Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

• Team-Based Capstone Project: A capstone design experience in the fifth year integrates chemical engineering theory, principles, and processes in a collaborative team environment.
• Hands-On Experience: Four blocks of cooperative education mean nearly a year of hands-on, full-time paid work experience in industry.
• Strong Career Paths: Students hired at industry-leading companies such as Bausch & Lomb, Boston Beer Company, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eastman Kodak Company, Global Tungsten and Powders, Northrop Grumman, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, The Hershey Company, and more.

RIT’s degree in chemical engineering is a comprehensive program of study that prepares you to advance nano-scale composites, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, plastics, fibers, metals, and ceramics and to develop alternative energy systems, biomedical materials and therapies, and strategies that minimize the environmental impact of technological advancements.

Chemical engineering applies the core scientific disciplines of chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics to transform raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms, invariably in processes that involve chemical change. All engineers employ mathematics, physics, and engineering to overcome technical problems in a safe and economical fashion. A chemical engineer provides the critical level of expertise needed to solve problems in which chemical specificity and change have particular relevance. They not only create new, more effective ways to manufacture chemicals, they also work collaboratively with chemists to pioneer the development of high-tech materials for specialized applications. Well-known contributions include the development and commercialization of synthetic rubber, synthetic fiber, pharmaceuticals, and plastics. Chemical engineers contribute significantly to advances in the food industry, alternative energy systems, semiconductor manufacturing, and environmental modeling and remediation. A special focus on process engineering cultivates a systems perspective that makes chemical engineers extremely versatile and capable of handling a wide spectrum of technical problems. Students develop a firm and practical grasp of engineering principles and the underlying science associated with traditional and emerging chemical engineering applications.

RIT’s Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering 

The core curriculum of RIT’s chemical engineering BS degree provides you with a solid foundation in engineering principles and their underlying science.

You will choose professional technical electives from within the major, as well as from a department-approved list of engineering courses offered throughout the Kate Gleason College of Engineering. These electives provide an in-depth examination of the chemical engineering field or provide breadth in other engineering disciplines. Mathematics and science courses, free electives, and liberal arts courses round out the curriculum.

Learn more about the Student Learning Outcomes and Program Educational Objectives for the chemical engineering BS degree.

How is Chemical Engineering Different from Chemistry?

Virtually every aspect of a modern industrial economy is critically dependent upon chemical engineering for manufacturing bulk and specialty chemicals and high-tech materials needed to create a limitless array of value-added products. Chemical engineering applies the core scientific disciplines of chemistry, physics, biology, and mathematics to transform raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms, invariably in processes that involve chemical change. They work in multidisciplinary teams to create novel materials that are at the heart of virtually every product and service that enhances our quality of life. Examples include nano-scale composites, pharmaceuticals, plastics, fibers, metals, and ceramics. Key applications include the development of alternative energy systems, biomedical materials and therapies, and strategies to minimize the environmental impact of technological advancements.

The line between the functions of chemists and chemical engineers can be blurred, but a general distinction can be made between the function of the two disciplines. Perhaps the clearest distinction can be made in the area of chemical transformation. Typically, chemists develop new molecules via chemical reaction, examine the underlying mechanisms involved, and make precise measurements of both physical and organic chemistry parameters on a bench scale in small volumes. Chemical engineers utilize the work of chemists to build processes to manufacture and purify chemicals and new materials on a larger scale. Using their knowledge of scientific principles (physical and organic chemistry integrated with physics, mathematics, and biology) and design constraints (such as economics, environmental requirements) chemical engineers develop processes to manufacture raw materials with desired purity on a scale that meets the demands of virtually every industry in our modern society.

Hands-On Experience in Chemical Engineering

As a student in the chemical engineering BS you will gain valuable hands-on experience through specific program requirements, including a capstone experience that features two dynamic courses:

• Design with Constraint is taught in a workshop structure with lectures and in-class applications of concepts. You will examine typical constraints on design and their integration with technology.
• Advanced Design Capstone requires you  to work in teams to design and simulate a realistic chemical manufacturing plant, drawing upon and integrating the knowledge you have acquired from all of your core chemical engineering courses, electives, and co-op experiences completed over the previous five years of study.

https://www.rit.edu/study/chemical-engineering-bs