PhD Program
The PhD in Chemical Engineering at UIC develops students into researchers in their own right. Doctoral students work alongside faculty mentors to conduct investigations in their labs, and they also may have the opportunity to develop classroom skills as teaching assistants. Our doctoral programs produce top-tier candidates for high-level industry jobs, postdoctoral research positions, and tenure-track faculty roles at universities around the world.
PhD coursework covers core subjects in chemical engineering such as continuum and molecular fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, macroscopic and microscopic thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, and process analysis. Dissertation research projects are devised collaboratively between students and their faculty advisors. To get a sense of recent dissertations produced in our department, visit our dissertations page.
Program Overview Heading link
The PhD requires 108 semester hours, beginning with coursework and culminating in the research, writing, and defense of an original dissertation. We welcome applicants who are completing (or who have already completed) a master’s degree in chemical engineering or a related discipline, as well as applicants with only an undergraduate degree.
Students admitted with a prior master’s degree in their field of study receive up to 32 semester hours of credit for their prior academic work, while students who are directly admitted after their bachelor’s degree will need to complete all 108 semester hours of PhD credit during their time in our program.
At UIC, I feel that the faculty, as well as the other supporting offices, genuinely want you to succeed. Also, all kinds of academic and financial support are available if you are willing to look for them.
| PhD anticipated '22
PhD Degree Requirements Heading link
requirements
Courses: 6 courses (24 semester hours)
- If a student has not completed one or more of the following courses in prior master’s study, these must be taken: CHE 520 Transport Phenomena; CHE 531 Numerical Methods in Chemical Engineering or CHE 545 Mathematical Methods in Chemical Engineering; CHE 501 Advanced Thermodynamics or CHE 502 Fluid Phase Equilibria; CHE 510 Separation Processes or CHE 511 Advanced Mass Transfer or CHE 512 Microhydrodynamics, Diffusion, and Membrane Transport; CHE 527 Advanced Chemical Reaction Engineering.
- At least 24 semester hours must be taken (or awarded credit from the prior degree) at the 500 level.
- At least 8 semester hours of advanced math must be part of the 24 semester hours at the 500 level, including at least one 500-level course from UIC’s Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science.
Departmental seminar: Students must enroll in CHE 595 Seminar in Chemical Engineering Research for one semester hour each term, to a maximum of 4 hours.
Dissertation research: 52 semester hours of CHE 599 PhD Thesis Research.
requirements
Required core courses: 6 courses (24 semester hours)
- CHE 501 Advanced Thermodynamics or CHE 502 Fluid Phase Equilibria
- CHE 510 Separation Processes or CHE 511 Advanced Mass Transfer or CHE 512 Microhydrodynamics, Diffusion, and Membrane Transport
- CHE 520 Transport Phenomena
- CHE 527 Advanced Chemical Reaction Engineering
- CHE 531 Numerical Methods in Chemical Engineering
- CHE 545 Mathematical Methods in Chemical Engineering
Electives: 6 courses (24 semester hours) at the 400-level or above.
Departmental seminar: Students must enroll in CHE 595 Seminar in Chemical Engineering Research for one semester hour each term, to a maximum of 4 hours.
Dissertation research: 60 semester hours of CHE 599 PhD Thesis Research.
Preliminary Examination Heading link
PhD students must pass a preliminary examination before they begin the final phase of their doctoral study. The preliminary examination includes both a written component and an oral examination.
There is no qualifying examination.
Dissertation Process Heading link
Upon completion of all degree requirements and the dissertation, students must orally defend their work before their committee.