Master of Science in Chemical Engineering Degree Program

Master of Science - With Thesis Plan

1. Satisfactory completion of 30 graduate credits with the following stipulations:
   • At least 21 (including the thesis) of the 30 credits must be in Chemical Engineering. At least 13 of these credits must be earned in the 600 series of Chemical Engineering courses or above. At least six credits may be earned by means of the required thesis.
   • You must be registered as a full-time student (nine credits minimum, 16 credits maximum) and take at least one approved course each semester that you are in residence. The exception is the final semester, when you will not enroll for courses and will pay only a program fee.
   • Course credits used for fulfilling the degree requirements must be taken on a graded basis. The resulting grade-point average must be maintained at 3.0 or higher.
   • A maximum of six credits of grade B or higher may be transferred from other institutions.
2. In addition, pass the following coursework, taken on a pass/fail basis:
   • Two credits of research-group seminar (ChE 791x) in each semester after the first; and
   • One credit of departmental seminar (ChE 691) in each semester of residence.
   • A one-time seminar of (ENV HL) Laboratory Safety Course and continuous compliance with hazardous waste and safety certification

3. Within three months of being assigned your advisor, submit a one-page memo to the departmental Graduate Program describing your tentative thesis objectives and proposing a thesis Committee.

4. Submit a written thesis proposal acceptable to the department, as judged by the thesis committee following oral presentation of the proposal.  The accepted proposal must be submitted to the Graduate Program Director no later than December 1st of the student’s second year in the program, or within three months after switching from Ph.D. to M.S. studies.  It must be submitted to the Graduate School no later than four months before the thesis defense.

5. Submit a written thesis and defend it orally.  The thesis and its oral defense must be found satisfactory by the Thesis Committee and the Department Head.

6. Submit University and departmental copies of the thesis, satisfy any further University requirements, and pay all required fees and expenses. Original laboratory notebooks and comparable original research documents must be returned to the advisor(s).  All requirements must be satisfied within the Statute of Limitations.

Master of Science - Coursework Only Plan

1. Satisfactorily complete at least 32 graduate credits with the following stipulations:
   • At least 21 of the 32 credits must be in Chemical Engineering. At least 13 of these credits must be earned in the 600 series of Chemical Engineering courses or above.
   • You must be registered as a full-time student (9 credits minimum, 16 credits maximum) and take at least one approved course each semester that you are in residence.
   • Course credits used for fulfilling these degree requirements must be taken on a graded basis.  The resulting grade-point average must be maintained at 3.0 or higher.
   • A maximum of six credits for graduate courses with grade B or higher may be transferred from other institutions and used toward the MS degree. Courses eligible for transfer will be reviewed, are up to the discretion of the GPD, and must be subsequently approved by the Graduate School.
   • One credit of departmental seminar (ChE 691) must be taken in each semester of residence. These seminar credits count toward the required 32 total credits.