Graduate Program

Curriculum Requirements

Candidates for a master's degree in chemical engineering must complete three required core courses, five elective courses, and a graduate thesis. The program requires an average of 21 months of full-time study.

Core courses include Research Methods & Design, Research Communication, and Transport Theory. Topics offered as chemical engineering electives include (but are not limited to) genetic engineering, atmospheric chemistry and physics, biomaterials, advanced topics in mathematics, polymer science, bioprocess engineering, advanced materials science and engineering, particle technology, food science engineering, fermentation processes, and pharmaceutical engineering. 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.