The Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering offers students solid preparation for professional work in development, design, and operation of chemical products and processes. It prepares the student for employment in such industries as chemical, petroleum, electrochemical, biochemical, semiconductor, nuclear, aerospace, plastics, food processing, or environmental control.
Students with high scholastic attainment are well prepared to enter graduate programs leading to advanced degrees in chemical engineering or in related professional, scientific, and engineering fields. The undergraduate program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.
Chemical Engineering Course Sequence Chart
Suggested Sequence of Courses
| Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering | ||
|---|---|---|
| Freshman Year | Fall | Spring |
| Math 1A, 1B, Calculus | 4 | 4 |
| Chemistry 4A (F), 4B (S), General/Quantitative Analysis | 5 | 5 |
| Physics 7A1, Physics for Scientists and Engineers | - | 4 |
| Reading and Composition R1A | 4 | - |
| Engineering 71, Intro to Computer Programming for Scientists and Engineers | - | 4 |
| Total | 13 | 17 |
| Sophomore Year | Fall | Spring |
| Math 53, 54, Multivariable Calculus; Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | 4 | 4 |
| Chemistry 12A(F), Organic Chemistry | 5 | - |
| Physics 7B, Physics for Scientists and Engineers | - | 4 |
| Chem Eng 1302 (F) Mathematics & Statistics in Chemical Engineering | 4 | - |
| Chem Eng 140 (F) Process Analysis | 4 | - |
| Chem Eng 141 (S) Thermodynamics | - | 4 |
| Chem Eng 150A (S) Transport Processes | - | 4 |
| Total | 17 | 16 |
| Junior Year | Fall | Spring |
| Biology 1A, General Biology OR Bio Eng 11, Engineering Molecules I | 3 | - |
| Chemistry 120A Physcial Chemistry or Physics 137A, Quantum Mechanics | - | 3-4 |
| Breadth Elective3 | 3-4 | - |
| Chem Eng 142 (F), Kinetics | 4 | - |
| Chem Eng 150B (F), Transport Processes | 4 | - |
| Science Elective | - | 3-4 |
| Chem Eng 1544 or C170L5, Lab | - | 3-4 |
| Breadth Elective/American Cultures3 | - | 3-4 |
| Total | 14-15 | 13-16 |
| Senior Year | Fall | Spring |
| Chem Eng 162, Process Control | 4 | - |
| Chem Eng 160, Design | - | 4 |
| Lower Division or Upper Division Engineering Elective | 3-4 | - |
| Chem Eng Elective | 3-4 | - |
| Upper Division Engineering Elective | - | 6-8 |
| Breadth Electives3 | 6-8 | 3-4 |
| Total | 13-19 | 13-16 |
(F) course is offered in fall only
(S) course is offered in spring only
1 Students who have satisfied Math 1A and who plan to take Math 1B or 53 in the Fall may consider also taking Physics 7A or Engineering 7. Math 1B is a pre-requisite or co-requisite for these courses. Other technical programming courses may be substituted for Eng 7, e.g. Python, Mathematica, or Maple, though E7 is strongly recommended because future CBE courses use MATLAB-based works and E7-related concepts. CS61A, or courses in C++. JAVA, or HTML, are not acceptable.
2 Required co-requisite for CBE 140 for all new students beginning Fall 2022. Maybe be used as an elective for continuing students.
3 The breadth elective requirement is comprised of 22 units, including one semester of Reading & Composition (R1A) and the breadth series requirement. If a student took Chem Eng 185 Technical Communications by spring 2017, the breadth requirement is 19 units.
4 Student ID rule applies: Normal timing for students with SID numbers ending in 2, 4, 6, or 8 is spring of junior year, and for students with SID numbers ending in 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9 is fall of senior year. Extenuating circumstances due to issues such as transfer status should be discussed with 154 instructor.
5 CBE C170L may be used to satisfy the Chemical Engineering lab requirement in lieu of CBE 154 beginning in Spring 2022, not before. CBE C170L also satisfies the prerequisite for CBE 160, 161S, and any other upper division CBE course in which 154 is a prerequisite. Students who take both C170L and 154 may use one to satisfy the lab requirement and the other to satisfy either the CBE elective requirement or an engineering elective. C170L may NOT be used to satisfy both the lab requirement AND an elective or concentration requirement.