Chemical Engineering Major (B.S.)

https://ceps.unh.edu/chemical-engineering/program/bs/chemical-engineering-major

Chemical engineering is concerned with the analysis and design of processes that deal with the transfer and transformation of energy and material.

The practice of chemical engineering includes the conception, development, design, and application of physicochemical processes and their products; the development, design, construction, operation, control, and management of plants for these processes; and activities relating to public service, education, and research.

The curriculum prepares students for productive careers in industry or government and provides a foundation for graduate studies. The program emphasizes chemical engineering fundamentals while offering opportunities for focused study in energy, environmental, or bioengineering.

Traditional employment areas in the chemical process industries include industrial chemicals, petroleum and petrochemicals, plastics, pharmaceuticals, metals, textiles, and food. Chemical engineers also are working in increasing numbers in the areas of energy engineering, pollution abatement, and biochemical and biomedical engineering; in addition, they are employed by many government laboratories and agencies as well as private industries and institutions.

Graduates from the program have the ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering to identify, formulate, and solve chemical engineering problems as well as to design and conduct experiments safely and analyze and interpret data. They are prepared to pursue advanced studies in chemical engineering. Program graduates gain a sense of professional and ethical responsibility with the ability to apply environmental, safety, economic, and ethical criteria in the design of engineering processes. They learn to function in individual and group working environments, and learn skills in written and oral communication and the effective use of computers for engineering practice, including information search in the library and on the Internet. They also understand the need for lifelong learning and the significance of societal and global issues relevant to chemical engineering.

A minimum of 129 credits is required for graduation with the degree of bachelor of science in chemical engineering. There are ten electives in the chemical engineering curriculum. Six of these are for the Discovery Program requirements. The remaining four electives should consist of three chemical engineering electives and one additional technical elective.

Students are required to obtain a minimum 2.0 grade-point average in CHE 501 Introduction to Chemical Engineering I-CHE 502 Introduction to Chemical Engineering II and in overall standing at the end of the sophomore year in order to continue in the major. Study abroad (Exchange) chemical engineering students are required to have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in math, physics, chemistry, and CHE courses at the end of the semester prior to their exchange semester.

Required Courses

CHE 400Chemical Engineering Lectures1
CHE 501Introduction to Chemical Engineering I3
CHE 502Introduction to Chemical Engineering II3
CHE 601Fluid Mechanics and Unit Operations3
CHE 602Heat Transfer and Unit Operations3
CHE 603Applied Mathematics for Chemical Engineers4
CHE 604Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics3
CHE 612Chemical Engineering Laboratory I3
CHE 614Separation Processes3
CHE 703Mass Transfer and Stagewise Operations3
CHE 707Chemical Engineering Kinetics3
CHE 708Chemical Engineering Design4
CHE 713Chemical Engineering Laboratory II3
CHE 752Process Dynamics and Control4
CHEM 405Chemical Principles for Engineers4
CHEM 683Physical Chemistry I3
CHEM 684Physical Chemistry II3
CHEM 685Physical Chemistry Laboratory2
CHEM 686Physical Chemistry Laboratory2
CHEM 651Organic Chemistry I3
CHEM 653Organic Chemistry Laboratory2
CHEM 652AOrganic Chemistry II3
MATH 425Calculus I4
MATH 426Calculus II4
MATH 527Differential Equations with Linear Algebra4
MATH 644Statistics for Engineers and Scientists4
PHYS 407General Physics I4
PHYS 408General Physics II4

Elective Courses

Select three of the following:

BENG 755Computational Molecular Bioengineering4
CHE 651Biotech Experience/Biomanufacturing4
CHE 705Fossil Fuels and Renewable Energy Sources4
CHE 706Electrochemical Methods for Energy Applications4
CHE 709Fundamentals of Air Pollution and Its Control4
CHE 712Introduction to Nuclear Engineering4
CHE #722Introduction to Microfluidics4
CHE 744Corrosion4
CHE 761Biochemical Engineering4
CHE 762Biomedical Engineering4
CHE 766Biomaterials4
Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
ENGL 401 First-Year Writing 1 4
MATH 425 Calculus I 2 4
CHEM 405 Chemical Principles for Engineers 3 4
CHE 400 Chemical Engineering Lectures 1
Discovery Program Electives 7 4
 Credits17
Spring
MATH 426 Calculus II 4
PHYS 407 General Physics I 3 4
Discovery Program Electives (2) 7 8
 Credits16
Second Year
Fall
CHEM 683 Physical Chemistry I 3
CHEM 685 Physical Chemistry Laboratory 2
MATH 527 Differential Equations with Linear Algebra 4
PHYS 408 General Physics II 4
CHE 501 Introduction to Chemical Engineering I 4 3
 Credits16
Spring
CHEM 684 Physical Chemistry II 3
CHEM 686 Physical Chemistry Laboratory 2
CHE 502 Introduction to Chemical Engineering II 3
MATH 740
or MATH 644
 Design of Experiments I 5
or Statistics for Engineers and Scientists
 4
Discovery Program Elective 7 4
 Credits16
Third Year
Fall
CHEM 651 Organic Chemistry I 3
CHEM 653 Organic Chemistry Laboratory 2
CHE 601 Fluid Mechanics and Unit Operations 3
CHE 603 Applied Mathematics for Chemical Engineers 4
CHE Elective 4
 Credits16
Spring
CHEM 652A Organic Chemistry II 3
CHE 602 Heat Transfer and Unit Operations 3
CHE 604 Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics 3
CHE 612 Chemical Engineering Laboratory I 3
Discovery Program Elective 7 4
 Credits16
Fourth Year
Fall
CHE 703 Mass Transfer and Stagewise Operations 3
CHE 707 Chemical Engineering Kinetics 3
CHE 713 Chemical Engineering Laboratory II 3
CHE 752 Process Dynamics and Control 4
CHE Elective 4
 Credits17
Spring
CHE 614 Separation Processes 3
CHE 708 Chemical Engineering Design 6 4
CHE Electives 4
Discovery Elective 7 4
 Credits15
 Total Credits129
1

ENGL 401 First-Year Writing satisfies the Discovery Foundation Writing Skills category.

2

MATH 425 Calculus I satisifies the Discovery Foundation Quantitative Reasoning category.

3

PHYS 407 General Physics I or CHEM 405 Chemical Principles for Engineers satisfies the Discovery Physical Science (with lab) category.

4

CHE 502 Introduction to Chemical Engineering II satisfies the Discovery Inquiry requirement.

5

MATH 740 Design of Experiments I or MATH 644 Statistics for Engineers and Scientists is the recommended technical elective.

6

CHE 708 Chemical Engineering Design satisfies the Discovery Capstone Experience/Course.

7

 CHE students do not have to take a course in the Discovery ETS category since they satisfy this requirement through a combination of courses in the CHE curriculum.

  • The ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering.
  • The ability to design and conduct experiments safely, as well as to analyze and interpret data.
  • The ability to identify, formulate and solve chemical engineering problems.
  • The ability to design a process that meets desired specifications with consideration of environmental, safety, economic and ethical criteria.
  • An appreciation of contemporary issues relevant to chemical engineering.
  • Completed the UNH general education/Discovery program and obtained a broad education useful to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context.
  • The ability to use computers effectively for engineering practice.
  • An appreciation of professional and ethical responsibility.
  • The ability to communicate effectively.
  • Skills to search for information in the library and on the internet. These skills will be used in their pursuit of lifelong learning.
  • The capacity of function and work effectively alone and in a team environment.