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Program Details

Graduate Program: Chemical Engineering (PHD)

General Information

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Program/Degree
Chemical Engineering (PHD)  
Program Description

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.

 
Department/Academic Unit(s)

Chemical and Environmental Engineering

https://chee.engineering.arizona.edu/about-us

Application information: https://chee.engineering.arizona.edu/grad-programs/admissions

 
College

College of Engineering

 
Campus where offered

University of Arizona - Main - Tucson

 
Contacts
Admissions Contact
Grace Marie Fuller
520-621-9341
Graduate Program Coordinator
Grace Marie Fuller
520-621-9341
Director of Graduate Studies
Erin L Ratcliff
520-626-5567
Graduate College Degree Counselor
Megan Jia Mcnulty-Luoma
520-626-9962
 
Tuition and Fees
Please refer to the UA Bursar's Office Tuition and Fees Calculator for up-to-date information about tuition and fees. 
Please refer to the UA Registrar's's Office Special Course Fees for up-to-date information about special course fees. 

Admissions Information

Admissions Requirements

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:

  • 4 semesters of math (calculus through differential equations)
  • Kinetics
  • Mass transport
  • Thermodynamics

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.

  • GRE scores are NOT required
  • Statement of purpose—indicating the academic and professional goals you hope to achieve in pursuit of this program of study. This is an essay where you describe your background, research interests and career goals, as well as your reasons for applying to our graduate program. See instructions in the online application that will help guide you as you write your essay.
  • Unofficial electronic copies of transcripts from previous academic work. Official Transcripts will be required prior to matriculation. Applicants should have a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, chemistry, physics, materials science or petroleum engineering for admission into the program, with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0. Previous coursework should include math through differential equations, kinetics, mass transport and thermodynamics. 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.
  • Resume—publications and time spent in a research lab make a much stronger application.
  • For international applicants, official scores from TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, CEFR or other accepted English Proficiency exam. See below for exemptions to this requirement.
  • Minimum of three letters of recommendation
  • Application processing fee: $85 for degree-seeking domestic and students, $95 for international students. (If you have difficulty paying the application fee due to financial hardship, please contact Grace Fuller at gracefuller@arizona.edu).

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

  • Those exempt from submitting English proficiency scores are:
    • Applicants from countries where English is the official language.
    • Applicants who have completed a bachelors or graduate degree at a regionally accredited institution in the United States, or an approved institution in an official English speaking country. Students eligible for this exemption, who are awarded a graduate teaching assistantship from their department, must complete the mandatory English Speaking Proficiency Evaluation (ESPE.) Refer to the GA Manual for more information: http://grad.arizona.edu/funding/ga.
    • Applicants who have not yet completed a degree at a regionally accredited institution in the United States, or an approved institution in an official English speaking country, but have two years of full-time academic study and have taken 48 upper division, graded undergraduate semester units or 30 graded, graduate semester units. Units must not be older than two years from the term of enrollment. Students eligible for this exemption, who are awarded a graduate teaching assistantship from their department, must complete the mandatory English Speaking Proficiency Evaluation (ESPE.) Refer to the GA Manual for more information: http://grad.arizona.edu/funding/ga.
 
Standardized Tests

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

 
Funding Opportunities

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:

  • Graduate College search for funding
  • UA graduate diversity programs
  • Scholarship Universe, UA scholarship database and search tool
  • UA Office of Fellowships support for finding external funding
  • UA Engineering’s deadline-driven list
 
Admissions Deadlines

Domestic Applicants:

  • Fall: January 15
  • Spring: June 30 (note that spring admissions are extremely rare - if the application portal is not open it means that no applications are being accepted)

International Applicants:

  • Fall: January 15
  • Spring: June 30 (note that spring admissions are extremely rare - if the application portal is not open it means that no applications are being accepted)

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 Conditional Admission

International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.

Other Information
The GRE Institution Code for The University of Arizona is 4832

ETS Major Field Code(s) for this program: 1001 - CHE

NRC Taxon(a) for this program: Chemical Engineering

Completion Requirements

Minimum Credit Units

63 

Core Coursework Requirements

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:

  • CHEE 502—Advanced Engineering Analysis (3 units)
  • CHEE 505—Advanced Chemical Engineering Transport Phenomena (3 units)
  • CHEE 506—Advanced Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics (3 units)
  • CHEE 530—Advanced Chemical Reaction Engineering (3 units)

A minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 is required for all CHEE graduate courses.

Additionally, Chemical Engineering PhD students must complete:

  • 6 units of elective courses in chemical engineering or related fields (excluding Minor)
  • 9-12 units of minor courses (depending upon the requirements of the Minor department)
  • 6+ units of CHEE Graduate Seminar (CHEE 696A) - all students must enroll in the Graduate Seminar each semester they are in the program
  • 12 units of Research (CHEE 900)
  • 18 units of Dissertation (CHEE 920)
  • Oral Comprehensive Examination
  • Dissertation defense

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.

 
Elective Coursework

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 500R—Water Chemistry for Engineers (3 units)
  • CHEE 512—Electrochemical Engineering (4 units)
  • CHEE 514—Sustainable Water Supplies for Remote Communities (4 units)
  • CHEE 520—Chemical Reaction Engineering (3 units)
  • CHEE 525—Emerging Issues in Water Quality (3 units)
  • CHEE 537—Surface Science (3 units)
  • CHEE 542—Bioremediation on Inorganic Contaminants (2 units)
  • CHEE/ATMO 569A—Air Pollution I: Gases (3 units)
  • CHEE/ATMO 569B—Air Pollution II: Aerosols (3 units)
  • CHEE 572—Interfacial Chemistry of Biomolecules in Environmental Systems (3 units)
  • CHEE 574—Fate and Transport Processes in Environmental Engineering (3 units)
  • CHEE 575—Water Treatment System Design (3 units)
  • CHEE 576—Wastewater Treatment System Design (3 units)
  • CHEE 577R—Microbiology for Engineers (3 units)
  • CHEE 578—Introduction to Hazardous Waste Management (3 units)
  • CHEE 581A—Engineering of Biological Processes (3 units)
  • CHEE 581B—Cell and Tissue Engineering (3 units)
  • CHEE 582—Analysis of Emerging Environmental Contaminants (3 units)
  • CHEE 583—Intro to Polymeric Materials (3 units)
  • CHEE 587—Topics in Transport Phenomena (3 units)
  • CHEE 589—Trends in Nanomedicine Engineering: Fundamentals of Therapeutics and Drug Delivery Systems (3 units)
 
Additional Requirements

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.

 
Minor Requirements for Doctoral Students in this 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.

 
Student Handbook

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.

 

Program StatisticsInformation about these numbers

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%

Back to statistics
  • All application, admit, and enrollment data are from Fall 2022.
  • Average Time to Degree calculates how long graduates in the last 5 years (2018-2022) took to complete their degrees, counting back to the first semester entering their program.
  • Underrepresented Minorities (URM) includes domestic students of ethnic groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education: African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders.

Persistent link: https://grad.arizona.edu/catalog/programinfo/CHEPHD
Last revised 14 Jul 2022
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