Chemical Engineering, B.S.: 125 units

Offered by: College of Engineering, Chemical and Materials Engineering Department

The curriculum matrix for the degree program may be found here. The curriculum matrix is the alignment of courses (curriculum) with the desired goals and student learning outcomes of the program. It shows what is taught and how these outcomes are achieved through the completion of the degree program.

The Chemical Engineering program provides the students with a strong foundation in the basic sciences with engineering fundamentals and prepares them to design, develop and engineer industrial processes and plants. Students are well prepared upon graduation to begin either their professional career or a program of graduate study. The chemical engineering curriculum in addition to a sound foundation in general education includes basic courses in chemistry, physics, mathematics, and materials, electrical, and mechanical engineering. Coursework in the major includes computer programming, engineering statistics, material and energy balances, transport phenomena, unit operations, process control, process synthesis and design, thermodynamics, kinetics, reactor design, and pollution abatement. The design aspect of chemical engineering is present throughout the curriculum and culminates in the senior-level, three-quarter capstone design sequence. Student project opportunities enable students to develop essential planning, experimenting, and reporting skills in individual or theme-based projects. Extensive laboratory and computerized test facilities exist for process and materials investigations, as well as complete pilot plant scale equipment for extended development and confirmatory studies.

Students desiring to major in Chemical Engineering should have a particularly high aptitude for science and mathematics, and first-time college students should have taken substantial college preparatory courses in these disciplines in high school including one year of chemistry. Incoming transfer students should have completed at least one year of college calculus, one year of college chemistry, and one year of college physics (with laboratory) prior to beginning the program at Cal Poly Pomona. The community college student planning to transfer into this department should consult a school counselor or this department to determine which courses meets the program requirements.

The Chemical Engineering Department offers a Chemical Engineering program leading to a Bachelor of Science degree.

The Chemical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Chemical, Biochemical, Biomolecular and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

The mission of the Chemical Engineering Program is to prepare graduates who will contribute effectively to an interconnected global society by providing them with a strong foundation in engineering fundamentals, excellent hands-on engineering skills and extensive training in communication and teamwork.

Graduates of the Chemical Engineering program should be able to: 

1. Recognize, formulate, and resolve problems with attention to economics, ethics, the environment, health, and safety; 
2. Apply their ideas to create practical solutions; 
3. Clearly communicate to a global and diverse audience; 
4. Explore, and implement as relevant, new technical developments; 
5. Be active life-long learners; and 
6. Be effective team members. 

 The student outcomes of the Chemical Engineering Program are:

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problem by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. An ability of apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration for public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impacts of engineering solutions in global, economics, environmental, and societal contexts.
5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plans tasks, and meet objectives.
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgement to draw conclusions.
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.