Chemical Engineering

Program overview

The Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering curriculum is designed to prepare students to master the fundamental science of chemistry and physics, and develop engineering skills needed to design and implement processes to produce energy, chemicals and advanced materials. These processes improve agriculture, consumer products, biotechnology, fuels, medical devices, microelectronics, and pharmaceuticals and medicines.

Program accreditation

Emphasis areas

Advanced materials

Polymers, composites, semiconductors and solar cells are a few examples of advanced materials chemical engineers research and develop.

Biomedical technologies

Apply chemical processes and principles to develop medical and health care technologies.

Biomanufacturing and pharmaceuticals

Make use of chemical engineering principles and optimization techniques for drug formulation, purification and delivery, ensuring efficiency, safety and regulatory compliance.

Energy

Explore new sources of oil and gas, and other renewable and sustainable energy.

Environmental technologies

Striving for sustainable processes that apply to air, water and soil systems.

Engineering computation

Utilize modern modeling and data analysis tools to optimize chemical processes and solve complex engineering problems.

Food and agriculture

Apply chemical and biochemical principles to improve food production, processing and preservation as well as improve crop yields.

Key academic areas

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Why chemical engineering?

 

Make an impact

Chemical engineers have and continue to contribute to society by —

• making clean water abundant to improve public health.
• increasing food production with sustainable fertilizers and insecticides.
• powering the world with cheap, plentiful and variable energy sources.
• making the environment cleaner even as the world’s population increases.
• developing new materials such as better textiles for more comfortable clothing, nonstick cookware, antimicrobial surface coatings and even artificial tissues.
• developing new ways of sensing chemical and biological agents for national security.
• scaling up the manufacture of drugs and antibiotics to improve the quality of life.
• increasing computational power and enabling the internet by improving fabrication of integrated circuits.

Career opportunities

Chemical engineering graduates pursue careers as —

• process engineers
• biochemical engineers
• petroleum engineers
• pharmaceutical engineers
• environmental engineers
• plant/operations managers
• food quality engineers
• technical solutions engineers
• R&D engineers

Internships

Internships allow chemical engineering students to put coursework into practice, learn about teamwork and industrial safety and show off their talents. This experience provides a competitive edge when graduates look for permanent positions.

K-State chemical engineering alumni live in 45 states and 32 countries.

^{Salary data provided by the K-State Career Center.}