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The Chemical Engineering Program is designed to provide advanced work in a core of transport phenomena, thermodynamics and reaction engineering.
Students conduct research on a diverse range of projects due to multidisciplinary strengths, including nanotechnology, drug delivery, cancer detection/treatment, renewable energy, clean semiconductor manufacturing, water treatment and reuse, atmospheric chemistry and physics, life cycle assessment, electrochemistry, and applied quantum chemistry. There are especially strong interdisciplinary links to the Environmental Engineering Program, which has long-standing strengths in water and wastewater treatment science and technology as well as technology transfer, hazardous waste treatment, development of environmentally-friendly technologies for industry, and air quality research. This department’s environmental research contributes to the UA being one of the top ranked world programs in environmental science research.
Departmental research takes advantage of state-of-the-art facilities such as the Water & Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center (http://west.arizona.edu/), the BIO5 Institute (http://www.bio5.org/), the Micro/Nano Fabrication Center (https://research.arizona.edu/learn-more-micro-nano-fabrication-center), and various facilities associated with the Institute for Energy Solutions (https://energy.arizona.edu/).
Students in this program have a good track record of receiving financial aid from both university and federal fellowships. Graduates of this program most commonly obtain jobs in industry, government organizations, consulting, and continue on to academia.
College of Engineering
University of Arizona - Main - Tucson
In order to be academically prepared for graduate-level coursework and research in Chemical Engineering, applicants should have successfully completed the following undergraduate courses when they apply:
Applicants lacking in some area at the time of application may provide a plan to gain competence in these areas in their Statement of Purpose.
These items must be sent through the Graduate College online application.
Test Scores:
The institution code for the University of Arizona is 4832, which you choose when you register for tests like the TOEFL. Results are sent electronically to the university, typically within two weeks of the test date. After your application is submitted, our search/match system will attempt daily to match your test scores to your GradApp record. Please make sure the name on your tests matches the name on the application to avoid missing scores. The department code for Chemical Engineering (1001) is helpful but not necessary.
English Proficiency:
English proficiency is required for most applicants whose native language is not English (see exemptions listed below). Applicants may submit scores from a number of accepted English proficiency tests. A comprehensive list, along with minimum accepted scores, can be found at https://grad.arizona.edu/admissions/requirements/international-applicants#english-proficiency. The University of Arizona Graduate College does NOT accept Duolingo for University of Arizona graduate applicants. Note that the Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering does not offer conditional admission for applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements of an English Proficiency test.
Exemptions
Required test(s): English Proficiency (for applicants whose native language is not English)
Minimum English Proficiency test scores: see https://grad.arizona.edu/admissions/requirements/international-applicants#english-proficiency
ETS Major Field Code(s) for this program: 1001 – CHE
Research and Teaching Assistantships
Most full-time ChE doctoral students in good academic standing are supported financially during their graduate studies. This includes an annual stipend, in-state tuition, out-of-state tuition (if applicable), and health insurance. Support is typically provided by the faculty adviser, using funds from the adviser's research grant or the department wide training grants (see following section), contingent upon the student's satisfactory academic progress and good standing in the ChE program. First-year support may be provided by the college in the form of a fellowship. Students can also apply for teaching assistantships which are offered each semester.
Detailed information about teaching and research assistantships is available in the UA Graduate College GA Manual.
Scholarships and Fellowships
The ChE graduate program encourages all students to seek fellowship and/or scholarship funding. The following resources simplify finding, applying for and managing fellowships and scholarships:
Domestic Applicants:
International Applicants:
Note to applicants: In order to receive priority consideration for fall admission and full consideration for department funding, fall applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their completed applications by December 15. The final deadline for fall applications is typically January 15. Late applications will be considered if the applicant has the support of a CHEE faculty member. Final deadline for spring applications is June 30. Most of our PhD students start in the fall; spring admission is extremely rare (applications are not typically available for spring admission) and less likely to secure funding.
International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.
4832
ETS Major Field Code(s) for this program: 1001 - CHE
NRC Taxon(a) for this program: Chemical Engineering
63
Please find detailed information and updates in our CHEE Graduate Student Handbook:
CHEMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK: https://chee.engineering.arizona.edu/sites/chee.engineering.arizona.edu/files/2022-23-CHEE-Grad-Student-Handbook_0.pdf
Minumum credits: 63-66 (depending on requirements of the student's minor department)
Core coursework: 12 units of required courses:
A minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 is required for all CHEE graduate courses.
Additionally, Chemical Engineering PhD students must complete:
Other requirements: Qualifying exam must be taken the first time it is offered after the student has completed CHEE 502, 505, 506 and 530, usually in August at the end of the first year of study. Students who maintain a GPA of 3.75 or above in their required core courses are exempt from the Qualifying Exam.
Six (6) units of electives are required to complete the program. Elective courses are determined at the discretion of the individual student and the student's faculty advisor, usually relevant to the student's research. Specific CHEE courses from which a student may choose include:
CHEE 900—Research (12 units) — During the first and second year of the student's progress toward their PhD degree, the student will take CHEE 900 Research as they develop individual research that may lead to their dissertation thesis. Students may also opt to take additional CHEE 900 units for their required elective units for an additional 6 units. Students who enter the PhD program after completing a Master's in Chemical Engineering at the University of Arizona may need fewer CHEE 900 units at the discretion of their faculty advisor. Nonetheless, students must take CHEE 900 until they complete their oral Comprehensive Exam and should take CHEE 920 after that.
CHEE 696A—CHEE Department Seminar—All CHEE graduate students are required to register and attend CHEE 696A, the CHEE Department Seminar (1 unit), each semester that they are in the program.
All PhD students must fulfill the requirements for a minor in a program approved by the candidate and their dissertation advisor. Minor requirements are administered and approved by the minor department. They typically consist of 9 to 12 units of course work.
Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.
| Program-level Information | |
|---|---|
| Application Acceptance Rate | 22.73% |
| Avg. Time-to-degree (years) | 4.29 |
| Department-level Information | |
| Enrollment Percent Male | 62.5% |
| Enrollment Percent Female | 37.5% |
| Enrollment Percent International | 25% |
| Enrollment Percent URM | 40.63% |