Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

Programs

• Major
  • Chemical Engineering, BSChE​

Program Objectives, Student Outcomes and Statistics

Program Educational Objectives

Within a few years of graduation, UA chemical engineering graduates will be able to:

• Provide solution strategies for a wide variety of technical applications, including the design and improvement of chemical or biological processes
• Work independently and in teams to solve problems and effectively communicate technical issues and solutions to engineering colleagues, non-technical professionals, and lay persons
• Make decisions that are ethical, safe and environmentally-responsible

Student Outcomes

1. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
2. an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, 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 judgements, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, 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, plan tasks, meet objectives
6. an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
7. an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

Enrollment and Graduation Statistics

The University of Alabama Office of Institutional Research and Assessment maintains annual enrollment and graduate data for the programs in the College of Engineering. Please visit the OIRA Statistical Profiles website to find statistics for student enrollment, degrees awarded and faculty data.

Chemical and Biological Engineering Honors Program

The departmental honors program complements programs offered through UA’s Honors College. The highlight of the ChBE honors program is a one-hour forum that focuses on emerging topics of interest in the field. In addition to this course, six hours of departmental honors course credits may be scheduled through the CHE 498 Honors Special Problems/CHE 499 Honors Special Problems sequence or other honors courses. These credits may include one-on-one undergraduate research experiences, co-op or internship-for-credit experiences, work/study-abroad-for-credit experiences, and courses designed to be taken for joint undergraduate/graduate credit in the Scholars Program leading to advanced degree study. Five additional hours of honors credit must be taken from courses within the ChBE curriculum, and six further hours of honors credits must be earned from any of the University-wide honors programs. The chemical engineering honors courses may, in turn, be used to satisfy the requirements in the University-wide honor program(s) selected. Special recognition for completing these programs is given at the time of graduation.

Eligibility

• Incoming freshmen: ACT of 28 or better or SAT of 1240 or better
• Transfer students: cumulative college GPA of 3.3 or better and 28 ACT/1240 SAT
• Current UA students: cumulative UA GPA of 3.3 or better

Requirements for Recognition as Graduating with ChBE Honors

• Completion of the course requirements for the BS degree in Chemical Engineering
• Maintenance of a 3.3 GPA in all undergraduate coursework
• Completion of 18 hours of honors coursework:
  • 12 hours in the ChBE curriculum:
    • One hour of ChBE honors forum
    • Six hours of ChBE-designated courses
    • Five hours of any courses in the ChBE curriculum
  • Six hours of additional honors courses from within or outside the ChBE curriculum
  • Experiential-based coursework
  • Three hours must be experience-based, such as undergraduate research, co-op for credit, work internship for credit, undergraduate design, or a research experience at another university (REU)
  • Examples of honors courses offered in ChBE:
    • Independent research or design projects
    • ChBE electives in polymers, electronic materials, biochemical engineering, tissue engineering, or health and safety
    • Honors co-operative education and internship experiences
    • ChBE Honors Forum (explore advanced topics such as nanotechnology, hydrogen fuel cells, engineered medicine or alternative energy)