Chemical Engineering
The chemical engineering graduate program offers an excellent professional experience that combines classes focused on chemical engineering theory with research and practical implementation.
Students study transport phenomena, reaction engineering and thermodynamics in depth. Classes are taught by experienced, award-winning faculty with a wealth of professional experience.
Students also create new knowledge and technology through cutting-edge research on sustainable energy and advanced materials. They learn skills by working with state-of-the-art instruments for materials synthesis and characterization, and molecular modeling tools supported by high-performance computing clusters. The research is multi-disciplinary and involves collaborations with many other universities and national laboratories.
Degrees
Doctor of Philosophy
Students gain advanced knowledge in areas of specialization, an ability to independently plan and conduct scholarly research, and effective communication skills. The program prepares graduates for advanced chemical engineering research in industry, academia and government laboratories.
Master of Science (Global Campus)
The Master of Science in chemical engineering program is designed for working professionals who have already obtained a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. All graduate courses leading to the degree are available online to students residing both in and out of the United States.
Research areas
Sustainable energy
- Solar thermal ammonia synthesis
- Fuels and specialty chemical production from biomass
- Single-molecule spectroscopy
- Catalytic membrane reactors
- Liquid and gas separations
- Fischer-Tropsch process: conversion of CO and H² to liquid hydrocarbons
- Heterogeneous catalysis
- Analysis of catalysis by first-principles density functional theory (DFT) and molecular simulation
Advanced materials
- Nanocarbons for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries
- Chemical, biological and radiation sensors
- Wide-bandgap semiconductor crystal growth
- Ionic liquids
- Biological interfaces
- Emulsions for pharmaceutical applications
- Polymeric nanomaterials for drug and bioactive gas delivery
Research trains students to think creatively as they develop innovative processes and technologies to solve major societal problems. They learn to critically analyze challenges and potential solutions to find the most viable and practical paths forward.
Application process
Admission requirements
- A baccalaureate degree in chemical engineering from an accredited institution and a GPA of at least 3.0 out of 4.0 (or equivalent) is required.
- Minimum GRE scores: verbal - 148, quantitative - 155
International student requirements
| Test | Minimum score |
| TOEFL iBT (internet-based test) | 79 |
| TOEFL (PBT) | 550 |
| IELTS academic test | 6.5 |
| Pearson Test of English (PTE) | 58 |
International applicant deadlines
- Jan. 8 for fall (August) enrollment
- Aug. 1 for spring (January) enrollment
- Dec. 1 for summer (June) enrollment
Financial assistance
Students accepted as doctoral candidates receive stipends of $29,500 per year, plus tuition and health insurance in the form of graduate research assistantships (GRAs) and graduate teaching assistantships (GTAs). Exceptional students are also eligible for scholarships of up to $5,000 per year.
English language program (ELP)
Kansas State University offers English language graduate support courses. ELP academic advisers help students admitted to study in a degree program make the transition from the ELP into their academic departments.