2025-2026 Academic Catalog
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
Skillful and creative applications of the principles of chemistry, biochemistry, biology, mathematics, and physics are needed to solve the problems now confronting society. Whether these problems involve energy, food, health, materials or environmental quality, the modern chemical engineer is the professional concerned with finding economically and socially acceptable solutions. The program includes specific tracks relating to energy and climate solutions, data analytics in the chemical engineering domain, and human health. The program prepares graduates for employment in a great variety of industries including specialty chemicals, petroleum, pharmaceutics, paper, fibers, plastics, food, electronics, consumer products, and environmental remediation and lays a strong foundation for those who choose to pursue higher education, whether in chemical engineering or other disciplines such as business, medicine, or law. Students may customize their academic program around an industry of interest by judiciously selecting electives. Courses in chemistry, polymers, biotechnology, marketing, and green engineering are common choices.
The Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (BSCHE) degree program at Virginia Tech is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Chemical, Biochemical, Biomolecular and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.
Within five years of completing their BS degrees, graduates will be successful in a variety of professional careers, including those outside of traditional chemical engineering fields as evidenced by one or more of the following achievements:
Advanced training in engineering, science, business, law, medicine, or education.
Bettering society and promoting community through professional or personal service in the spirit of Ut Prosim (that I may serve).
Upon completion of the undergraduate program curriculum in Chemical Engineering, students will attain the following outcomes:
The curriculum has been developed to meet the department goal and the objectives for the graduates. The curriculum is demanding and a GPA of at least 3.0 is recommended for transfer into the program at the sophomore level. An average GPA of at least 2.00 in all CHE courses attempted (except CHE 4144 Business and Marketing Strategies for the Process Industries) is required for continued enrollment in the department. The department has specific grade policies for continuation in the program and for graduation. For further information on these policies, please contact the department.
The chemical engineering curriculum integrates studies in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, mass transfer, process control, reaction kinetics, plant and process design, verbal and written communications, and reaction kinetics, along with professional ethics and environmental awareness. Throughout this curriculum students learn the fundamentals of chemical processing equipment design and operation. In addition, students gain hands-on experience with the equipment during the summer Unit Operations Laboratory. The experience culminates in participation in either a national senior-level design contest or a design project with a local industrial mentor. The laboratory and the senior design courses are recognized as two of the high points in the undergraduate program. The computer is a necessary tool in all the courses and the same software used in industry is used in the design courses.
In addition to the basic undergraduate program outlined here, more sophisticated and specialized programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. in chemical engineering also are offered (see Graduate Catalog).
The department participates in the Cooperative Education Program whereby qualified students may alternate periods of study with periods of professional employment. Students who plan to co-op should consult with their academic advisor to plan their academic progress appropriately.
The following are special Tracks of study that students can pursue through judicious selection of technical and chemical engineering electives. Lists of approved courses for these tracks are available in the Department of Chemical Engineering.
For additional information about the Chemical Engineering curriculum, please contact Dr. Goldstein.
Head: S.P. Wrenn
Alumni Distinguished Professor and Frank C. Vilbrandt Professor: Y.A. Liu
Robert E. Hord Jr. Professor: W.A. Ducker and P. Rajagopalan
Fred W. Bull Professor: C. Lu
Professors: L.E.K. Achenie, R.M. Davis, and E. Kiran
Associate Professors: M Bortner, S. Deshmukh, A.S. Goldstein, S.M. Khatib, S.M. Martin3,4, R. Tong, H. Xin, and A.R. Whittington
Assistant Professor: S. Samira
Professor of Practice: C. McDowell
Affiliate Professor: R.-H. Yoon
Emeritus Professors: D.F. Cox and S.T. Oyama
Emeritus Professor of Practice: G. Whiting
Alexander F. Giacco Professor Emeritus: D.G. Baird
Footnotes:
Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising
Academy of Teaching Excellence inductee
Wine Award recipient
Sporn Award recipient
Alumni Award for Extension Excellence
Alumni Award for Research Excellence
Alumni Award for Teaching Excellence
Academy of Faculty Service
Commonwealth of Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award
Diggs Teaching Scholar Awards
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