USC
University of Southern California
black horizontal bar for print styles
Please note: Due to late revisions, some text on this page differs from what appears in the printed version of the USC Catalogue. The changes appear below as highlighted text, with corresponding explanations appearing in the right margin. Click here for more information.

Degree Requirements

Educational Program Objectives

Chemical Engineering is the engineering discipline which makes extensive use of chemical transformations (i.e., reactions) in addition to physical transformations (such as machining and molding) to achieve added value. Because all manufacturing involves chemical transformations in one way or another, chemical engineers are employed in virtually all manufacturing industries, from the basic chemical, materials, energy, food, pharmaceutical and microelectronics industries to the myriad consumer product industries. This means that chemical engineers must be very broadly educated and trained as well as highly adaptable.

To ensure that our graduates are adequately prepared for graduate studies in basic chemical engineering, as well as various related fields (such as health science professions, environmental, biochemical and biomedical engineering, for example) and for employment in the great variety of industries in California, the neighboring states and the Pacific Rim, the Chemical Engineering Program of the Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science has set the following educational objectives:

(1) To provide each student with a rigorous education in mathematics, basic science and engineering science. These foundational courses will facilitate lifelong learning and professional adaptability in today's rapidly changing, highly technological society.

(2) To provide the students with a flexible selection of areas of emphasis within the major field of chemical engineering, and to equip them with the ability to apply their scientific knowledge and engineering skills to the creative solution of problems.

(3) To ensure that students develop effective oral and written communications skills and the ability to function well within groups.

(4) To impart to the students the importance of both personal and professional development.

(5) To develop in the students an understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities towards the individual, society and the environment; as well as an appreciation of societal, historical and global issues.

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering Degrees

The Department of Chemical Engineering offers six Bachelor of Science degrees: chemical engineering (129 units); chemical engineering (biochemical engineering) (133 units); chemical engineering (environmental engineering) (132 units); chemical engineering (nanotechnology) (128 units); chemical engineering (petroleum engineering) (133 units); and chemical engineering (polymer science) (133 units).

Sample student schedules are located on the department Web page (chems.usc.edu).

Common Requirements for all Bachelor of Science Degrees (108 units)
See also common requirements for undergraduate degrees section.

composition/WRITING COURSESunits
WRIT 140*Writing and Critical Reasoning4
WRIT 340Advanced Writing3

GENERAL EDUCATION (see here)**units
General education+20

CHEMISTRY COURSESunits
CHEM 105aLGeneral Chemistry, or
CHEM 115aLAdvanced General Chemistry4
CHEM 105bLGeneral Chemistry, or
CHEM 115bLAdvanced General Chemistry4
CHEM 300LAnalytical Chemistry4
CHEM 322aLOrganic Chemistry4
CHEM 430aPhysical Chemistry4

MATH COURSESunits
MATH 125Calculus I4
MATH 126Calculus II4
MATH 226Calculus III4
MATH 245Mathematics of Physics and Engineering I4

PHYSICS COURSESunits
PHYS 151***Fundamentals of Physics I: Mechanics and Thermodynamics4
PHYS 152Fundamentals of Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism4

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COURSESunits
CHE 120Introduction to Chemical Engineering3
CHE 330Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics3
CHE 350Introduction to Separation Processes3
CHE 442Chemical Reactor Analysis3
CHE 443Viscous Flow3
CHE 444abLChemical Engineering Laboratory3-3
CHE 445Heat Transfer in Chemical Engineering Processes2
CHE 446Mass Transfer in Chemical Engineering Processes2
CHE 460LChemical Process Dynamics and Control3
CHE 480Chemical Process and Plant Design3

OTHER COURSESunits
BUAD 301++Technical Entrepreneurship, or
ISE 460Engineering Economy3
CSCI 101LFundamentals of Computer Programming3

*GE Category VI is taken concurrently with WRIT 140.

**Diversity course must double count as a GE course in calculating the total unit count for the degree.

***Satisfies GE Category III requirement.

+The university allows engineering majors to replace the GE Category IV with a second course in Categories I, II or VI.

++Students in the biochemical option may not choose BUAD 301 as their engineering elective.

Additional Requirements for Individual Degrees

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
The requirement for the degree is 129 units. A scholarship average of C (2.0) or higher is required in all upper division courses taken in chemical engineering. In addition to the previously listed common requirements, students must also take the following courses:

CHEMISTRY TECHNICAL ELECTIVEunits
CHEM 322bLOrganic Chemistry, or
CHEM 430bPhysical Chemistry4

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COURSESunits
CHE 405Applications of Probability and Statistics for Chemical Engineers3
CHE 476Chemical Engineering Materials3
CHE 485Computer-Aided Chemical Process Design3

CHE Technical Elective
An upper division CHE course3

OTHER ENGINEERING COURSESunits
CE 205Statics2
EE 438LProcessing for Microelectronics3

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (Biochemical Engineering)
The requirement for the degree is 133 units.* A scholarship average of C (2.0) or higher is required in all upper division courses taken in chemical engineering, biomedical engineering and biological sciences. In addition to the previously listed common requirements, students must also take the following courses:

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES COURSESunits
BISC 300LIntroduction to Microbiology4
BISC 320LMolecular Biology4
BISC 330LBiochemistry4
BISC 403Advanced Molecular Biology4

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COURSESunits
BME 410Introduction to Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering3
CHE 489Biochemical Engineering3

CHE Technical Elective
CHE 405Applications of Probability and Statistics for Chemical Engineers, or
CHE 485Computer-Aided Chemical Process Design3

*Students in the biochemical engineering option must take 50 engineering units total to graduate.

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (Environmental Engineering)
The requirement for the degree is 132 units. A scholarship average of C (2.0) or higher is required in all upper division courses taken in chemical engineering and civil engineering. In addition to the previously listed common requirements, students must also take the following courses:

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COURSESunits
CHE 405Applications of Probability and Statistics for Chemical Engineers3
CHE 476Chemical Engineering Materials3
CHE 485Computer-Aided Chemical Process Design3
CHE 486Design of Environmentally Benign Process Plants3

OTHER COURSESunits
CE 453Water Quality Control3
CE 463LWater Chemistry and Analysis3
PTE 463LIntroduction to Transport Processes in Porous Media3

Air Pollution Elective
ENE 428Air Pollution Fundamentals, or
ENE 429Air Pollution Control3

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (Nanotechnology)
The requirement for the degree is 128 units. A scholarship average of C (2.0) or higher is required in all upper division courses taken in chemical engineering, materials science, electrical engineering and chemistry. In addition to the previously listed common requirements, students must also take the following courses:

Chemistry courseUnits
CHEM 453Advanced Inorganic Chemistry4

Chemical Engineering and Materials Science CoursesUnits
CHE 487Nanotechnology and Nanoscale Engineering through Chemical Processes3
CHE 491Nanotechnology Research for Undergraduates (two semesters)2-2

This title for this course will change to Nanostructured Materials: Design, Synthesis, and Processing beginning fall 2008.
MASC 350Design, Synthesis and Processing of Engineering Materials 3

CHE Technical Elective
CHE 405Applications of Probability and Statistics for Chemical Engineers, or
CHE 485Computer-Aided Chemical Process Design3

Other Engineering coursesunits
Nano Technical Elective
EE 438LProcessing for Microelectronics, or
CHE 489Biochemical Engineering, or
PTE 463LIntroduction to Transport Processes in Porous Media3

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (Petroleum Engineering)
The requirement for the degree is 133 units. A scholarship average of C (2.0) or higher is required in all upper division courses taken in chemical engineering and petroleum engineering. In addition to the previously listed common requirements, students must also take the following courses:

CHEMISTRY COURSEunits
Chemistry Technical Elective
CHEM 322bLOrganic Chemistry, or
CHEM 430bPhysical Chemistry4

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COURSESunits
CHE 405Applications of Probability and Statistics for Chemical Engineers3
CHE 476Chemical Engineering Materials3
CHE 485Computer-Aided Chemical Process Design3

OTHER ENGINEERING COURSESunits
PTE 461Formation Evaluation3
PTE 463LIntroduction to Transport Processes in Porous Media3
PTE 464LPetroleum Reservoir Engineering3
PTE 465LDrilling Technology and Subsurface Methods3

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (Polymer Science)
The requirement for the degree is 133 units. A scholarship average of C (2.0) or higher is required in all upper division courses taken in chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, materials science and electrical engineering. In addition to the previously listed common requirements, students must also take the following courses:

CHEMISTRY COURSESunits
Chemistry Technical Elective
CHEM 322bLOrganic Chemistry, or
CHEM 430bPhysical Chemistry4

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COURSESunits
CHE 405Applications of Probability and Statistics for Chemical Engineers3
CHE 472Polymer Science and Engineering3
CHE 474LPolymer Science and Engineering Laboratory3
CHE 476Chemical Engineering Materials3
CHE 477Computer Assisted Polymer Engineering and Manufacturing3
CHE 485Computer-Aided Chemical Process Design3

OTHER ENGINEERING COURSESunits
Materials Elective
BME 410Introduction to Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, or
CHE 475Physical Properties of Polymers, or
EE 438LProcessing for Microelectronics3

Minor in Engineering Technology Commercialization

See listing in the Special Educational Opportunities section.