The Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Program at the University of Oklahoma has the following three objectives:
The four options differ in the selection of some technical electives and in the requirement of extra courses. The 127 credit hour standard option is intended to prepare the student for chemical engineering practice in any of the wide variety of industries, engineering design firms, and consulting practices employing chemical engineers. The 135 credit hour pre-med option specifically includes electives and other courses to prepare chemical engineering students for medical careers and careers in related areas. The 128 credit hour bioengineering option emphasizes biological applications of chemical engineering. And the 127 credit hour sustainability option includes the required process sustainability course.
| Undergraduate Degree Options | Accelerated Degree Options |
|---|---|
| B.S. in Chemical Engineering | B.S./M.S. in Chemical Engineering |
| B.S. in Chemical Engineering: Pre-med/Biomedical Engineering | B.S. in Chemical Engineering: Biotechnology Option/M.S. in Biomedical Engineering |
| B.S. in Chemical Engineering: Biotechnology Option | B.S. in Chemical Engineering: Premedical/Biomedical Engineering Option/M.S. in Bioengineering |
The standard option prepares students for a career in a wide variety of chemical process industries or for graduate engineering studies. Technical electives allow emphasis on energy, materials, process systems, environment, or other areas of interest.
The bioengineering option emphasizes engineering of biological systems not necessarily related to human health and medicine. Examples include: biochemical processing for manufacture of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and fuels; fermentation processes; and genetic engineering.
The pre-medical engineering option emphasizes preparation for medical school, and/or a focus on engineering related to human health and medicine. Examples of topic areas include tissue engineering, drug delivery, cell interactions, and medical biosensors.
The sustainability option emphasizes methods by which sustainability is measured and achieved in existing and new processes in any of the chemical process industries. Technical electives consider sustainability through the entire life cycle of raw material selection, process design and operation, and end-of-life considerations, while humanities electives are chosen to emphasize diverse aspects of sustainability.
These programs allow students to obtain both the Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in as few as five years. Twelve credits of coursework are simultaneously counted in both programs. These programs can be entered by applying through the department during the first three years of the B.S. program.
Students completing these programs will receive two degrees: the B.S. in Chemical Engineering and the M.S. in Chemical Engineering. Students must complete an M.S. research thesis in the field of chemical engineering. This M.S. degree opens opportunities for research and development jobs in the broad field of chemical engineering.
