PhD Catalog Information

About the PhD degree ...

The PhD degree is the highest academic degree awarded by any university; consequently the PhD degree program is the flagship educational offering of Carnegie Mellon. Students pursuing the PhD in chemical engineering become independent researchers with the ability to apply chemical engineering principles as well as advanced analytical and experimental techniques to the solution of large-scope open-ended research problems. The education and training prepare students for academic, industrial, and governmental research careers.

The cornerstone of a PhD education is the development of a research-based thesis. The thesis research begins with the selection of a research area and faculty mentor called the Thesis Advisor. The mentor guides the student's development of an experimental and/or theoretical plan of study to advance the state of the art in the topic area. The relationship between the Thesis Advisor and the PhD student is profound and unlike any other, developing over years of close collaboration. By the end of the student's thesis research, the student will have assembled an unparalleled body of knowledge in the topic area and will have demonstrated the ability to conduct an independent investigation. At that point, the student summarizes the knowledge generated through his/her research program in a doctoral thesis and presents the results to the public in an oral thesis defense. The knowledge generated is disseminated to the scientific and technological community through the publication of articles in the scientific literature and through presentations at scientific and technological meetings and symposia.

Courses in the Department of Chemical Engineering, as well as advanced courses in mathematics, chemistry and/or other engineering and science disciplines provide a sturdy and vital foundation for research. Courses are offered at various levels in the field of fluid mechanics; heat and mass transfer; reactions kinetics; surface chemistry and catalysis; thermodynamics; kinetic theory; process dynamics; control and synthesis; optimization; applied mathematics; engineering design; computational chemistry and molecular simulation; electrochemical engineering, semiconductor processing, polymeric materials; fermentation technology and biological process design; biomedical engineering; colloids and dispersions; and atmospheric chemistry. First-year graduate courses are designed to provide the student with a thorough knowledge of basic engineering science and their applications. The courses beyond the first year expose students to advanced materials in specialized areas. Individual programs are developed to fit the interest of each student, although mastery of certain basic coursework is expected of all students.

Doctoral students entering the program with a bachelor's degree, known as "Direct Entry" students, usually fulfill all requirements in four year plus two semesters "Advanced Entry" students, those students entering the Ph.D. program with an M.S. degree in chemical engineering, should complete the Ph.D. program in four years or fewer.

Who should consider entering our PhD program?

The PhD program is for students who want to direct their own large-scale research project and to receive the ultimate license for a career in research whether in industrial, academic, or government laboratories. The PhD program also is for students who want to meet and form lifelong bonds with like-minded fellow students, faculty, and researchers in the global scientific and technological community. The PhD program is for students who want to join one of the elite clubs in society, those having the privilege to peer into the future and help shape it.

Application and Admission

Applicants must follow the Online Application Procedures. Admission is based on overall academic performance, recommendation letters, and standardized test scores (GRE and TOEFL if applicable). Prospective students must have completed a regular four-year, undergraduate course in chemical engineering or a related discipline at a recognized university with better than a "B" average in chemical engineering courses and overall. The deadline for application will be January 15 for studies commencing in fall semesters, and October 15 for studies commencing in spring semesters. It is rare, however, to admit students for any semester other than the fall semester.

Requirements:

PhD students are admitted either as Direct Entry if they hold a Bachelor's degree or Advanced Entry students if they hold a Masters degree. Direct Entry students in the PhD degree program must complete a minimum of 96 units of course work and a minimum of 48 units of thesis research; Advanced Entry students must complete a minimum of 48 units of course work and a minimum of 48 units of thesis research. Please see the Graduate Handbook for complete details.

Direct Entry Course Requirements: 96 units of letter-graded coursework

(a) 4 Chemical Engineering Core Graduate Courses chosen from

06-702 Advanced Reaction Kinetics (12 units)
06-703 Advanced Fluid Dynamics (12 units)
06-704 Advanced Heat and Mass Transfer (12 units)
06-705 Advanced Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
06-713 Mathematical Techniques (12 units)
06-720 Advanced Process Systems Engineering (12 units)

(b) 2 or 3 Elective Chemical Engineering Graduate Courses

(c) 1 or 2 Advanced Outside Technical Courses (one or two) Advanced level course(s) in another engineering discipline (600 or higher) or the sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Operations Research, Statistics) (400 or higher).

Examples: 06-606 Computational Methods for Large Scale Process Design and Analysis, 06-607 Physical Chemistry of Colloids and Surfaces; 06-609 Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules; 06-619 Semiconductor Processing Technology; 06-640 Principles and Applications of Molecular Simulation; 06-721 BioProcess Design; 03-620 Techniques in Electron Microscopy; 09-510 Introduction to Environmentally Benign Chemistry; 15-413 Software Engineering; 21-660 Introduction to Numerical Methods; 33-755 Quantum Mechanics I; 36-707 Regression Analysis; 47-834 Linear Programming

Advanced Entry Course Requirements: 48 units of letter-graded coursework

(d) 1 Chemical Engineering Core Graduate Courses chosen from the list under (a) above

(e) 1 or 2 Elective Chemical Engineering Graduate Courses

(f) 1 or 2 Advanced Outside Technical Courses (one or two) Advanced level course(s) in another engineering discipline (600 or higher) or the sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Operations Research, Statistics) (400 or higher).

All PhD students must register for - or complete

Safety Training 06-608 Safety Issues in Science and Engineering Practice (3 units)

Graduate Seminar 06-800 Seminar (1 unit) each semester of residence (does not count toward numerical unit requirements)

Thesis Work 06-900 Doctoral Research (units variable)

TA Courses: We ask our PhD students to act as TA's for three courses during their residence at CMU. We try to limit the responsibility to 5 hours per week to afford maximum time for research related activity.

A Qualifying Exam: An oral exam administered after one year of residency and based on research accomplishments and potential to that point. Students work hard on their thesis topic during the first spring and summer, and then present and defend their knowledge and accomplishments in a one hour interview consisting of a presentation (30%) and questions (70%).

A Research Proposal: A two-hour oral exam/presentation of the proposed thesis topic with an update of accomplishments and a statement of the scope of the work. This exam is conducted by the PhD students thesis committee consisting of four faculty including the Advisor(s).

A PhD Thesis

How much does it Cost?

Usually, nothing. Virtually all full-time Ph.D. students receive financial aid in the form of fellowships, which provide tuition, fees and a stipend for living expenses. These awards are sufficient to cover all expenses for the entire year (including summers) so that students can concentrate on coursework and research without financial concerns or interruption. These funds come from the departmental funds and from industrial and government grants, fellowships and contracts. Books, course supplies and thesis costs are paid for by each student. Off-campus housing is available within walking distance of campus.

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