Chemical Engineering Ph.D.

The Ph.D. degree represents the highest level of academic preparation. With it, a student can expect to maintain technical competence and contributions throughout a professional career. It is usually the preferred degree for research and development in industry and government and for teaching.

Within the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, 72 credits of graduate-level studies, including the dissertation, are required for a Ph.D. The emphasis is on advanced study in a specialty with major focus on the dissertation. A doctoral student must pass a comprehensive examination, prepare a dissertation proposal and the dissertation itself, and present and defend the dissertation.

In addition, each doctoral student’s program must include the following courses:

• CHME 6570  
• CHME 6610  
• CHME 6510  
• 6000-level Chemical Engineering Elective

Please see the Chemical and Biological Engineering department page (http://cbe.rpi.edu/) for additional details about the doctoral program.

Outcomes of the Graduate Curriculum

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to:

• demonstrate competency, both theoretically and empirically, in the field of Chemical Engineering.
• demonstrate proficiency in research and research methods.
• demonstrate effective presentation and speaking skills.
• demonstrate effective written communication skills.
• write and submit papers for publication in peer-reviewed academic journals.