Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
(Previously CH E, effective Spr 20006)
The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering prepares students to use their knowledge and skills to contribute to society and their profession. The basis of chemical engineering is the useful transformation of chemicals from one form to another. The term "chemicals" certainly includes petroleum products and commodity chemicals, but chemical engineers also work with biological materials, food products, and pharmaceuticals-and the list is expanding all the time. So, tomorrow's graduates may find careers in fields that do not even exist today as chemical engineering research continually expands the opportunities open to chemical engineers. Chemical engineers may practice in a variety of fields: chemical manufacturing and petroleum refining, waste minimization and environmental engineering, materials and microelectronics, space technology, pharmaceuticals, bioengineering and biomedicine, and many others. To provide for this diversity, the undergraduate program has four professional focus areas: Bioengineering, Materials, Environmental Engineering, and Chemical Process Engineering. The outcome of the undergraduate program is an accredited B.S.Ch.E. degree. Our program objectives can be stated as follows:
- Graduates of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering will be well prepared to pursue successful professional careers, either in direct practice or following post-graduate education, based on a broad education grounded in chemical engineering fundamentals.
- Graduates of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering will be effective team contributors, communicators, and capable of independent learning.
- Graduates of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, with specialization in a focus area (bioengineering, materials, chemical engineering, or environmental engineering) will be well prepared through coursework and/or research opportunities to contribute in their focus area professionally.
- Graduates of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, with internship/cooperative education experience, will quickly contribute professionally.
Specific educational objectives for all engineering students are stated in the College of Engineering portion of this document.
The Department provides graduate programs that lead to M. S. and Ph.D. Ch.E. degree programs and contributes to interdepartmental M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs. The graduate program complements students' undergraduate experience by providing opportunities for advanced study, undergraduate research, and cooperative education experience. The Department serves the State of Montana and the nation through education, research, and service, while encouraging diversity in the student population, to meet the mission of Montana State University and the College of Engineering.
The preparation of men and women competent to develop, design, and operate new processes, or to perform the research and development to improve existing products and processes, is a comprehensive process. Thus the curriculum in chemical engineering is founded on the study of engineering principles of basic science, particularly chemistry, and physics, and mathematics. Safety and concern for the environment and the society must be overriding concerns to chemical engineering practitioners, and developing this awareness is another aspect of the Department's educational goals. Chemical engineers typically work as teams of professionals, sharing expertise and knowledge for greater achievement, so teamwork and communication are emphasized. The following curriculum has been developed to provide these skills through faculty members who have extensive experience and practice in the field.
Curriculum in Chemical and Biological Engineering
The curriculum is 128 credits comprised of a Basic Program plus Electives which students select to meet both University Core requirements and requirements of the Chemical Engineering Focus Area they select.
Student Performance and Retention Requirements: No further requirements apply in order to advance in the Chemical and Biological Engineering program.
| Basic Program | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Freshman Year | F | S | |
| CHBE 100--Intr to Chem & Biol Engr | 2 | ||
| CHBE 120--Chem & Biol Engr Comp | 2 | ||
| CHEM 131--General Chemistry I | 4 | ||
| CHEM 132--General Chemistry II | 4 | ||
| WRIT 101W--College Writing I | 3 | ||
| MATH 181--Calculus & Anl Geom I | 4 | ||
| MATH 182--Calculus & Anl Geom II | 4 | ||
| Univ Core and Electives (Including University Seminar) | 3 | 6 | |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore Year | F | S | |
| CHBE 213--Materials Science | 3 | ||
| CHBE 215--Elementary Prin I | 3 | ||
| CHBE 216--Elementary Prin II | 3 | ||
| CHEM 215--Organic Chemistry | 5 | ||
| CHEM 324--Physical Chem II | 3 | ||
| MATH 225--Intro to Diff Equation | 4 | ||
| MATH 224--Calc Funct Sev Varib | 4 | ||
| PHYS 211--Gen & Mod Phys I | 4 | ||
| PHYS 212--Gen & Mod Phys II | 4 | ||
| 16 | 17 | ||
| Junior Year | F | S | |
| BCHM 340--General Biochemistry | 5 | ||
| or MB 301-- General Microbiology | 5 | ||
| CHBE 307--Chemical Equilibrium | 4 | ||
| CHBE 310--Intro to Chem Process Design | 4 | ||
| CHBE 322--Fluid Mech & Heat Tran | 4 | ||
| CHBE 323--Mass Trans Operation | 3 | ||
| CHBE 328--Chemical Reaction Eng | 3 | ||
| CHBE 438--Bioprocess Engineering | 3 | ||
| University Core and Electives | 3 | 3 | |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Senior Year | F | S | |
| CHBE 400--Seminar | 1 | ||
| CHBE 411--Design of Chem & Petr I | 2 | ||
| CHBE 412--Design of Chem & Petr II | 2 | ||
| CHBE 424--Transport Analysis | 3 | ||
| CHBE 441-- Chemical Engr Lab | 4 | ||
| CHBE 451--Process Dyn & Control | 3 | ||
| CHBE 441--Chemical Engineering Laboratory | 4 | ||
| ENGR 499--Engr Prog Assmt | 0 | ||
| University Core and Electives | 6 | 10 | |
| 16 | 15 |
A minimum of 128 credits is required for graduation; 42 of which must be in courses numbered 300 and above.
Electives
University Core - 15 credits. 12 credits core (3 credits D, 3 credits IH/RH, 3 credits IA/RA, 3 credits IS/RS). 3 credits general education (see departmental list).Focus Area Professional Electives - Take according to student's chosen area - 13 science and engineering credits
Focus Areas:
Process & Product Engineering
I&ME 350
At least one of these 3 options, 3 credit total: CHEM 228, CHEM 426, or CHEM 311-312/replace CHEM 215.
Additional Electives
8 credits Engineering or Science
Biochemical Engineering
MB 301 (Both MB 301 and BCHM 340 must be taken), MB 110, I&ME 350
Additional Electives
4 credits Engineering or Science
Environmental Engineering
At least one of these two courses:
CHEM 228, LRES 355
At least two of these four elective courses, 6 credits total:
CE 340, CE 443, CHBE 444, CHBE 445
Additional Electives: 4 credits Engineering or Science. 2 + Engineering outside CHBE if neither CE 340 or CE 443 taken.
Materials
ME 251
EM 251
CHEM 325
At least two of the these five elective courses, 6 credits total:
CHBE 452, 463, 467, EM 253, ME 464
Additional Electives: 2 credits Engineering or Science. Can be 3rd course from above list.
Cooperative Education
The Chemical Engineering Department has partnered with a number of companies, both in the region and across the country, to provide a cooperative education program. Students will have an opportunity to see what their chosen career will be like, and how their knowledge can be applied in their field without waiting for graduation. The co-op program includes a full calendar year of on-the-job experience in addition to the four years of academic course work. Work semesters alternate with course-study semesters during the student's cooperative program, allowing academic capabilities to develop hand-in-hand with increasing job-site professional responsibilities. Application to the cooperative education program is normally made after the student's fourth semester.
