Chemical Engineering

The Chemical Engineering Program has the following objectives, which are to:

1. Produce graduates with a thorough background in the basic sciences, engineering sciences, and engineering design, and breadth reflecting studies in the humanities and social sciences;
2. Produce graduates with a strong core of chemical engineering fundamentals in well-structured courses and, where elected, special focus in technical areas of current relevance;
   
   

   Chemical Engineering Programs and Degree Plans

3. Produce graduates with a broad enough base that they may pursue graduate studies if they so choose, ready to pursue a successful professional career in new and emerging areas such as microelectronics, biochemical, pharmaceutical, and advanced materials areas, as well as traditional chemical engineering areas;
4. Produce graduates who are prepared for professional careers in chemical engineering and for leadership roles in the society which they serve by maintaining high levels of competence, ethics and safety consciousness;
5. Produce graduates with an ethical vision of life and the profession, so that they become a healthy and productive part of society, interacting in positive ways with colleagues and the public;
6. Enrich the profession and serve society by producing graduates who are ready to contribute to the professional body of knowledge by engaging in research, scholarly consulting, and other creative activities which (1) support their interest, (2) serve the needs of society, and (3) are in agreement with the goals and objectives of the College and the University;
7. Raise the general level of engineering competence and achievement via the dissemination of knowledge developed or acquired through public service to citizens both state- and nationwide.

• The ratio of faculty to students in the department is roughly 1-to-19.
• The chemical engineering department's off-campus research and development partners include NASA, BDM Petroleum Technologies, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
• Prairie View's student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers has been recognized as an Honor Roll Chapter each year since 1999.
• The chemical engineering program is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Degrees offered

• Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (B.S.Ch.E.)
• Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.ENGR.) with a concentration in chemical engineering

It is rare, indeed, to be paid well for doing something you love.

Prairie View chemical engineering graduates will tell you they've found the secret to that elusive formula. For not only do they enjoy going to work in the morning, but they have diplomas hanging on their walls testifying to what a recent CNN/Money article termed “the most lucrative college degree.”

A degree in chemical engineering paired with the Prairie View experience and reputation leads the way to professional success.

Our Program

Prairie View chemical engineering students have an edge on their counterparts at other institutions in the basic way they are educated. Our students learn chemical engineering in an intimate classroom environment, resulting in an abundance of hands-on research opportunities and direct faculty guidance.

Prairie View chemical engineering graduates earn high salaries and occupy jobs in disciplines ranging from the chemical and oil industries to pharmaceutical companies and environmental agencies. Our students are aggressively sought for both internships and permanent positions. Corporate feedback reflects that they are well prepared, highly adaptable and are valuable assets to the companies that hire them.

Undergraduate Education

Our Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (B.S.Ch.E.) program pepares graduates for industrial practice or graduate studies. Its emphases include: environmental engineering, process engineering and design, bioengineering and process modeling and simulation. It is also an excellent pre-medical degree.

Our department strives to give students a thorough background in the basic sciences, engineering sciences and engineering design, coupled with a strong foundation in the humanities and social sciences. Opportunities for undergraduates to directly participate in research projects are numerous and continually expanding.

Graduate Education

Our Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.ENGR.) program with a concentration in chemical engineering serves two basic kinds of students: those building on their undergraduate chemical engineering education and those transitioning from another undergraduate discipline.

Our graduate program enables students to strengthen their credentials in preparation for industrial practice. Graduate students conduct their research in environmental, transport processes, chemical conversion, bioengineering and general purpose laboratories. The program also lays a strong foundation for those planning to pursue doctoral degrees.

Faculty

Prairie View's chemical engineering faculty members are directly involved in funded research projects. This positions the department as a viable and growing nucleus for research in key areas, including bioprocess engineering, bioremediation and bioseparation, tertiary oil recovery and process safety.

Chemical Engineering Student Organizations

Prairie View's chemical engineering department sponsors four student professional and honor societies: the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, the Society for Petroleum Engineers and the Omega Chi Epsilon Chemical Engineering Honor Society.