2011-2012 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

and broad-ranging nature of the degree
has earned it a high reputation across
society, the chemical engineering
degree is also a natural platform from
which to launch careers in medicine,
law, management, banking and finance,
politics, and so on. Many students
choose it for this purpose, to have a
firm and respected basis for a range
of possible future careers. For those
interested in the fundamentals, a career
of research and teaching is a natural
continuation of undergraduate studies.
The first and sophomore years
of study introduce general principles
of science and engineering and
include a broad range of subjects in
the humanities and social sciences.
Although the program for all engineering
students in these first two years is to
some extent similar, there are a few
important differences for chemical
engineering majors. The Professional
Engineering Elective, usually taken in
Semester II, is designed to provide an
overview of an engineering discipline.
Those wishing to learn about chemical
engineering are encouraged to take
CHEN E1040: Molecular engineering
and product design, taught by the
Chemical Engineering Department.
Students who major in chemical
engineering are not required to take
computer science or programming,
since they receive instructional use of
computational methods in their junior
year. They should take CHEN E3100:
Material and energy balances in their
sophomore year (see table on page 88).
In the junior-senior sequence one
specializes in the chemical engineering
major. The table on page 89 spells
out the core course requirements,
which are split between courses
emphasizing engineering science and
those emphasizing practical and/or
professional aspects of the discipline.
Throughout, skills required of practicing
engineers are developed (e.g., writing
and presentation skills, competency with
computers).
The table also shows that a
significant fraction of the junior-senior
program is reserved for electives, both
technical and nontechnical. Nontechnical
electives are courses that are not
quantitative, such as those taught in
the humanities and social sciences.
These provide an opportunity to pursue
interests in areas other than engineering.
A crucial part of the junior-senior
program is the 15-point (5 courses)
technical elective requirement. Technical
electives are science and/or technology
based and feature quantitative analysis.
Generally, technical electives must be
3000 level or above but there are a
few exceptions: PHYS C1403, PHYS
C2601, BIOL C2005, BIOL C2006, and
BIOL W2501. The technical electives are
subject to the following constraints:
• One technical elective must be within
SEAS but taken outside of chemical
engineering (that is, a course with a
designator other than BMCH, CHEN,
CHEE, or CHAP).
• Two technical electives must be within
chemical engineering (i.e., with the
designator BMCH, CHEN, CHEE, or
CHAP).
• The technical electives must include
9 points (3 courses) of “advanced
natural science” course work, which
can include chemistry, physics,
biology, and certain engineering
courses. Qualifying engineering
courses are determined by Chemical
Engineering Department advisers.
The junior-senior technical electives
provide the opportunity to explore
new interesting areas beyond the core
requirements of the degree. Often,
students satisfy the technical electives
by taking courses from another SEAS
department in order to obtain a minor
from that department. Alternately, you
may wish to take courses in several
new areas, or perhaps to explore
familiar subjects in greater depth, or you
may wish to gain experience in actual
laboratory research. Up to 6 points of
CHEN E3900: Undergraduate research
project may be counted toward the
technical elective content. (Note that
if more than 3 points of research is
pursued, an undergraduate thesis is
required.)
The program details discussed
above apply to undergraduates who
are enrolled at Columbia as freshmen
and declare the chemical engineering
major in the sophomore year.
However, the chemical engineering
program is designed to be readily
accessible to participants in any of
Columbia’s Combined Plans and to
transfer students. In such cases, the
guidance of one of the departmental
advisers in planning your program is
required (contact information for the
departmental UG advisers is listed on
the department’s website: www.cheme.
columbia.edu).
Columbia’s program in chemical
engineering leading to the B.S. degree
is fully accredited by the Engineering
Accreditation Commission of the
Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (ABET).
Requirements for a Minor in
Chemical Engineering
See page 191.
Requirements for a Minor in
Biomedical Engineering
Students majoring in chemical
engineering who wish to include in
their records a minor in biomedical
engineering may do so by taking BMEN
E4001 or E4002; BIOL C2005; BMEN
E4501 and E4502; and any one of
several chemical engineering courses
approved by the BME Department. See
also, Minor in Biomedical Engineering,
page 190.
Graduate Programs
The graduate program in chemical
engineering, with its large proportion
of elective courses and independent
research, offers experience in any
of the fields of departmental activity
mentioned in previous sections. For
both chemical engineers and those
with undergraduate educations in
other related fields such as physics,
chemistry, and biochemistry, the Ph.D.
program provides the opportunity to
become expert in research fields central
to modern technology and science.
M.S. Degree
The requirements are (1) the core
courses: Chemical process analysis
(CHEN E4010), Transport phenomena,
III (CHEN E4110), and Statistical
mechanics (CHAP E4120); and (2) 21
points of 4000- or 6000-level courses,
approved by the graduate coordinator
or research adviser, of which up to
6 may be Master’s research (CHEN
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engineering 2011–2012