Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Major (BA, BS, HBA, HBS)
This program is available at the following locations:
- Corvallis
- Ecampus
The Bachelor of Science and Honors Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.ABET.org.
Chemical engineering is the discipline that focuses on the science and engineering of processes to convert raw materials into valued chemicals and products at a manufacturing scale. These include products found in everyday life such as transportation and heating fuels, plastics, pharmaceuticals, household and paper products (soaps, cosmetics, health care and cleaning products, etc.), as well as more advanced products like solar cells, computer chips, and advanced composites for jet aircraft.
Chemical engineers find employment in traditional chemical industries such as pulp and paper manufacturing and petroleum refining, high-tech industries such as semiconductor device manufacturing, biopharmaceutical production, aerospace, and emerging industries, particularly sustainable energy.
Alumni of the chemical engineering program will be work-ready engineers, problem solvers, responsible professionals, and interdisciplinary collaborators. Program educational objectives can be found here.
The chemical engineering undergraduate curriculum is designed to meet the student objectives through relevant course content, structured collaborative learning experiences, and hands-on laboratory and design experiences at the first year through senior levels. The school has a core curriculum where students from all three programs housed within the school (CHE, BIOE, ENVE) take common courses in the areas of first-year engineering, material and energy balances, thermodynamics, transport phenomena, and senior year laboratory.
Chemical engineering students have opportunities to obtain internships offered through the School of CBEE, and through the Multiple Engineering Cooperative Program (MECOP). Many scholarships are available on a competitive basis for chemical engineering undergraduate students. More detailed descriptions of the curriculum and requirements may be viewed on the CBEE website.
Major Code: 303
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
- Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
- Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
- Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
- Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
- Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
- Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGR 110 & ENGR 115 | +TRANSITIONS and THE OREGON STATE ENGINEERING STUDENT 1 | 3 |
| or ENGR 310 | +TRANSITIONS | |
| ENGR 102 | +DESIGN ENGINEERING AND PROBLEM SOLVING | 3 |
| ENGR 103 | ENGINEERING COMPUTATION AND ALGORITHMIC THINKING | 3 |
| ENGR 201 | ELECTRICAL FUNDAMENTALS I | 3 |
| ENGR 330 | +INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE ENGINEERING | 3 |
| CBEE 211 | MATERIAL BALANCES AND STOICHIOMETRY | 3 |
| CBEE 212 | ENERGY BALANCES | 3 |
| CBEE 213 | PROCESS DATA ANALYSIS | 4 |
| CBEE 414 | ^PROCESS ENGINEERING LABORATORY | 3 |
| COMM 114 | +*ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE | 3-4 |
| or COMM 111Z | +*PUBLIC SPEAKING | |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| WR 227Z | +*TECHNICAL WRITING | 4 |
| MTH 251Z | +*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| MTH 252Z | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| MTH 254 | VECTOR CALCULUS I | 4 |
| MTH 256 | APPLIED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS | 4 |
| MTH 264 & MTH 265 | INTRODUCTION TO MATRIX ALGEBRA and INTRODUCTION TO SERIES | 4 |
| PH 211 | +*GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| PH 212 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| PH 213 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| CH 331 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| CH 440 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CH 441 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CH 442 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHE 311 | THERMODYNAMICS | 3 |
| CHE 312 | CHEMICAL ENGINEERING THERMODYNAMICS | 3 |
| CHE 320 | SAFETY, ENGINEERING ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM | 3 |
| CHE 331 | TRANSPORT PHENOMENA I | 4 |
| CHE 332 | TRANSPORT PHENOMENA II | 3 |
| CHE 333 | TRANSPORT PHENOMENA III | 3 |
| CHE 334 | TRANSPORT PHENOMENA LABORATORY | 3 |
| CHE 361 | CHEMICAL PROCESS DYNAMICS AND SIMULATION | 3 |
| CHE 411 | MASS TRANSFER OPERATIONS | 4 |
| CHE 415 | CHEMICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY I | 3 |
| CHE 431 | CHEMICAL PLANT DESIGN I | 3 |
| CHE 432 | +CHEMICAL PLANT DESIGN II | 3 |
| CHE 443 | CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING | 4 |
| CHE 461 | PROCESS CONTROL | 3 |
| Biology | ||
| BI 103 | +*HUMAN BIOLOGY: THE HUMAN BODY, HEALTH AND DISEASE | 4-5 |
| or BI 221Z | +*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS | |
| or MB 230 | +*INTRODUCTORY MICROBIOLOGY | |
| General Chemistry | ||
| Select one of the following chemistry series: | 15 | |
| Series 1 2 | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS and +CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS LABORATORY I | ||
| CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERING MAJORS and LABORATORY FOR CH 202 | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS | ||
Additional 4-credit chemistry course with lab from the Advanced Chemistry with Lab List | ||
| Series 2 | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY I and +*GENERAL CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY II and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY II LABORATORY | ||
| GENERAL CHEMISTRY III and *GENERAL CHEMISTRY III LABORATORY | ||
| Advanced Chemistry | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| ELEMENTARY BIOCHEMISTRY | ||
| GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY | ||
| ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| INORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| INORGANIC CHEMISTRY | ||
| ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY | ||
| ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY | ||
| BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY | ||
| INTRODUCTORY QUANTUM CHEMISTRY | ||
| WOOD CHEMISTRY | ||
| Advanced Chemistry with Lab | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3-4 | |
| QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS | ||
| ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY | ||
| ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTATION IN CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING | ||
| THIN FILM MATERIALS PROCESSING | ||
| POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE | ||
| CHEMICAL OCEANOGRAPHY | ||
| Engineering Electives | ||
| Select 7 credits from the following courses: | 7 | |
| BIOMATERIALS AND BIOINTERFACES | ||
| BIOCONJUGATION | ||
| SURFACE ANALYSIS | ||
| BIOREACTORS | ||
| CELL ENGINEERING | ||
| BIOSEPARATIONS | ||
| HYDROLOGY | ||
| THIN FILM MATERIALS PROCESSING | ||
| POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE | ||
| POLYMER SYNTHESIS AND PROCESSING | ||
| CONVENTIONAL AND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SYSTEMS | ||
| SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES | ||
| ELECTROCHEMICAL ENERGY SYSTEMS | ||
| ELECTRONIC MATERIALS AND DEVICES | ||
| BASIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES | ||
| QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND IMPROVEMENT | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING FUNDAMENTALS | ||
or ENVE 322 | FUNDAMENTALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING | |
| DRINKING WATER TREATMENT PROCESSES | ||
| WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROCESSES | ||
| AIR POLLUTION CONTROL | ||
| FATE AND TRANSPORT OF CHEMICALS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS | ||
| SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT | ||
| SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING | ||
| QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR SYSTEM MODELING AND EXPERIMENTATION | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO MATERIALS SCIENCE | ||
| MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS | ||
| +Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| +Core Ed: Arts & Humanities Global | 3-4 | |
| +Core Ed: Difference, Power & Oppression Foundations | 3-4 | |
| +Core Ed: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| +Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| Electives | 0-4 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
- 1
Students who complete CORE 100 or CORE 300 or a non-ENGR Transitions course and then declare an Engineering major will use an Engineering elective course to substitute for ENGR 115
- 2
Students who take the 201-203 general chemistry sequence will need to take another chemistry or chemical engineering course with a lab
Major Code: 303
Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| ENGR 110 & ENGR 115 or ENGR 310 | +TRANSITIONS or +TRANSITIONS | 3 |
| MTH 251Z | +*DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| General Chemistry with Lab | 5 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| COMM 114 or COMM 111Z | +*ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE or +*PUBLIC SPEAKING | 3-4 |
| ENGR 102 | +DESIGN ENGINEERING AND PROBLEM SOLVING | 3 |
| MTH 252Z | INTEGRAL CALCULUS | 4 |
| General Chemistry with Lab | 5 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENGR 103 | ENGINEERING COMPUTATION AND ALGORITHMIC THINKING | 3 |
| MTH 254 | VECTOR CALCULUS I | 4 |
| General Chemistry with Lab | 5 | |
| Core Ed: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CBEE 211 | MATERIAL BALANCES AND STOICHIOMETRY | 3 |
| CH 331 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 4 |
| MTH 256 | APPLIED DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS | 4 |
| PH 211 | +*GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| CBEE 212 | ENERGY BALANCES | 3 |
| MTH 264 & MTH 265 | INTRODUCTION TO MATRIX ALGEBRA and INTRODUCTION TO SERIES | 4 |
| PH 212 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| Biology Course | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CBEE 213 | PROCESS DATA ANALYSIS | 4 |
| ENGR 201 | ELECTRICAL FUNDAMENTALS I | 3 |
| PH 213 | *GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS | 4 |
| WR 227Z | +*TECHNICAL WRITING | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CH 440 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHE 311 | THERMODYNAMICS | 3 |
| CHE 331 | TRANSPORT PHENOMENA I | 4 |
| CHE 320 | SAFETY, ENGINEERING ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM | 3 |
| Core Ed: Difference, Power & Oppression Foundations | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| CH 441 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHE 361 | CHEMICAL PROCESS DYNAMICS AND SIMULATION | 3 |
| CHE 312 | CHEMICAL ENGINEERING THERMODYNAMICS | 3 |
| CHE 332 | TRANSPORT PHENOMENA II | 3 |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CH 442 | PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHE 461 | PROCESS CONTROL | 3 |
| CHE 333 | TRANSPORT PHENOMENA III | 3 |
| CHE 334 | TRANSPORT PHENOMENA LABORATORY | 3 |
| ENGR 330 | +INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE ENGINEERING | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CBEE 414 | ^PROCESS ENGINEERING LABORATORY | 3 |
| CHE 411 | MASS TRANSFER OPERATIONS | 4 |
| CHE 443 | CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING | 4 |
| Advanced Chemistry with Lab | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| CHE 415 | CHEMICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY I | 3 |
| CHE 431 | CHEMICAL PLANT DESIGN I | 3 |
| Engineering Elective | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHE 432 | +CHEMICAL PLANT DESIGN II | 3 |
| Advanced Chemistry | 4 | |
| Engineering Elective | 3 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities Global | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course