Undergraduate Program

Undergraduate students acquire a solid background in mathematics, chemistry and physics and take additional upper-level courses in chemistry. The basis of the chemical engineering program is in transport phenomena, thermodynamics, separations and kinetics. Other courses deal with the principles and techniques of chemical engineering analysis and design, along with economic analysis and process control. Laboratory courses offer the student an opportunity to make fundamental measurements of momentum, heat and mass transport and to gain hands-on experience with bench scale and small scale pilot-plant apparatus, which can be computer controlled. Report writing is a principal focus in the laboratory courses. Selected students are offered the opportunity to carry out individual research projects.

The curriculum for a chemical engineering major includes a number of electives. Students, with the consent of their faculty advisers, may choose elective courses that maintain program breadth or may pursue a minor with the chemical engineering major. Established minors for chemical engineering students are environmental engineering, materials science and engineering, nanoscience and nanotechnology, environmental engineering, scientific computing, engineering management, and business, among others. Double majors may be arranged in consultation with a faculty adviser. 

The department recommends chemical engineering students consider taking the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (FE) in their senior year. This is the first step in obtaining a license as a professional engineer. The following courses are recommended for preparation for the FE: EECE 2112, CE 2280 and ME 2190.

Undergraduate Honors Program

The Honors Program in chemical engineering provides an opportunity for selected students to develop individually through independent study and research. General requirements are described in the Special Programs chapter of the Undergraduate Catalog. Chemical Engineering requires a minimum overall GPA of 3.5 for the Honors Program, and acceptance into the program is made by petition to the faculty during the junior year. Transfer students may be considered for admission after completing one semester at Vanderbilt. Candidates for honors choose their technical courses with the consent of a faculty honors adviser. Requirements include at least 6 hours of ChBE courses numbered 5000 or above, plus 6 hours of ChBE 3860 and 3861 taken in the junior and/or senior year under the direction of a faculty honors adviser. A formal written research report is submitted each semester ChBE 3860 or 3861 is taken with a final report and presentation given in the spring semester of the senior year to the ChBE faculty and students. The diploma designation is Honors in Chemical Engineering.

Curriculum Structure

  • The B.E. in Chemical Engineering requires a minimum of 125 hours
    1. Mathematics (14 hours): Math 1300, 1301, 2300, 2420.
    2. Basic Science (24 hours): Chemistry 1601/1601L, 1602/1602L, 2221/2221L, 2222/2222L; Physics 1601/1601L, 1602/1602L.
    3. Engineering Fundamentals (6 hours): ES 1401, 1402, 1403; CS 1000 or 1101 or 1103 or 1104 (CS 1000 or 1103 preferred).
    4. Liberal Arts Core (18 hours). To be selected to fulfill the Liberal Arts Core requirements listed in the Degree Programs in Engineering.
    5. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (39 hours): ChBE 2100, 2200, 2250, 2900W, 3200, 3250, 3300, 3350, 3600, 3900W, 4900W, 4950W, 4951W, 4959.
    6. Science electives (6 hours). BSCI 1510 or ChBE 2150; Chem 3300 (preferred) or BSCI 2201 or BSCI 2520.
    7. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering electives: 6 hours selected from ChBE courses numbered 4000 and above.
    8. Technical electives (6 hours). To be selected from: a) courses numbered 2000 or above in BME, ChBE, CE, CS, EECE, ENVE, ME, MSE, NANO, and SC, except BME 2201, BME 2220, and ME 2220; b) courses numbered 1500 or above in the College of Arts and Science listed in the mathematics and natural sciences (MNS) AXLE distribution category; and c) ENGM 3000, 3010, 3300, 3650, 3700, 4500.
    9. Open electives (6 hours)

    Specimen Curriculum

  • Specimen curricula leading to a B.E. in Chemical Engineering are available that provide additional emphasis

    *Click here to download a spreadsheet with all of the above specimen curricula.

  • Double Majors

    1. The double major in Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering requires a minimum of 131 semester hours. The requirements include those numbered 2 and 4 for the B.E. in chemical engineering and the following: (click here for a specimen curriculum)

    • Mathematics (15 hours): Math 1300, 1301, 2300, 2400.
    • Engineering Fundamentals (6 hours): ES 1401, 1402, 1403; CS 1101 or 1003 or 1104.
    • Biology (4 hours): BSCI 1510/1510L.
    • Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (29 hours): ChBE 2100, 2200, 2250, 3200, 3250, 3300, 3350, 4900W, 4950W, 4959.
    • Biomedical Engineering (32 hours): BME 2100, 2301, 2302, 2900W, 3301, 3302, 3400, 3500, 3900W, 4901W, 4950, 4951, 4959.
    • Electrical Engineering (3 hours): EECE 2112.
    • ChBE/BME elective: 3 hours selected from ChBE 4500, 4800, 4805, 4810, 4820 and BME courses numbered 4000 and above except BME 6110. BME 3890 and CHBE 3890 may be substituted upon approval of hte Directors of Undergraduate Studies for BME and CHBE.

    2. The double major in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry requires a minimum of 130 semester hours. The requirements include those numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 for the B.E. in chemical engineering and the following: (click here for a specimen curriculum)

    • Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (36 hours): ChBE 2100, 2200, 2250, 2900W, 3200, 3250, 3300, 3350, 3600, 4900W, 4950W, 4951W, 4959.
    • Science (23 hours): Chem 2100, 2100L, 3010, 3300, 3315, either Chem 4965 and 4966 or Chem 3980, 4980, and 4999; BSCI 1510 or ChBE 2150; BSCI 2520.
    • Engineering Elective: 3 hours selected from courses numbered 2000-3800 or 3890 and above in BME, ChBE, CE, EECE, ENVE, and ME, except BME 2860.

    3 . The double major in Chemical Engineering and Communication and Science and Technology requires a minimum of 1 25 semester hours. The requirements include those for the B.E. in chemical engineering with 12 hours in the Liberal Arts Core as designated by the Communication and Science and Technology requirements. (click here for a specimen curriculum)

    * Click here to download a spreadsheet with all of the above specimen curricula.