Graduate Program

Curriculum Requirements

Candidates for a master's degree in chemical engineering must complete two required core courses in chemical engineering, five elective courses and a graduate thesis. The program requires an average of 24 months of full-time study.

Core courses are offered in engineering mathematics and transport theory. Topics offered as chemical engineering electives include polymer science, bioprocess engineering, advanced materials science and engineering, particle technology, food science engineering/fermentation, pharmaceutical engineering and independent study projects. In addition, graduate-level courses offered by other departments may be taken as electives with the approval of the chemical engineering department.

Thesis Requirement

A written master's thesis is an integral part of the Bucknell chemical engineering master’s program and a primary contribution to the education of the candidate. The thesis must describe work on an experimental or educational research project, mathematical and/or computational modeling, or a design or other problem involving original scientific inquiry. Selection of a thesis adviser will be conducted prior to the start of the candidate’s graduate program.

Thesis Projects and Facilities

The department maintains state-of-the-art laboratory and computing facilities, enabling master's degree candidates to pursue a variety of research/thesis activities. Graduate students are encouraged to present their work at professional meetings at both the regional and national levels, and serve as co-authors for journal and other peer-reviewed publications.