Major code BS7251
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

Major Code BS7262
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering - Materials Track

Major Code BS7263
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering - Biological Track

Major Code 7264
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering - Energy and the Environment Track

 

Chemical engineering is that branch of engineering that deals with changing raw materials into valuable products that you use everyday. The discipline of chemical engineering is based on the application of chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, mathematics, and economics. The traditional chemical engineer develops a chemical process from its laboratory beginnings through pilot-plant equipment to full-scale, production plant operations. Chemical engineers are employed in a wide range of industrial and research positions. In addition to the traditional chemical engineering employers in the chemical and petroleum industries, chemical engineers increasingly find employment in the areas of polymers, pharmaceuticals, food processing, agriculture, environmental engineering, biotechnology, paper processing, energy, and electronics.

The chemical engineering program at Ohio University prepares undergraduate students for the opportunities and challenges that they will meet upon graduation. Our curriculum includes traditional chemical engineering courses such as mass and energy balances, thermodynamics, fluid flow, heat transfer, separation processes, reaction engineering, and process design. Our students also have the opportunity to take elective courses in materials engineering, environmental engineering, conventional and alternative energy, biochemical and biomedical engineering, corrosion, and electrochemical engineering.

The educational objectives of our chemical engineering program, listed below, describe the skills and abilities that we expect our students to gain as they progress towards graduation.

As part of our ABET accreditation process, the Department has defined Objectives and Outcomes for our program. Objectives are defined as traits or skills recent graduates will be able to demonstrate. Outcomes are defined as specific skills that support the objectives. These are evaluated as the required chemical engineering courses are completed. The Objectives and Outcomes as defined by the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering are as follows:

Objective 1: Graduates will have a strong foundation in chemical engineering theory and practice.

Outcomes for Objective 1: Students will demonstrate the ability to:

1. apply knowledge to chemical engineering problems from subjects including mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, and other engineering disciplines;
2. apply knowledge of chemical engineering fundamentals including material balances, energy balances, thermodynamics; momentum transfer and fluid flow, heat transfer, mass transfer, chemical reaction engineering, and bioengineering;
3. apply knowledge of chemical engineering unit operations such as heat exchangers, continuous contacting equipment, staged separation processes, chemical reactors, and mass transfer equipment;
4. complete experimental studies including designing and conducting experiments, formulating mathematical models, and analyzing and interpreting results using statistical tools;
5. solve engineering problems including identifying the problem to be solved, determining what data is and is not needed, identifying probable causes and potential solutions, identifying applicable theory and constructing modeling equations, articulating underlying assumptions in the theory, identifying the type of math problem and appropriate solution techniques, solving several steps in sequence, and critically evaluating the solution for reasonableness;
6. and design chemical processes, using current engineering tools and considering controllability, product quality, economics, safety, and environmental concerns.

Objective 2: Graduates will have communication and interpersonal skills needed to succeed in a professional environment.

Outcomes for Objective 2. Students will demonstrate the ability to:

1. participate effectively in a team through leadership, individual contributions, and multidisciplinary interactions;
2. and communicate in oral, written, and graphical form.

Objective 3: Graduates will be scholars and professionals and dedicated to the betterment of themselves and society.

Outcomes for Objective 3. Students will demonstrate the ability to:

1. articulate the responsibilities of engineering practice including professional responsibilities and ethical responsibilities;
2. articulate the interaction between engineering solutions, contemporary issues, and cultural perspectives;
3. and engage in life-long learning by learning independently and articulating the importance of independent learning for future professional development.

Transfer students must have at least 48 hours of basic math and science credit.

Specialization Tracks

Students may select to major in the traditional chemical engineering curriculum or one of the specialized tracks. The tracks allow students to focus their studies in a technical area of interest to them, while still receiving a chemical engineering degree. The three specialized majors offered are the Materials Track, Biological Track, and Energy and the Environment Track. All four of the majors have a common list of required courses (listed below), and result in a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. The traditional major requires 21 hours of technical electives. A list of allowable electives is maintained in the Department. Six of the 21 credit hours must be in advanced chemistry.

For the Material Track, in place of the 21 hours of technical elective the student must take:

1. CH E 431
2. Three track electives (list maintained in the Department)
3. Additional technical electives to reach 18 hours total
4. Six hours of the technical or track electives must be in advanced chemistry

For the Biological Track, in place of the 21 hours of technical elective the student must take:

1. CH E 481 and 404 (one of the two is required of student in any of the four majors)
2. Three track electives (list maintained in the Department)
3. Additional technical electives to reach 18 hours total
4. Six hours of the technical or track electives must be in advanced chemistry

For the Energy and the Environment Track, in place of the 21 hours of technical elective the student must take:

1. Four track electives (list maintained in the Department)
2. Additional technical electives to reach 21 hours total
3. Six hours of the technical or track electives must be in advanced chemistry