Chemical Engineering

Overview of Chemical Engineering College and University Programs

A Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, Master of Science in Chemical Engineering or a Doctorate of Chemical Engineering are types of degrees you can get when you major in Chemical Engineering. According to the United States Department of Labors’ Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) most employers require you to have at least a Bachelor’s degree before they will hire you to work as a chemical engineer. However, some employers want you to have graduate degrees in the field. Types of work you may complete as a chemical engineer include testing chemical designs, using computers to analyze designs and monitoring the performance of various chemicals. You may work with food, energy, paper or cloth material as a chemical engineer. If you plan to work directly with the public you will have to pass a licensing examination.

Curriculum for Chemical Engineering College and University Programs

Required courses to graduate from Chemical Engineering programs vary by school. At advanced degree levels (e.g. Master’s, Doctorate) you will generally take core Chemical Engineering courses and fewer electives than you will when you major in undergraduate degree programs. Regardless of the school you attend, there are core courses generally associated with Chemical Engineering. These core courses include:

• General Chemistry
• Introduction to Engineering Design
• Differential Equations for Engineers
• Thermodynamics
• Fluid Mechanics
• Materials Science
• Introduction to Reactor Design
• Separation Processes
• Engineering Economy
• Engineering Ethics
• Organic Chemistry
• Biomedical Engineering
• Process Design

How to Enroll in Chemical Engineering Programs

After you select Chemical Engineering as your major, submit your high school transcripts to admissions counselors at accredited colleges you want to enroll in. Also submit your college entrance examination results to the schools. Earning top scores on the examinations can help you to be admitted to quality Chemical Engineering postsecondary programs. If Chemical Engineering is not your major but you want to take one or more Chemical Engineering course, you may be able to do so. For example, some accredited colleges and universities allow you to take Chemical Engineering courses if you major in other engineering subjects (e.g. Electrical Engineering).

Benefits of Completing Chemical Engineering Programs

You can gain an understanding of how various chemicals work together when you enroll in and complete Chemical Engineering degree programs. Additional benefits you gain when you complete these programs include strong biology and physics knowledge. Analytical, creative, organization and project management skills are other benefits you can walk away with after you complete Chemical Engineering programs. You can use these skills to manage teams of employees and to successful complete multi-million dollar chemical engineering projects.

Job Opportunities in Chemical Engineering Students

Overall, engineers are expected to experience an 11 percent job growth from 2008 through 2018 according to the BLS. However, chemical engineers are expected to see a two percent decrease in available jobs during the decade. Median annual income that chemical engineers earned as of May 2008 was $84,680. The top 10 percent of chemical engineers earned more than $130,240 a year.

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