TRIGA 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 5151 - Combustion Engineering 3 Credit(s)
• CH EN 5310 - Concepts and Applications in Renewable Energy 3 Credit(s)

Other Technical Elective Courses

MATH 2210 cannot count if you have already taken MATH 1260 OR MATH 1280.

• ATMOS 5200 - Physical Meteorology III: Cloud Physics 1.5 Credit(s)
• BIOL 2020 - Principles of Cell Biology 3 Credit(s)
• BIOL 2030 - Genetics 3 Credit(s)
• BIOL 3510 - Biological Chemistry I 3 Credit(s)
• BIOL 3520 - Biological Chemistry II 3 Credit(s)
• BIOL 5495 - Biophysical Ecology 3 Credit(s)
• CHEM 2315 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory I 2 Credit(s)
• CHEM 2320 - Organic Chemistry II 4 Credit(s)
• CHEM 2321 - Honors Organic Chemistry II 4 Credit(s)
• CHEM 2325 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory II 2 Credit(s)
• CHEM 3070 - Thermodynamics and Chemical Kinetics 4 Credit(s)
• CHEM 3090 - Physical Chemistry for Life Sciences 4 Credit(s)
• CHEM 3100 - Inorganic Chemistry 5 Credit(s)
• CHEM 5720 - Advanced Physical Chemistry Laboratory 2 Credit(s)
• CHEM 5730 - Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory 2 Credit(s)
• CH EN 4978 - Cooperative Education Work Period 1 - 3 Credit(s)
• CVEEN 3610 - Introduction to Environmental Engineering I 3 Credit(s)
• CVEEN 5605 - Water and Wastewater Treatment Design 3 Credit(s)
• ECON 3500 - International Economics 3 Credit(s)
• ENTP 3700 - Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship 3 Credit(s)
• ENTP 4560 - Small Business Management 3 Credit(s)
• ENTP 5770 - Business Discovery & Creation 3 Credit(s)
• ENTP 5780 - Managing the Growing Business 3 Credit(s)
• GEO 5350 - Groundwater 3 Credit(s)
• MATH 3070 - Applied Statistics I 4 Credit(s)
• MATH 3080 - Applied Statistics II 3 Credit(s)
• MATH 3160 - Applied Complex Variables 2 Credit(s)
• ME EN 5050 - Fundamentals of Micromachining Processes 3 Credit(s)
• ME EN 5620 - Fundamentals of Microscale Engineering 3 Credit(s)
• MATH 5600 - Survey of Numerical Analysis 4 Credit(s)
• MATH 5620 - Introduction to Numerical Analysis II 4 Credit(s)
• ME EN 5000 - Engineering Law and Contracts 3 Credit(s)
• MET E 5260 - Physical Metallurgy I 3 Credit(s)
• MET E 5690 - Process Engineering Statistics 2 Credit(s)
• MGT 3000 - Principles of Management 3 Credit(s)
• MGT 3680 - Human Behavior in Organizations 3 Credit(s)
• MGT 5510 - Principles of Human Resource Management 3 Credit(s)
• MKTG 4840 - International Marketing 3 Credit(s)
• MSE 3210 - Electronic Properties of Solids 3 Credit(s)
• MSE 3061 - Transport Phenomena in Materials Science and Engineering 3 Credit(s)
• MSE 3310 - Introduction to Ceramics 3 Credit(s)
• MSE 3410 - Introduction to Polymers 3 Credit(s)
• MSE 5040 - Introduction to Modern Biomaterials 4 Credit(s)
• MSE 5475 - Introduction to Composites 3 Credit(s)
• PHIL 4540 - Engineering, Ethics, and Society 3 Credit(s)
• PHYS 2215 - Physics Laboratory for Scientists and Engineers I 1 Credit(s)
• PHYS 2225 - Physics Laboratory for Scientists and Engineers II 1 Credit(s)
• PHYS 3150 - Energy and Sustainability: A Global Perspective 3 Credit(s)
• PHYS 3610 - Electronics for Scientific Instrumentation 3 Credit(s)
• PHYS 3740 - Introduction to Quantum Theory and Relativity 3 Credit(s)
• PHYS 3760 - Principles of Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics 3 Credit(s)
• POLS 3320 - Introduction to Public Policy and Analysis 3 Credit(s)
• POLS 5211 - Constitutional Law 3 Credit(s)
• POLS 5322 - Environmental & Sustainability Policy 3 Credit(s)
• STRAT 3410 - Business Law: The Commercial Environment 3 Credit(s)
• STRAT 4900 - International Management 3 Credit(s)

• Transcripts (mark sheets, school records, grades) for secondary school (9-12). Official English translations must be provided if the transcripts are only in the native language.
• TOEFL: 80 (Internet-based test), 550 (paper-based test), or 213 (computer-based test)*
• IELTS: An overall band of 6.5 on the Academic Examination International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score report demonstrating an adequate knowledge of English*

The Chemical Engineering program at The University of Utah offers a variety of financing options to support students throughout their academic journey. Tuition fees for undergraduate students are determined based on residency status, with in-state students paying significantly less than out-of-state students. Currently, the estimated undergraduate tuition is approximately $11,438 per year for Utah residents and around $34,016 per year for non-residents. Graduate students may have different fee structures, often varying by program and enrollment status.

Financial aid is available in several forms, including scholarships, grants, work-study programs, and student loans. The University of Utah offers merit-based scholarships for incoming and continuing students, which can significantly offset the cost of attendance. These scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, leadership, and other criteria, and some are renewable for multiple years contingent on maintaining specified academic performance levels.

Federal and state financial aid programs are also accessible to students enrolled in the Chemical Engineering program. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be completed annually to determine eligibility for federal grants, such as the Pell Grant, and federal student loans. The university participates in the Federal Work-Study Program, allowing students to work on or off-campus jobs to earn money towards their educational expenses.

Private scholarships and grants from external organizations can also supplement financial aid packages. Many industry partnerships and alumni associations provide funding opportunities for students pursuing degrees in engineering fields, including chemical engineering. Additionally, the university offers specialized assistantships and fellowships for graduate students conducting research, which often cover tuition costs and provide a stipend.

Students are encouraged to meet with university financial aid advisors to explore all available options and develop a personalized financial plan. The university also provides financial literacy resources to help students manage their budgets and student debt effectively. Moreover, payment plans are available to spread out tuition payments over the semester, reducing immediate financial burden.

In summary, the University of Utah provides comprehensive financial support options for chemical engineering students, encompassing federal, state, institutional, and private funding sources. Prospective and current students are advised to apply early for scholarships and financial aid to maximize their chances of receiving assistance and to plan their finances accordingly.

The Chemical Engineering program at The University of Utah offers students a comprehensive education grounded in the fundamental principles of chemistry, physics, and mathematics, combined with practical engineering skills. The program prepares graduates for careers in industries such as pharmaceuticals, energy, materials, environmental protection, and food processing. Students gain a solid foundation in chemical process design, kinetics, thermodynamics, and transport phenomena, enabling them to develop innovative solutions to complex chemical engineering problems.

The curriculum includes coursework in process control, system analysis, unit operations, materials science, and biochemical engineering, ensuring a multidisciplinary approach. The program emphasizes hands-on learning through laboratories, research projects, and internships, providing real-world experience. Students have access to state-of-the-art facilities, including advanced laboratories for chemical synthesis, analysis, and process simulation. The university fosters a collaborative environment, encouraging interdisciplinary research and industry partnerships to enhance student learning and employment prospects.

Undergraduate students are encouraged to participate in research activities alongside faculty, exploring cutting-edge topics such as renewable energy technologies, nanomaterials, and sustainable manufacturing. The program also offers a strong foundation for graduate studies in chemical engineering or related fields. Career services and industry connections are integral parts of the program, helping students secure internships and employment opportunities post-graduation. Overall, the Chemical Engineering program at The University of Utah aims to develop innovative, ethical, and highly skilled engineers capable of contributing to technological advancement and societal well-being.