Chemical Engineering Curriculum
Forms
The requirements for receiving a B. S. degree in Chemical Engineering are the following:
- Successfully complete the required courses and an accepted Elective Focus Area (see below);
- Maintain a GPA of 2.0;
- Complete an accepted enriching activity (see below).
The undergraduate program requires 128 semester hours of course work for graduation (129 semester hours for the Pre-med Elective Focus Area). These courses are in the areas of mathematics, chemistry, general engineering, chemical engineering, and the general education component (GEC). Two semesters of calculus and one semester each of differential equations, matrix algebra, and probability and statistics satisfy the mathematics requirement. General and organic chemistry courses are required, with a lecture and lab portion for each area. In addition, an advanced chemical science sequence, including lecture and lab courses, consistent with the student's Elective Focus Area, is also required. The GEC course policy is as follows:
- Every student must take a minimum of 15 SH of GEC courses.
- Among the 15 SH, at least 3 SH must be from the pool of courses designated as social science courses.
- Among the 15 SH, at least 3 SH from the pool of courses designated as humanities courses.
- To ensure depth, at least 6 SH should be intermediate (100) level courses, at least one of which is a 100 level course in the same department as a lower level course completed by the student.
- Courses that are primarily mathematical or scientific in nature and those that are specifically designed to develop artistic or music skills are not acceptable as social science/humanities electives even though they are offered through approved departments. Foreign language courses beyond those required to meet the basic foreign language requirement are acceptable humanities courses. "
The general engineering courses include statics, electrical circuits, thermodynamics, materials science, and computational methods. The chemical engineering courses are taken during the sophomore, junior and senior years. Chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, momentum transport, heat and mass transfer, economics, process control, design, and safety are covered in these classes. Elective Focus Areas (see below) give the student an opportunity to explore an area of personal interest.
GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ENGINEERING UNDERGRADUATES
The College of Engineering General Education Component (Social Sciences and Humanities) requirement is designed to prepare student engineers for their future professional responsibilities by integrating humanities and social sciences into the undergraduate curriculum.
Please Note: You must follow all pre-requisites and instructions regarding instructor permission for the courses you wish to take. Not all of the courses listed are offered all semesters.
Engineering General Education Policy
1 |
Lower Level humanities (3 SH required) |
2 |
Lower Level social science (3 SH required) |
3 |
Upper-Level humanities or social science from the same department as 1 or 2 above (3 SH required) |
4 |
Upper-Level humanities or social science from any approved department (3 SH required) |
5 |
Lower or Upper Level humanities or social science from any approved department (3 SH required) |
For more information see:
University of Iowa College of Engineering Humanities/Social Science requirements
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM ELECTIVE FOCUS AREAS
The inclusion of Elective Focus Areas (EFAs) in the Chemical Engineering curriculum provides you with the opportunity to gain depth of knowledge in your chosen career path in addition to the strong fundamental grounding in the scientific, engineering, and chemical engineering principles provided by the common curriculum. As described below, you may choose a pre-approved EFA in the following topics:
| Biochemical Engineering | Energy & Environment |
| Business | Polymers |
| Chemical Process Engineering | Pre-Medicine |
| Entrepeneurship |
You must select an Elective Focus Area in the third semester (i.e, first semester of sophomore standing). You must meet with your faculty advisor to develop and submit an EFA application form and a plan of study worksheet prior to enrolling in the first EFA course. The EFA application form and plan of study worksheet can be edited in Adobe Acrobat Reader and printed out for submission to your advisor. Sample 4-year curriculum guides for each of the pre-approved EFA's are also listed below. When completing the semester-by-semester plan, it is important to note that some of the elective courses are not offered every year. To aid in planning, consult the recurring schedule of CBE electives.
All students who have not completed the EFA paperwork by the end of the Sophomore year (first semester of Junior standing) will be automatically placed in the Chemical Process Engineering EFA. Changes to the EFA track can be made by completing the EFA application process (Submit an EFA application form and plan of study worksheet to your faculty advisor).
Alternatively, you may choose to develop your own EFA consistent with your career goals subject to approval by the Chemical Engineering Curriculum Committee. The following guidelines should be used when customizing your EFA plan of study.
Guidelines for Elective Focus Areas in the Chemical Engineering Program
The Chemical Engineering Program has developed the following guidelines for the EFAs after careful consideration of the required elements in the for a chemical engineering degree (including the advanced chemistry requirement and the other program requirements specified by AIChE):
| General Education Component (GEC) courses | 15 s.h. |
| Statistics elective | 3 s.h. |
| Engineering elective | 3 s.h. |
| Advanced Chemical Science Electives | 9 or 10 s.h. |
| Free Electives | 11 or 12 s.h |
| 42 s.h. total |
POSSIBLE ADVANCED CHEMISTRY ELECTIVE COURSE SEQUENCES
Students completing Analytical or Physical sequences qualify for a minor in Chemistry.
Students completing the Biochemical sequence can obtain a minor in chemistry with one additional advanced chemistry course. The minor is obtained by indicating the request on the Application for Degree during the semester before the final semester (when you expect to graduate).
004:131 Physical Chemistry I 3 s.h.
004:132 Physical Chemistry II 3 s.h.
004:144 Physical Measurements 3 s.h.
004:111 Analytical Chemistry I 3 s.h.
004:112 Analytical Chemistry II 3 s.h.
004:143 Analytical Measurements 3 s.h.
099:120 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I 3 s.h.
099:130 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II 3 s.h.
099:140 Experimental Biochemistry 4 s.h.
POSSIBLE STATISTICS ELECTIVES
022S:008 Statistics for Business 3 s.h.
022S:030 Statistical Methods and Computing 3 s.h.
022S:039 Probability and Statistics for Engineering & Phys. Sci. 3 s.h.
022S:101 Biostatistics 3 s.h.
022S:120 Probability and Statistics 3 s.h.
022S:130 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics I 3 s.h.
Four-year Curriculum Guides for CBE (2007-2008)
Use the guides below to plan your undergraduate coursework! Fill out a plan of study worksheet
General
Biochemical Engineering
Business
Chemical Process Engineering
Entrepeneurship
Energy and Environment
Polymers
Pre-Medicine
Recurring Elective Course Offerings in Chemical & Biochemical Engineering
Fall of Even Years
52:181 Bioseparations
52:217 Transport Phenomena I
Fall of Odd Years
52:108 Introduction to Biochemical Engineering
52:117 Intermediate Thermodynamics
52:211 Intermediate Chemical Reaction Kinetics
Spring of Even Years
52:236 Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
52:241 Polymer Science and Technology
Spring of Odd Years
52:237 Green Chemical Engineering
52:242 Polymer Chemistry
Chemical engineers in the workplace inevitably work in multidisciplinary teams, and are frequently working on projects that impact society both locally and globally. Therefore, our program will provide enriching activities to enable each student to develop effective multidisciplinary team skills and to develop an understanding of the impact of chemical engineering practice on both the micro and macro scales. All Chemical Engineering students will complete at least one of the following enriching activities as a requirement to receive a BS degree:
-
Three semester hour equivalent of an approved research experience
- Cooperative education experience
- Internship experience
- Study abroad
- PEDE
- Entrepreneurial program (i.e., receive the corresponding certificate)
- Other approved multidisciplinary experience*
Completion of any of these activities will require that the student briefly summarize (~250 words) the contribution of their experience to the development of multidisciplinary team skills and to the increased understanding of the impact of engineering practice both locally and globally. While enriching activities can be completed at any point during the undergraduate career, students will register for 052:092 Enriching Activities Seminar during their senior and fulfill the reporting requirement.
* Approval to be obtained from the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering curriculum committee.