Department of

Chemical Engineering

Designing molecular technology for the 21st century with biology and chemistry


Undergraduate Program

Chemical Engineering Course Descriptions



  • CH E 210, Introduction to Material Balances (3)
    An integrated approach to the study of material balances and industrial chemical processes important in chemical engineering.
    Prerequisite: MATH 251.
  • CH E 220, Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics (3)
    Chemical process applications of energy balances, equations of state, thermodynamic properties of real fluids, second law of thermodynamics, cycles.
    Prerequisite: MATH 230.
  • CH E 300, Professional Development Seminar (1)
    Lectures and discussion by visiting engineers and faculty on chemical engineering, job selection, patents, licensing, ethics, and other professional problems.
    Prerequisite: fifth-semester standing.

    Ch E 300 Course Description
  • CH E 320, Phase and Chemical Equilibra (3)
    Effective Date: Spring 2007. Pure component phase properties, solution properties, equilibria among phases, equilibrium stage separations, chemical reaction equilibria.
    Prerequisite: CH E 210, CH E 220.
  • CH E 330, Process Fluid Mechanics (3)
    An integrated study of the fundamentals and the quantitative design techniques involving flow of fluids in chemical processes.
    Prerequisite: CH E 210, CH E 220, MATH 230.
  • CH E 340, Introduction to Biomolecular Engineering (3)
    Introduction to concepts and principles of biomolecular engineering, with emphasis on biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.
    Prerequisite: CH E 210, B M B 251, CHEM 212.
  • CH E 350, Process Heat Transfer (3)
    An integrated study of the fundamentals and the quantitative design techniques involving heat transfer in chemical processes.
    Prerequisite: CH E 220, CH E 330.
  • CH E 360, Mathematical Modeling in Chemical Engineering (3)
    Mathematical model formulation for chemical and physical processes, including applications of ordinary differential equations and numerical methods.
    Prerequisite: MATH 230, CH E 330.
    Prerequisite or concurrent: CH E 350


400 Level Courses

  • CH E 410, Mass Transfer Operations (3)
    Introduction to principles and applications of mass transfer, with focus on the design of equilibrium stage and continuous contacting separation processes.
    Prerequisite: CH E 320, CH E 330, CH E 350.
  • CH E 430, Chemical Reaction Engineering (3)
    Chemical reaction rates and equilibria, reactors, reactor design; emphasis on industrial chemical processes.
    Prerequisite: CH E 320, CH E 330, CH E 350, CH E 360.
  • CH E 432, (F SC) Petroleum Processing (3)
    A study of physical and chemical processes to convert crude oil into desired products with an outlook from present to future.
    Prerequisite: CHEM 210.
  • CH E 435, (F SC) Industrial Organic Chemistry (3)
    Chemistry and processes for producing organic chemicals and materials in existing and emerging new manufacturing sectors of organic chemical industry.
    Prerequisite: CHEM 210.
  • CH E 438, Bioprocess Engineering (3)
    Introduction to the biotechnology field including consideration of upstream and downstream processing of biochemicals.
    Prerequisite: CHEM 212.
  • CH E 441, Polymer Processing (3)
    Application of principles of heat, mass, and momentum transfer to the analysis of polymer processing problems.
    Prerequisite: CH E 330, CH E 350, or MATSE 443.
  • CH E 442, (MATSE 448), Polymer Processing Technology (3)
    Basic principles of polymer melt processing are reviewed and subsequently applied to the most important industrial processing operations.
    Prerequisite: MATSE 447 or CH E 330.
  • CH E 446, Transport Phenomena (3)
    Fundamental treatment of mass, heat, and momentum transfer; emphasis on transport properties and mathematical models of chemical engineering transport processes.
    Prerequisite: CH E 330, CH E 350, CH E 360; prerequisite or concurrent: CH E 410.
  • CH E 448, Advanced Mass Transfer Operations (3)
    Analysis of time-dependent variables in chemical process plants; reactor design and control; computer applications.
    Prerequisite or concurrent: CH E 410.
  • CH E 449, Bioseparations (3)
    Analysis and design of separation processes for the purification of biological molecules.
    Prerequisite: CH E 410.
  • CH E 450, Process Dynamics and Control (3)
    Analysis of time-dependent variables in chemical process plants; reactor design and control; computer applications.
    Prerequisite or concurrent: CH E 410, CH E 430.
  • CH E 452, Chemical Process Safety (3)
    This course provides an overview of Process Safety in the Chemical Industry, focusing on the nature of chemical plant addidents.
    Prerequisite or concurrent: CH E 410, CH E 430
  • CH E 453, Advanced Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics (3)
    Physical and chemical equilibria in multicomponent systems, including chemically reacting and heterogeneous systems.
    Prerequisite: CH E 320.
  • CH E 455, Advanced Chemical Reactor Design (3)
    Application of kinetics to reactor design: nonideal and nonisothermal reactors; scale-up techniques; adsorption and heterogeneous catalysis.
    Prerequisite: CH E 430.
  • CH E 465, Design Projects in Chemical Engineering (1-6)
    Problems in design and/or synthesis of chemical engineering processes and/or systems, including a final report on project results.
    Prerequisite: CH E 410, CH E 430.
  • CH E 470, Design of Chemical Plants (3)
    Lectures and practicum on methods and calculations, including economic evaluations for the design of chemical plants; formal technical report required.
    Prerequisite: CH E 410, CH E 430.
  • CH E 494, Research Projects in Chemical Engineering (1 - 6)
    An original problem, including a search of the literature, experimental investigation, and preparation in formal thesis form.
    Prerequisite: CH E 330, CH E 350, CH E 410.
    Prerequisite or concurrent: CH E 430.
  • CH E 496, Independent Studies (1 - 18).

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Reviewed on 07/28/09,   Top of page