PhD in Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering

Overview

The Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering (CEME) offers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering with the following areas of emphasis:

• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
   

The educational objectives of the program are to produce graduates whom:

1. Have advanced technical knowledge in at least one specialty area of chemical, environmental and materials engineering
2. Have advanced capability to apply advanced knowledge to engineering problems
3. Have made significant contributions in at least one specialty area of chemical, environmental, and materials engineering

The specialty areas of study for the Ph.D. include:

• Aerosols and Air Quality
• Water Quality
• Materials Synthesis
• Synthetic Biology
• Sustainable Energy & Environment
• Chemical Product Design

Students in the PhD program are required to complete at least 72 credits beyond a Bachelors degree.  At least 36 credits will be coursework credits, and at least 36 credits will be research credits.  For students who enter the PhD program with an earned Masters degree in a related field, the Masters degree coursework can count up to a maximum of 12 credits towards the required coursework, with approval of the Graduate Program Director and the Supervisory Committee. All PhD students are required to engage in supervised research and defend a dissertation. 

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements are the same as the College of Engineering requirements. The transfer policy complies with the rules of the Graduate School.

Curriculum Requirements

Ph.D. in Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering

FOR students without a prior master's degree

For students with a prior master's degree*

*Assuming 12 graduate credit hours are approved to count toward the doctoral program

Graduation Requirements

The  average grade in curricular coursework should be B or better, and no grade below C will be counted. Other requirements are identical to the College of Engineering requirements. 

Supervisory Committee Requirements

The supervisory committee must have at least four members, with at least two members being Graduate Faculty members in CEME. The chair must be regular faculty and a member of the Graduate Faculty, and may or may not be from CEME  If the chair is from CEME and a member of the Graduate Faculty, then only one other member of the committee must be from CEME and a member of the Graduate Faculty. There must be at least one outside (non-CEME) member.

Suggested Plan of Study

Ph.D. in Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering

Direct B.S. to Ph.D. Pathway - Fall Admission

M.S. to Ph.D. Pathway - Fall Admission

Mission

The mission of the Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering is to:

• Provide high-quality undergraduate and graduate education in chemical, environmental, and materials engineering that will prepare graduates for professional careers and a lifetime of learning.
• Conduct high-quality research that will advance the current body of knowledge and engage in new discoveries to improve the quality of human life; and
• Serve the engineering profession and society through active involvement in professional organizations and contribution of professional expertise.

The departmental mission will be accomplished by providing an integrated and multidisciplinary scientific education. Graduates will be involved in the transfer of scientific discoveries to modern technologies and novel products that benefit society and minimize the impact on the environment. They will be trained to address multi-scale aspects of generating clean energy, producing novel and superior materials, and utilizing the biological revolution to manufacture new products. They will be involved in the development and manufacture of consumer products, as well as in design, operation, and control of processes in a variety of industries (e.g. petroleum, petrochemical, chemical, consumer products, semiconductor, environmental technologies, advanced materials, food, feed and pharmaceuticals).

Educational Objectives

The educational objectives of the Ph.D. program are to produce graduates whom:

• Have advanced technical knowledge in at least one specialty area of chemical, environmental, or materials engineering;
• Have advanced capability to apply advanced knowledge to engineering problems; and
• Have made significant contributions in at least one specialty area of chemical, environmental, or materials engineering.

Specialty areas include aerosols and air quality, water quality, materials synthesis, synthetic biology, sustainable energy & environment, and chemical product design .

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the discipline (mathematics, science, and engineering), including methodology relevant to a specialty area.
• Students will demonstrate an advanced ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems to carry out supervised research.
• Students will demonstrate an advanced ability to generate technical contributions and effectively communicate them to the scientific community.