M.S. Program - Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

There are multiple options are available for individuals seeking a Master of Science degree.

• Plan A Thesis Option, usually pursued by full-time graduate students, emphasizes research.
  
• Plan B Non-Thesis Option, usually pursued by part-time graduate students, emphasizes coursework.
  
• Scientist-to-engineer program for those who have in undergraduate degree in an area other than chemical engineering
  

The specific requirements for each Plan are outlined below. All other rules and regulations for the master's degree as documented in the Graduate Catalog also apply. Visit our FAQ page for answers to many of your questions.

Plan A: The Thesis Option The 3 main requirements of this plan are:

1. The student must successfully complete 5 graduate courses (15 credits), maintaining a GPA of 3.0 (out of 4.0) or above. At least 3 of these courses must be Core Courses. The student must also complete 9 credits of Master's Thesis Research (GRAD 395).
   
2. The student must file a Plan of Study with the Graduate School. This plan must be approved by the students Advisory Committee and the Executive Committee of the Graduate Faculty Council. The student must prepare and orally defend a research thesis.
   
3. Each student shall select his/her own Advisory Committee. This committee must consist of 1 Principal Advisor and 2 Associate Advisors. The Principal Advisor must be a faculty member of the Department of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering. One of the Associate Advisors may be a faculty member of another department or he/she may be external to the University of Connecticut, working in academia, government or industry.
   

Requirement (1) may be modified if the student has passed equivalent courses in a different department at the University of Connecticut, or at a different university in a similar graduate program. Such decisions shall be made on a case-by-case basis by the students Advisory Committee.

The majority of the student's research project must be performed on campus under the supervision of the Principal Advisor. Portions of the research may be performed at outside facilities as deemed necessary. A written thesis based on this research must be submitted to the students Advisory Committee at least two weeks before the defense date. The thesis defense shall be open to the public. Following the public presentation, the student shall be further examined by the Advisory Committee and any other faculty members present. The Advisory Committee shall then meet privately and make their decision to approve or disapprove the thesis. Approval must be unanimous. The thesis research must be publishable in a refereed journal in the field, although publication is not required for graduation.

Plan B: The Non-Thesis Option
The 3 main requirements of this plan are as follows:

1. The student must successfully complete at least 8 graduate courses (24 credits), maintaining a GPA of 3.0 (out of 4.0) or above. At least 4 of these courses must be Core Courses.
2. The student must file a Plan of Study with the Graduate School. This plan must be approved by the students Advisory Committee and the Executive Committee of the Graduate Faculty Council.
3. The student must conduct a research project and pass an oral Comprehensive Examination based on this project. Each student shall select his/her own Advisory Committee. This committee must consist of 1 Principal Advisor and 2 Associate Advisors. The Principal Advisor must be a faculty member of the Department of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering. One of the Associate Advisors may be a faculty member of another department or he/she may be external to the University of Connecticut, working in academia, government or industry. Requirement (1) may be modified if the student has passed equivalent courses in a different department at the University of Connecticut, or at a different university in a similar graduate program. Such decisions shall be dealt with on a case-by-case basis by the students Advisory Committee.

The required research project shall be conducted in close collaboration with the Principal Advisor. The student must make a 15-20 minute oral presentation of the research results to the Advisory Committee, after which the Committee shall conduct a Comprehensive Examination. The presentation shall not be open to the public. The research need not be publishable in a refereed journal.

The Comprehensive Examination shall be a one-hour oral examination conducted by the student's Advisory Committee. This examination shall focus primarily on the student's research project, but it may also include questions pertaining to the students course work. The student must pass this examination by unanimous approval of the Advisory Committee.

Scientist-to-Engineer Program - A Special Program for Scientists
The multidisciplinary nature of chemical engineering affords graduate students the opportunity to enter the M.S. program without benefit of a chemical engineering B.S. degree. Students who earned undergraduate degrees in fields such as physics, chemistry, biology, or other engineering fields may enter the M.S. program under the "scientist-to-chemical engineer" provision. Depending upon your background, a minimum of additional undergraduate-level coursework is necessary to bring the student up to the equivalent of a B.S. in chemical engineering.

Students may complete this program and earn a master's degree in about 24 months. Students who desire a Ph.D. may then continue in the regular Ph.D. program.

Although every case is unique, this chart below shows the undergraduate courses a "scientist-to-chemical engineer" graduate student would likely take for several different B.S. degrees. In some cases, industrial experience or related course work can substitute for course listed below.

Likely courses to be taken by students with degrees in:

Notes:
x = These courses are in addition to those required for the graduate degree
TA = Teaching assistant in the undergraduate lab to gain experience

^a Calculus and Differential Equations
^b Organic Chemistry
^c Physical Chemistry
^d Thermodynamics
^e Transport Phenomena
^f Process Design
^g Chemical Engineering Laboratory
^h Chemical Kinetics

Applying and Additional Information
Additional details on admission, financial aid and contact information is available here.