Chemical Engineering
Course Bulletin(PDF) Download
Curriculum Requirements(PDF) Download
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
121 Koffolt Laboratories
140 W. 19th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43210-1180
614-292-6591
http://www.chbmeng.ohio-state.edu
Degrees offered
- Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
- Master of Science
- Doctor of Philosophy
Undergraduate Program
This program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, Maryland 21202-4012; - telephone: 410-347-7700.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Chemical Engineering Program is to educate students in chemical engineering, foster interdisciplinary collaboration with allied fields, advance and disseminate state-of-the-art knowledge and technology, and to serve the public, academic, and industrial communities.
In order to accomplish this mission, the Department has identified the following list of specific program educational objectives for the undergraduate program:
Program educational objectives
- Educate chemical engineers to meet the technological challenges of the future.
- Educate chemical engineers to understand and properly address the impact of technology in other areas, and to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams with other engineers, scientists, and non-technical personnel.
- Provide chemical engineers with the ability to integrate material learned from different sources and to apply state-of-the-art technologies to identify and solve problems.
- Instill students with the desire to engage in life-long learning and provide them with the ability to succeed in this endeavor.
- Motivate chemical engineers to be good citizens by serving their professional and civic communities.
Most practicing chemical engineers today are engaged in one or more of the following activities: research and development of new chemical processes and consumer products, design and operation of chemical plants, supervision and control of manufacturing operations, environmental control, technical sales, market research and analysis, or management functions in these areas. Today, most chemical engineers are employed in the chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, consumer products, and petroleum, industries. Chemical engineers also find opportunities in other sectors of industry as well as in government and private research institutes. Future growth for chemical engineering careers is expected to be especially strong in the biotechnology and biomedical sectors.
The chemical industry encompasses a wide cross section of companies which produce a broad spectrum of products including major organic and inorganic chemicals, plastics, petrochemicals, specialty chemicals, biochemically produced compounds, and consumer products (such as synthetic fibers for textiles, plastic composites, food, and household products). The chemical industry, because of its dynamic leadership and willingness to invest in research is one of the most progressive of the major industries. The combination of biology with the tools of chemical engineers has led to the development of a new area: “Biomolecular engineering” in which chemical engineers contribute to the development of new technologies and products based on biologically active building blocks. This is not a new trend – pharmaceutical companies have for many years hired large numbers of chemical engineers to deal with bioprocessing, fermentation, bioseparations, and general process engineering. Recent scientific breakthroughs in molecular biology are expected to yield even more opportunities for chemical engineers to contribute to pharmaceutical process development, drug discovery, the design and control of bioprocesses, and the general application of chemical engineering principles to biosystems.
The undergraduate program in chemical engineering at The Ohio State University is directed toward preparation of graduates for industrial employment, professional service, and for continuing education in graduate studies.
The curriculum is continuously evolving to include the latest advances and enhancements in technology, educational methods, and subject matter of future importance. A firm basis in chemistry, math, and physics is developed in the first two years and studies in chemical engineering begin in the second year with mass and energy balances, and transport phenomena. The engineering sciences are rounded out with heat and mass transport, thermodynamics, reaction engineering, and unit operations. These fundamental concepts are integrated into research, development, and design aspects of chemical and biochemical processes and products in the senior year. In addition to the basic program, students select a technical elective program in areas of specialization including polymer engineering, biochemical engineering, environmental engineering, catalysis, colloids, and others. Computational work is integral to nearly all courses and chemical engineering majors have access to several excellent computing labs.
For certain specializations the department offers a certificate upon graduation. These are presently available for environmental engineering, biomolecular engineering and polymer science. The biomolecular option is designed to prepare students for employment in the biotechnology and biomedical industries as well as providing appropriate training for pre-medical students.
Chemical engineering undergraduates may also participate in research projects during their course of study. These activities provide students exposure to problem-solving in a research and development environment. In addition to earning technical elective credit, undergraduate researchers have opportunities to work in the diverse research facilities on campus and learn to use a wide variety of equipment and analytical instrumentation.
Acceptance to major
Entry courses: Chem Eng 200
Annual numerical ceiling: 50 (AU), 50 (WI)
Acceptance criteria: secondary point-hour ratio upon completion of Math 153 and Chem 123.
Applications for admission are due one quarter in advance (Spring for Autumn admission, Autumn for Winter admission).