Master's Programs
The objective of the master's programs is to prepare the student for professional work in chemical engineering at a more advanced level than the B.S. or for further study leading to the Ph.D. degree. Both thesis and non-thesis options are available. Study at the master's level includes a range of fundamental courses in chemical engineering and allied areas, and independent study or research in an area of specialization.
Admission
Applicants must have a B.S. degree in chemical engineering or a closely related field and satisfy the general admission requirements of the Graduate School and specific requirements of the discipline as follows:
• Either a 3.0 minimum overall grade point average in an ABET-accredited chemical engineering program, or
• a minimum score of 600 on the GRE General (aptitude) Quantitative Test and a minimum combined (verbal plus quantitative) GRE score of 1000.
It is a Graduate School requirement that international students must have a four-year baccalaureate degree (first class or division if that system is used) or an advanced degree.
All applicants from non-English speaking countries who have not received a degree from a U.S. university must score a minimum of 80 on the internet-based TOEFL exam (213 on the computer-based or 550 on the paper). Applicants from non-English speaking countries may submit a minimum score of 6.0 on the IELTS exam in place of a TOEFL score.
Applicants are selected for admission on or about February 1 and October 1. Applicants should designate their major fields of research interest. Admission may be denied to maintain the desired balance of students in various interest fields.
Complete an on-line application and obtain information about graduate admissions now!
Non-Thesis Master’s Program
A non-thesis program in chemical engineering is available and is particularly suited for non-chemical engineers and non-engineers. The admission requirements for this program are more rigorous than for the thesis degree and are as follows:
• A B.S. degree in chemical engineering, an engineering discipline other than chemical engineering or in one of the physical sciences.
• A 3.0 minimum overall GPA in undergraduate study, and approval by the discipline graduate coordinator and Graduate Dean.
• A minimum score of 650 on the GRE General (aptitude) Quantitative Test and a minimum combined (verbal plus quantitative) GRE score of 1000.
• Students may be asked to take a number of remedial courses at the undergraduate level to make up for deficiencies in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and/or engineering. The student's advisor will select elective courses to strengthen the student in areas not stressed at the undergraduate level.
• All applicants from non-English speaking countries who have not received a degree from a U.S. university must score a minimum of 80 on the internet-based TOEFL exam (213 on the computer-based or 550 on the paper-based). Applicants from non-English speaking countries may submit a minimum score of 6.0 on the IELTS exam in place of a TOEFL score.
• It is a Graduate School requirement that international students must have a four-year baccalaureate degree (first class or division if that system is used) or an advanced degree.
Complete an on-line application and obtain information about graduate admissions now!
Combined Bachelor’s-Masters’ Program
The combined Bachelor’s-Master’s degree program allows students to earn a BSChE and an MEChE (non-thesis master’s degree) in five years. Students complete the regular coursework for the BSChE degree with the exception that 5000-level courses are taken for the Advanced Science Elective and the Advanced Engineering Elective. Degree requirements for the combined MEChE degree are the same as for the usual MEChE degree, with the two 5000-level courses taken as undergraduate electives counting toward the MEChE degree as well as the BSChE. Students may pass the Master's comprehensive exam during the final semester of the combined program instead of completing the ME project course (ChE 7913). For more information see the Combined Bachelor’s-Master’s Program.
General Master’s Degree Requirements
A 3.0 grade point average is the minimum normal for the master’s degree program. Students must maintain a 3.0 overall grade point average and at least a 3.0 average in their major field of study.
Not more than six hours of C grades in course work can be applied to a master's degree. Thesis grades are recorded on a pass-fail basis and are not computed in grade point averages. A passing grade in all thesis hours is required.
Initial advisement of all master's program students is done by the Graduate Program Advisor.
All courses taken for graduate credit in these programs shall be selected from those listed in this Bulletin, subject to the approval of the advisor. Independent study must be approved by the Graduate Program Advisor.
Curriculum Requirements
Thesis option leading to the Master of Science in Engineering degree
Minimum total hours..................................................................................................................... 30
Credit hours of thesis................................................................................................................... 6-9
Core chemical engineering curriculum (ChE 7003, 7023, 7033, and 7043).................... 12
Maximum credit hours at approved 6000 level........................................................................ 9
Maximum credit in chemical engineering at the 6000 level.................................................. 6
Maximum credit hours of independent study........................................................................... 3
Non-thesis option leading to the Master of Engineering degree
Minimum total hours..................................................................................................................... 30
Required credit hours of master’s project................................................................................ 3
Core chemical engineering curriculum (ChE 7003, 7023, 7033, and 7043)..................... 12
Maximum credit hours at approved 6000 level........................................................................ 9
Maximum credit hours of independent study........................................................................... 3
Maximum credit hours outside of major department............................................................. 9
By the end of the first semester after enrollment, the thesis-option student must select a general research area and a research advisor for the thesis. After consulting with the student, the advisor recommends, for the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies’ approval, an advisory committee consisting of the advisor and at least two other graduate faculty members. At least one member of this committee must be from outside the major discipline and may be a qualified expert in the research area from outside the university. At least half the total committee must be full-time chemical engineering graduate faculty members at the University of Tulsa. Upon completion of the research, the student must pass a comprehensive oral examination. The student's advisory committee conducts this examination, which covers the student's entire graduate program, with emphasis on the research work and content of the thesis.
Students choosing the non-thesis option are required to choose an advisor and form an advisory committee for the master's project before the end of their first semester of residence. The advisory committee will consist of the project advisor and at least two other graduate faculty members
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Ph.D. Program
The principal objectives of the Ph.D. program are to provide students with an opportunity to reach a critical understanding of basic scientific and engineering principles underlying their fields of interest and to cultivate their ability to apply these principles creatively through advanced methods of analysis, research, and synthesis. The Ph.D. is awarded primarily on the basis of research.
Admission
Applicants must have a baccalaureate or master's degree in chemical engineering or a closely related field from an accredited institution.
Admission for Ph.D. work requires approval of the graduate program advisor and the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, and
• either a 3.5 minimum overall grade point average in an ABET-accredited chemical engineering program, or
• a minimum combined (verbal plus quantitative) score of 1100 on the GRE exam with a minimum score of 700 on the Quantitative portion.
The number of candidates in this program is limited. Applicants should designate their major fields of interest. Admission may be denied to maintain a balance of students in various interest fields.
Applicants are selected for admission on or about February 1 and October 1.
Applicants from non-English speaking countries who have not received a degree from a U.S. university must satisfy English proficiency requirements (minimum TOEFL score of 80 on internet-based exam; 213 on the computer-based test or 550 on the paper exam). Applicants from non-English speaking countries may submit a minimum score of 6.0 on the IELTS exam in place of a TOEFL score.
It is a Graduate School requirement that international students must have a four-year baccalaureate degree (first class or division if that system is used) or an advanced degree.
There are industrially- and privately-sponsored additional fellowships available for exceptional students.
Complete an on-line application and obtain information about graduate admissions now!
Curriculum Requirements
The Ph.D. program requires at least 72 approved credit hours of graduate credit above the baccalaureate level, generally distributed in the following manner:
Minimum Total hours..................................................................................................................... 72
Research and Dissertation (minimum, may include master’s thesis)............................... 23
A core chemical engineering curriculum of ChE 7003, 7023, 7033, and 7043)................ 12
6000-level or 7000-level mathematics (minimum).................................................................. 6
Other Coursework (minimum)..................................................................................................... 18
• Maximum hours outside of ChE 12
• Maximum of 12 hours at 6000 level (not including the minimum mathematics requirements)
• Maximum of 6 hours of independent study
These requirements are not variable except under special circumstances and with permission of the student's Advisory Committee and the Graduate Dean.
Other Requirements
Language and Residence. There is no foreign language requirement for the Ph.D. degree in chemical engineering. At least two consecutive semesters in residence at The University of Tulsa as a full-time student are required. For teaching fellows and research assistants, four consecutive semesters of eight or nine hours per term are required.
Transfer Credits. Students will normally not be allowed to transfer any graduate credits for the M.S. degree. Students with an M.S. degree may apply 30 credit hours to the Ph.D. program (including 21 credit hours of course work and 9 hours of thesis work).
Advisory Committee. Students in the Ph.D. program will be advised initially by the graduate program advisor. The student must select a research area and a research advisor or co-advisors by the end of the second semester after enrollment in the program. The student, after consultation with the advisor or co-advisors, recommends the other members of the advisory committee to the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies by the end of the third semester of enrollment. The advisory committee must have at least four graduate faculty members, consisting of at least two members from the department of chemical engineering and one member from outside the department of chemical engineering. One member of the advisory committee may be a qualified expert in the research area from outside the university. At least half the total committee must be full time chemical engineering graduate faculty members at the University of Tulsa. The advisory committee approves the dissertation and administers the final dissertation oral examination.
Qualifying Examination. Prospective Ph.D. students must take the written qualifying exam at the end of their second semester of enrollment. This exam is based on the core curriculum of chemical engineering and mathematics. Students are strongly encouraged to have completed the core curriculum at this time. The examination will be given normally in December and May. This exam can be retaken only once.
Dissertation Proposal. After passing the qualifying examination, Ph.D. students submit and defend a research proposal on their intended dissertation topic before the end of the semester following the qualifying examination. The proposal is presented orally before the advisory committee in a forum open to any students or faculty who wish to attend.
Candidacy. A student in the Ph.D. program cannot apply for candidacy until the qualifying examination has been passed.
Dissertation. Each Ph.D. candidate must write a dissertation on the results of his or her research. The dissertation must demonstrate the candidate's abilities in independent investigation in the area of interest and must contribute to some field of science or engineering technology.
The dissertation must follow the Graduate School's recommended procedures for submission to the student's advisory committee, and before it is finally typed or reproduced it must be presented to the full advisory committee for examination and review.
The dissertation shall be presented orally before the advisory committee in a forum open to any students or faculty who wish to attend. The dissertation must be microfilmed and published in Dissertation Abstracts. The dissertation is graded on a pass-fail basis.
Final Oral Examination. Each candidate must pass a final oral examination before the advisory committee. The examination will consist of a defense of the dissertation, the general field of the dissertation, and other parts of the program which may be chosen by the committee.
The advisory committee recommends the candidate to the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies for the Ph.D. degree upon successful completion of the final oral examination and acceptance of the dissertation. Passing grades must be obtained in all the dissertation hours to fulfill degree requirements.
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Course Listings
Chemical Engineering
[The last digit in the course number indicates (the number of credits allotted a course.]
7003 Fluid Mechanics
7013 Petroleum Microbiology
7023 Thermodynamics
7033 Reaction Kinetics
7043 Heat and Mass Transfer
7063 Phase Equilibrium Thermodynamics
7103 Catalysis
7113 Biochemical Engineering
7123 Computer-Aided Chemical Process Design
7173 Multiphase Reactor Design
7213 Problem-Solving in Chemical Engineering
7863-9 Special Topics in Chemical Engineering
7913 Masters Project
7961 Residency
7971-3 Seminar
7981-6 Research and Thesis
7991-6 Independent Study
9981-9 Research and Dissertation
9991-9 Independent Study
Approved Undergraduate Courses
Many undergraduate courses may be taken for graduate credit with approval from the program adviser. A student enrolling in these courses will complete assignments in addition to those completed by the undergraduate students in the courses.
6423 Natural Gas Plant Design
6463 Chemical Reactor Design
6483 Chemical Engineering Plant Design
6504 Process Component Design
6513 Process Control
6563 Environmental Engineering
6583 Petroleum Refinery Design
6593 Polymer Engineering
