College of Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Overview

Skillful and creative applications of the principles of chemistry, biochemistry, biology, mathematics, and physics are needed to solve the problems now confronting society. Whether these problems involve energy, food, health, environmental quality, materials, or whatever impacts us, the modern chemical engineer is the professional concerned with finding economically and socially acceptable solutions. The program prepares graduates for employment in a great variety of industries including the chemical, petroleum, biochemicals, pharmaceutical, paper, environmental, fibers, plastics, food, electronics, and consumer product industries. Students may customize their academic program around an industry of their interest by judiciously selecting electives. For example, areas of concentration such as polymers, biotechnology, marketing, and environmental chemical engineering are common choices.

The goal of the undergraduate program is to produce chemical engineering graduates who are prepared for professional careers and/or graduate school. In fulfilling this goal the department has set three primary objectives for the graduates:

• Graduates should possess a strong background in the chemical engineering fundamentals;
• Graduates should be able to apply these fundamentals to diverse and meaningful problems;
• Graduates should be able to effectively function in a professional environment.

The curriculum has been developed to meet the department goal and the objectives for the graduates. The curriculum is demanding and a GPA of at least 2.50 is recommended for transfer into the program at the sophomore level. An average GPA of at least 2.00 in all ChE courses attempted is required for continued enrollment in the department. The department has specific grade policies for continuation in the program and for graduation. For further information on these policies, please contact the department.

The chemical engineering curriculum integrates studies in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, mass transfer, process control, reaction kinetics, plant and process design, verbal and written communications, and reaction kinetics, along with professional ethics and environmental awareness. Students gain hands-on experience with the equipment described in the courses during the summer Unit Operations Laboratory. The laboratory and the senior design courses are recognized as two of the high points in the undergraduate program. Throughout these studies, the student learns the elements of the design of chemical processes and chemical processing equipment. The experience culminates in participation in a national senior-level design contest. The computer is a necessary tool in all the courses and the same software used in industry is used in the design courses.

In addition to the basic undergraduate program outlined here, more sophisticated and specialized programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. in chemical engineering also are offered (see Graduate Catalog).

The department participates in the Cooperative Education Program whereby qualified students may alternate periods of study with periods of professional employment.

The ChE website may be viewed at: www.che.vt.edu

Chemical Engineering Program

A total of 135 semester credits are required for graduation (effective with Class of 2006).

Students planning to enter Chemical Engineering take General Chemistry 1036-1046 as shown in the schedule of classes in the Engineering Education section.

Second Year
First Semester
CHE 2114: Mass and Energy Balances	3	3
CHEM 2535: Organic Chemistry (or 2565)	3	3
CHEM 2545: Organic Chemistry Lab	3	1
CHEM 3615: Physical Chemistry	3	3
MATH 2224: Calculus	3	3
PHYS 2306: Foundations of Physics II	4	4
Credits		17
Second Semester
CHE 2124: CHE Simulations	2	2
CHE 2164: CHE Thermodynamics	3	3
CHEM 2536: Organic Chemistry (or 2566)	3	3
CHEM 2546: Organic Chemistry Lab	3	1
CHEM 3625: Physical Chemistry Lab	1	1
EF 2324: Engr. Problem Solving using Fortran	1	1
MATH 2214: Intro to Diff. Equations	3	3
Elective	3	3
Credits		17
Third Year
First Semester
CHE 3114: Fluid Transport	3	3
CHE 3134: Separation Processes	3	3
ENG 3764: Technical Writing	3	3
STAT 4604: Statistical Methods for Engineers	3	3
MATH 4564: Oper. Methods	3	3
Credits		15
Second Semester
ChE 3015: Process Meas. and Controls	3	3
CHE 3044: Heat Transfer	2	2
CHE 3144: Mass Transfer	3	3
CHE 3184: Chemical Reactor Analysis and Design	3	3
CHE 4134: Chemical Process Modeling	2	2
Elective*	3	3
Credits		16
Summer Term (must precede senior year)
ChE 4014: ChE Laboratory		5
Fourth Year
First Semester
CHE 4104: Process Materials	3	3
ChE 4185: Process and Plant Design (WI)	4	4
ESM 2214: Statics and Mechanics of Materials	3	3
Electives*	6	6
Credits		16
Second Semester
ChE 4186: Process and Plant Design (WII)	4	4
Electives*	10	10
Credits		14

* Elective Hours: 25, as specified below

16 hours Core Curriculum (choose from approved lists) -- Areas 2, 3, 6, 7
3 hours Technical Electives (choose from approved list)
6 hours Free Electives

The following are areas of concentration where students could use electives. Lists of approved courses for these concentrations are available in the Department of Chemical Engineering.

1. No concentration
2. Marketing and Chemical Distribution
3. Biochemical Engineering
4. Polymers
5. Environmental

As part of progress toward a degree, a student must have a grade of C or better in all ChE-prefix courses and maintain a GPA of 2.0 or above in all ChE prefix courses. If in-major GPA drops below 2.0 at any time, the student will be place on departmental probation. The student cannot remain on departmental probation for more than two consecutive semesters. In the case that a student has not achieved an in-major 2.0 or better after two semesters, the student is prohibited from registering for any ChE courses for at least one semester and, after that, only with permission of ChE department head. All ChE credits are used to calculate in-major GPA.

Students who plan to co-op should talk with with Dr. Goldstein (127 Randolph) in the ChE department.

For additional information about the Chemical Engineering curriculum, please contact the department head.

Undergraduate Course Descriptions (CHE)

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