Administered by the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
For undergraduate curriculum in chemical engineering leading to the degree bachelor of science. The Chemical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.
Chemical engineering is a profession, which provides a link between scientific knowledge and manufactured products. The chemical engineer relies on science, experience, creativity, and ingenuity to produce these materials economically. Almost everything of a material nature used by society today has at some point felt the influence of the chemical engineer. From raw materials such as minerals, coal, petroleum, and agricultural products; chemical engineers create versatile intermediate and commodity chemicals, high performance fuels, new materials for construction, pharmaceuticals, high performance foodstuffs, synthetic textiles, plastics, solid state electronic components, and dozens of other engineered materials. The chemical engineer’s influence has been important in the development of catalysts, fuel cells, automatic controls, biochemical processes, artificial kidneys, tissue engineering, nuclear energy, medical instruments and devices, as well as in the development of air and water pollution control systems. Many new and equally exciting challenges await the practicing chemical engineer of the future.
The profession of chemical engineering embraces a wide variety of activities including research, process development, product development, design, manufacturing supervision, technical sales, consulting, and teaching. The engineer can be behind a desk, in a laboratory, in a manufacturing plant, or engaged in nationwide and worldwide travel. Successful chemical engineers find chemistry, mathematics, and physics to be interesting and exciting. Many chemical engineers also have interest in the biological sciences. The curriculum in chemical engineering includes continued study of chemistry, biochemistry, mathematics, and physics as well as intensive study in the engineering sciences such as chemical reaction engineering, thermodynamics, mass transfer, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, system analysis and process synthesis, and design.
The curriculum in chemical engineering is designed to produce graduates who have the ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering; the ability to design, conduct and interpret experiments; and the ability to design a chemical engineering system, component, or process. Graduates should also have the ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams; the ability to identify, formulate, and solve chemical engineering problems; and the ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
The curriculum should also assure that graduates have the ability to communicate effectively, the broad education necessary to understand the impact of chemical engineering solutions in a global and societal context, and recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning, as well as a knowledge of contemporary issues and an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility.
The curriculum assures that graduates have a thorough grounding in chemistry, along with a working knowledge of advanced chemistry such as organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, materials chemistry, or biochemistry. In addition, a working knowledge, including safety and environmental aspects, of material and energy balances applied to chemical processes; thermodynamics of physical and chemical equilibria; heat, mass, and momentum transfer; chemical reaction engineering; continuous and stage-wise separation operations; process dynamics and control; process design; and appropriate modern experimental and computing techniques is assured.
Program Educational Objectives
The objectives of the Chemical Engineering Program at Iowa State University are to produce graduates who:
- will excel in careers as professional chemical engineers in the businesses and industries related to chemical engineering; and
- will successfully pursue research and advanced studies in chemical engineering, or in related fields such as chemistry or biology, or in related professional fields such as medicine, law, and business.
Biological Engineering Option
Students may enhance their academic preparation for the growing opportunities in the biologically-related industries by pursuing a selection of courses with a biological emphasis.
Cooperative Education
A cooperative education program is available to students in chemical engineering.
Curriculum in Chemical Engineering
Administered by the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Leading to the degree bachelor of science.
Total credits required: 129 cr. See also Basic Program and Special Programs.
International Perspectives: 3 cr.1
U.S. Diversity: 3 cr.1
Communication Proficiency/Library requirement:
| ENGL 150 | Critical Thinking and Communication (C or better in this course) | 3 |
| ENGL 250 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition (C or better in this course) | 3 |
| LIB 160 | Information Literacy | 1 |
| One of the following (C or better in this course) | 3 | |
| Proposal and Report Writing | ||
| Biological Communication | ||
| Technical Communication | ||
| Science Communication | ||
The CBE Department requires a grade of a C or better for any transfer credit course that is applied to the degree program but will not be calculated into the ISU cumulative GPA, Basic Program GPA or Core GPA
Social Sciences and Humanities: 15 cr.2
Complete a total of 15 cr. with at least 6 cr. but not more than 9 cr. from the same department.
Basic Program: 27 cr.3
A minimum GPA of 2.00 required for this set of courses, including any transfer courses (please note that transfer course grades will not be calculated into the Basic Program GPA). See Requirement for Entry into Professional Program in College of Engineering Overview section.
| CHEM 177 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| or CHEM 167 | General Chemistry for Engineering Students | |
| ENGL 150 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 250 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| ENGR 101 | Engineering Orientation | R |
| CH E 160 | Chemical Engineering Problems with Computer Applications Laboratory 3 | 3 |
| LIB 160 | Information Literacy | 1 |
| MATH 165 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH 166 | Calculus II | 4 |
| PHYS 221 | Introduction to Classical Physics I | 5 |
| Total Credits | 27 | |
Math and Physical Science: 30 cr.
| MATH 265 | Calculus III | 4 |
| MATH 267 | Elementary Differential Equations and Laplace Transforms | 4 |
| PHYS 222 | Introduction to Classical Physics II | 5 |
| CHEM 177L | Laboratory in General Chemistry I | 1 |
| or CHEM 167L | Laboratory in General Chemistry for Engineering | |
| CHEM 178 | General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 178L | Laboratory in College Chemistry II | 1 |
| CHEM 325 | Chemical Thermodynamics | 3 |
| CHEM 331 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 332 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| BBMB 301 | Survey of Biochemistry * | 3 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Chemical Engineering Core: 36 cr.
(A minimum GPA of 2.00 required for this set of courses, including any transfer courses; please note that transfer course grades will not be calculated into the Core GPA).
| CH E 210 | Material and Energy Balances | 3 |
| CH E 202 | Chemical Engineering Seminar | 1 |
| CH E 205 | Chemical Engineering Progress Assessment | R |
| CH E 310 | Computational Methods in Chemical Engineering | 3 |
| CH E 325 | Chemical Engineering Laboratory I | 2 |
| CH E 356 | Transport Phenomena I | 3 |
| CH E 357 | Transport Phenomena II | 3 |
| CH E 358 | Separations | 3 |
| CH E 381 | Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics | 3 |
| CH E 382 | Chemical Reaction Engineering | 3 |
| CH E 420 | Chemical Process Safety | 3 |
| CH E 421 | Process Control | 3 |
| CH E 426 | Chemical Engineering Laboratory II | 2 |
| CH E 430 | Process and Plant Design | 4 |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Other Remaining Courses: 21 cr.2
| One of the following Communication Elective: | 3 | |
| Proposal and Report Writing | ||
| Biological Communication | ||
| Technical Communication | ||
| Science Communication | ||
| Chemistry Electives 2 | 3 | |
| Statistical Electives 2 | 3 | |
| Chemical Engineering Electives 2 | 6 | |
| Engineering Electives 2 | 3 | |
| Professional Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 21 | |
SEMINAR
| CH E 205 | Chemical Engineering Progress Assessment | R |
* BBMB 301 Survey of Biochemistry may not be used for a technical elective. See department approved list for approved course substitutions for BBMB 301.
Biological Engineering Option
The standard Chemical Engineering program may be modified to meet the option requirements for Biological Engineering:
Math and Physical Science – BBMB 404 Biochemistry I or BIOL 313 Principles of Genetics, 3 cr., may be substituted for BBMB 301 Survey of Biochemistry from list above when taken with BBMB 405 Biochemistry II or BIOL 314 Principles of Molecular Cell Biology, respectively. BBMB 420 must be taken in combination with BBMB 301.
Chemical Engineering Core – Replace CH E 426 Chemical Engineering Laboratory II, 2 cr. with CH E 427 Biological Engineering Laboratory, 2 cr. in required Core.
Other Remaining Courses for Biological Engineering Option2
- These university requirements will add to the minimum credits of the program unless the university-approved courses are also approved by the department to meet other course requirements within the degree program. U.S. diversity and international perspectives courses may not be taken Pass/Not Pass.
- Choose from department approved list.
- See Basic Program for Professional Engineering Curricula for accepted substitutions for curriculum designated courses in the Basic Program.
Note: Transfer students with transfer credits in chemical engineering core courses must earn at least 15 semester credits in ISU courses in this category at the 300-level or above to qualify for the B.S. degree in chemical engineering.
Pass-Not Pass Policy
A maximum of nine Pass-Not Pass semester credits may be used to meet graduation requirements. Courses offered on a Satisfactory-Fail basis may not be taken on a Pass-Not Pass basis. Pass-Not Pass credits can be applied toward requirements for a B.S. degree in chemical engineering only if the course is specified in the curriculum as a social science and humanities elective or is a course not used in the degree program. Pass-Not Pass credits are not acceptable for technical elective courses or for courses used to satisfy the US diversity or international perspectives requirements.
See also: A 4-year plan of study grid showing course template by semester.
Chemical Engineering, B.S.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 165 | 4 | MATH 166 | 4 |
| ENGR 101 | 0 | PHYS 221 | 5 |
| CHEM 177 | 4 | CHEM 178 | 3 |
| CHEM 177L | 1 | CHEM 178L | 1 |
| LIB 160 | 1 | SSH Elective* | 3 |
| ENGL 150 | 3 | ||
| CH E 160 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 265 | 4 | MATH 267 | 4 |
| PHYS 222 | 5 | CHEM 325 | 3 |
| CHEM 331 | 3 | CHEM 332 | 3 |
| CH E 210 | 3 | CH E 356 | 3 |
| CH E 202 | 1 | ENGL 250 | 3 |
| CH E 205 | 0 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CH E 381 | 3 | CH E 325 | 2 |
| BBMB 301 | 3 | CH E 358 | 3 |
| CH E 357 | 3 | CH E 382 | 3 |
| CH E 310 | 3 | SSH Elective* | 3 |
| Stat Elective* | 3 | Advanced CHEM Elective* | 3 |
| Communication Elective* | 3 | ||
| 15 | 17 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CH E 420 | 3 | CH E 426 | 2 |
| CH E 421 | 3 | CH E 430 | 4 |
| SSH Elective* | 3 | SSH Elective* | 3 |
| ENGR Elective* | 3 | SSH Elective* | 3 |
| CH E Elective* | 3 | CH E Elective* | 3 |
| Professional Elective* | 3 | ||
| 15 | 18 | ||
| * | Choose from department approved list. |
Graduate Study
The department offers work for the degrees master of science, master of engineering, and doctor of philosophy with major in chemical engineering, and minor work to students taking major work in other departments. Prerequisite to major graduate work is a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, chemistry, or other related field. Students with undergraduate background other than chemical engineering should contact the department for further details. A thesis is required for the master of science degree. The master of science degree also requires a minimum of 30 graduate credits (minimum of 15 for coursework, 12 within Ch E and 3 outside). The master of engineering requirements are the same for total credits but include a special project or coursework rather than research thesis. The doctor of philosophy degree requires a minimum of 72 graduate credits (minimum of 30 for coursework, at least 16 inside Ch E and a minimum of 8 credits taken outside of Ch E). Candidates for the doctor of philosophy degree can refer to the department’s home page and/or the department’s Graduate Student Handbook for degree options and credit requirements.
Well-qualified juniors and seniors in chemical engineering who are interested in graduate study may apply for concurrent enrollment in the Graduate College to simultaneously pursue both the Bachelor of Science and Master of Science.
Courses
Courses primarily for undergraduates:
Cr. R. F.
Prereq: Enrollment in Chemical Engineering Learning Team
(1-0) Curriculum in career planning and academic course support for Freshmen learning team.
(2-2) Cr. 3. F.S.
Prereq: MATH 143 or satisfactory scores on mathematics placement examinations; credit or enrollment in MATH 165
Formulation and solution of engineering problems. Significant figures. Use of SI units. Graphing and curve-fitting. Flowcharting. Introduction to material balances, engineering economics, and design. Use of spreadsheet programs to solve and present engineering problems. Solution of engineering problems using computer programming languages. Chemical Engineering examples.
(1-0) Cr. 1. F.
Prereq: Sophomore classification in chemical engineering; credit or enrollment in CH E 210.
Professionalism in the context of the engineering/technical workplace. Introduction to chemical engineering career opportunities. Process and workplace safety. Development and demonstration of key workplace competencies: teamwork, professionalism and ethical responsibility, ability to engage in life-long learning, and knowledge of contemporary issues. Resumes; professional portfolios; preparation for internship experiences.
Cr. R.
Prereq: Corequisite-enrollment in Chemical Engineering Learning Team
Curriculum and career planning, academic course support for learning community.
Cr. R. F.S.
Prereq: CHEM 178, MATH 166; credit or enrollment in CH E 160, CH E 210
Assessment of proficiency in general chemistry, calculus (including infinite series and applications of derivatives and integrals), and material balances, and an ability to use the principles of science and mathematics to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
(Cross-listed with B M E). (3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: BIOL 212, ENGR 160 or equiv, MATH 166, CHEM 167 or CHEM 178, PHYS 222
Engineering analysis of basic biology and engineering problems associated with living systems and health care delivery. The course will illustrate biomedical engineering applications in such areas as: biotechnology, biomechanics, biomaterials and tissue engineering, and biosignal and image processing, and will introduce the basic life sciences and engineering concepts associated with these topics.
(3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.
Prereq: CH E 310, CH E 357
Diffusion and mass transfer in fluids. Analysis and design of continuous contacting and multistage separation processes. Binary and multicomponent distillation, absorption, extraction, evaporation, membrane processes, and simultaneous heat and mass transfer.
Cr. 4. SS.
Prereq: CH E 391
Study of chemical engineering including laboratories and lectures at collaborating international universities. Comparative study of U.S. and international manufacturing facilities. Expenses required.
Meets International Perspectives Requirement.
Cr. R. Repeatable. SS.
Prereq: Permission of department and Engineering Career Services
Professional work period of at least 10 weeks during the summer. Students must register for this course prior to commencing work.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
Cr. R. Repeatable. F.S.
Prereq: Permission of department and Engineering Career Services
Professional work period. One semester per academic or calendar year. Students must register for this course before commencing work.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
(Dual-listed with CH E 508). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: CH E 381 or equivalent
Examines the factors underlying interfacial phenomena, with an emphasis on the thermodynamics of surfaces, structural aspects, and electrical phenomena. Application areas include emulsification, foaming, detergency, sedimentation, fluidization, nucleation, wetting, adhesion, flotation, and electrophoresis.
(3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.
Prereq: CH E 357, CH E 381; junior classification
Application of transport phenomena, thermodynamics, and chemical kinetics to the study of safety, health, and loss prevention. Government regulations, industrial hygiene, relief sizing, runaway reactions, toxic release, and dispersion models will be used. Fires, explosions, risk assessment, hazard identification, case studies, accident investigations, and design considerations will be studied.
(Dual-listed with CH E 540). (Cross-listed with B M E). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: CH E 210, MATH 266, PHYS 222
Applications of material and energy balances, transport phenomena, chemical reaction engineering, and thermodynamics to problems in biomedical engineering and applied physiology; survey of biomedical engineering; biomaterials; biomedical imaging.
(0-18) Cr. 1-6. Repeatable, maximum of 6 credits.
Prereq: Permission of Department
Investigation of topics of special interest to student and faculty with a final written report or presentation. Election of course and topic must be approved in advance by Department with completion of Study Proposal.
No more than 6 credits of ChE 490 may be counted towards technical electives.
(0-18) Cr. 1-6. Repeatable, maximum of 6 credits.
Prereq: Permission of Department
Investigation of topics of special interest to student and faculty with a final written report or presentation. Election of course and topic must be approved in advance by Department with completion of Study Proposal.
No more than 6 credits of ChE 490 may be counted towards technical electives.
Courses primarily for graduate students, open to qualified undergraduates:
(Dual-listed with CH E 408). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: CH E 381 or equivalent
Examines the factors underlying interfacial phenomena, with an emphasis on the thermodynamics of surfaces, structural aspects, and electrical phenomena. Application areas include emulsification, foaming, detergency, sedimentation, fluidization, nucleation, wetting, adhesion, flotation, and electrophoresis.
(Dual-listed with CH E 440). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: CH E 210, MATH 266, PHYS 222
Applications of material and energy balances, transport phenomena, chemical reaction engineering, and thermodynamics to problems in biomedical engineering and applied physiology; survey of biomedical engineering; biomaterials; biomedical imaging.
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: CHEM 331 or a polymers class
Polymeric biomaterials, overview of biomaterial requirements, different classes of polymers used as biomaterials, specific bioapplications of polymers.
(4-0) Cr. 4. F.
Prereq: CH E 357, CH E 381, MATH 267, credit or enrollment in CH E 545
Conservation equations governing diffusive and convective transport of momentum, thermal energy and chemical species. Transport during laminar flow in conduits, boundary layer flow, creeping flow. Heat and mass transport coupled with chemical reactions and phase change. Scaling and approximation methods for mathematical solution of transport models. Diffusive fluxes; conservation equations for heat and mass transfer; scaling and approximation techniques; fundamentals of fluid mechanics; unidirectional flow; creeping flow; laminar flow at high Reynolds number; forced-convection heat and mass transfer in confined and unconfined laminar flows.
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: CH E 357 or advanced standing in a science major
Principles and techniques for separation and recovery of biologically-produced molecules, especially proteins. Relationship between the chemistry of biological molecules and efficient separation and preservation of biological activity. Includes centrifugation and filtration, membrane processing, extraction, precipitation and crystallization, chromatography, and electrophoresis.
(Cross-listed with AER E). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: AER E 541 or M E 538
Qualitative features of turbulence. Statistical representation of turbulent velocity fields: averages, moments, correlations, length and time scales and the energy cascade. Averaged equations of motion, closure requirements, Reynolds averaged models. Homogeneous shear flows, free shear flows, boundary layers. Numerical simulation of turbulence: DNS, LES, DES.
(3-0) Cr. 3. F.
Prereq: CH E 381
Application of thermodynamic principles to chemical engineering problems. Thermodynamic properties of non-ideal fluids and solutions; phase and chemical-reaction equilibria/stability.
(3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: CH E 382
Analysis of complex reactions and kinetics. Fixed bed, fluidized bed, and other industrial reactors. Analysis and design of non-ideal flow mixing, and residence times. Heterogeneous reactors.
Cr. 2-6. Repeatable.
Investigation of an approved topic on an individual basis.
Cr. 2-3. Repeatable.
Cr. 2-3. Repeatable.
Cr. 2-3. Repeatable.
Cr. 2-3. Repeatable.
Cr. 2-3. Repeatable.
Cr. 2-3. Repeatable.
Cr. 2-3. Repeatable.
Cr. 2-3. Repeatable.
Cr. 2-3. Repeatable.
Cr. 2-3. Repeatable.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Courses for graduate students:
Cr. R. Repeatable. F.S.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: CH E 382, CHEM 331
Principles of metabolic engineering. Emphasis on emerging examples in biorenewables and plant metabolic engineering. Overview of biochemical pathways, determination of flux distributions by stoichiometric and labeling techniques; kinetics and thermodynamics of metabolic networks; metabolic control analysis; genetic engineering for overexpression, deregulation, or inhibition of enzymes; directed evolution; application of bioinformatics, genomics, and proteomics.
(Cross-listed with M E). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. S., offered odd-numbered years.
Prereq: M E 538
Single particle, mutliparticle and two-phase fluid flow phenomena (gas-solid, liquid-solid and gas-liquid mixtures); particle interactions, transport phenomena, wall effects; bubbles, equations of multiphase flow. Dense phase (fluidized and packed beds) and ducted flows; momentum, heat and mass transfer. Computer solutions.
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: CH E 545
Principles of statistical physics. General features of molecular simulations including Monte Carlo (MC) methods, molecular mechanics (MM), and molecular dynamics (MD). Overview of intermolecular and interatomic potentials. Evaluation of phase equilibria, free energies, and surface/interfacial properties. Coarse-grained methods.
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: CH E 552 and CH E 553
Advanced topics in momentum transport, fluid mechanics, and mass transport including study of recent literature.
(Cross-listed with BR C). (3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: CH E 382
Principles and applications of heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis. Adsorption. Reaction kinetics and mass transfer effects. Catalyst characterization. Industrial catalytic processes.
Cr. 2-6. Repeatable.
Investigation of an approved topic on an individual basis. Election of course and topic must be approved in advance by Program of Study Committee.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Cr. R. Repeatable. F.S.SS.
Prereq: Permission of major professor, graduate classification
One semester and one summer maximum per academic year professional work period.
(1-0) Cr. 1. F.
Prereq: Graduate student classification and permission of instructor
Discussions intended to foster the development of graduate students as teaching assistants and future chemical engineering instructors. Topics include classroom and laboratory instruction, grading, and developing a teaching philosophy.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
(1-0) Cr. 1. F.
Prereq: Graduate student classification and permission of instructor
Discussions intended to foster the development of graduate students as teaching assistants and future chemical engineering instructors. Topics include classroom and laboratory instruction, grading, and developing a teaching philosophy.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
(1-0) Cr. 1. Repeatable. F.S.SS.
Prereq: CH E 698A
Participation in the instruction of a CH E course under the mentorship of a CBE faculty member. Typical activities may include lecture preparation and delivery, laboratory instruction, design of assessments, problem-solving sessions, office hours, and grading.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
Cr. arr. Repeatable.
Advanced topic for thesis/dissertation.