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The Ph.D. program equips students to actively contribute to advancing chemical engineering across academic, industrial, and research settings. Admitted candidates must excel in graduate coursework and showcase independent research abilities. Students choose a faculty advisor and committee to guide their coursework and thesis development, completing 30 credits (typically 10 three-credit courses) alongside original thesis research that expands the field's knowledge base.
During their second year, students undergo the Ph.D. Qualifying Procedure (Qual), which they must pass to continue in the doctoral program.
Starting in the third semester, degree requirements include periodic Teaching Fellow (TF) assignments, currently scheduled every other semester. Most students teach during their third and sixth semesters, with advanced candidates potentially helping design and deliver undergraduate courses related to their research.
Students entering with a chemical engineering M.S. degree typically finish the PhD within four years.