Catalogue 2011-12

• USC Viterbi School of Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
  • Degree Requirements
  • Graduate Degrees
  • Courses of Instruction

Chemical Engineering – Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science

Degree Requirements

Educational Program Objectives

Chemical engineering is the only engineering discipline that makes extensive use of chemical transformations (reactions) in addition to physical transformations (refining, molding or machining) to achieve added value. Chemical engineers are employed in virtually all manufacturing industries, from the basic chemical, biochemical, materials, energy, food, pharmaceutical and microelectronics industries to the myriad consumer product industries. Our various curricula are designed to produce graduates who are broadly educated as well as highly adaptable.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering programs are prepared to achieve any of the following accomplishments:

• To obtain employment and succeed in organizations where physical, chemical or biochemical transformations are utilized to produce products and services that benefit society.
• To pursue graduate or professional education in a variety of related fields.
• To engage in continuous personal and professional development through lifelong learning.
• To assume leadership roles in their employment organization or community.

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering Degree

The Department of Chemical Engineering offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. Additionally, there are five possible areas of emphasis within this chemical engineering program major. These are biochemical engineering (133 units); environmental engineering (132 units); nanotechnology (128 units); petroleum engineering (133 units); and polymer/materials science (133 units). An area of emphasis appears in parenthesis after the primary major name on the transcript.

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

Common Requirements for the Degree and All Areas of Emphasis within the Bachelor of Science Degree (108 units)

See also common requirements for undergraduate degrees section.

composition/WRITING COURSES		units
WRIT 140*	Writing and Critical Reasoning	4
WRIT 340	Advanced Writing	3

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

CHEMISTRY COURSES		units
CHEM 105aL	General Chemistry, or
CHEM 115aL	Advanced General Chemistry	4
CHEM 105bL	General Chemistry, or
CHEM 115bL	Advanced General Chemistry	4
CHEM 300L	Analytical Chemistry	4
CHEM 322aL	Organic Chemistry	4
CHEM 430a	Physical Chemistry	4

MATH COURSES		units
MATH 125	Calculus I	4
MATH 126	Calculus II	4
MATH 226	Calculus III	4
MATH 245	Mathematics of Physics and Engineering I	4

PHYSICS COURSES		units
PHYS 151***	Fundamentals of Physics I: Mechanics and Thermodynamics	4
PHYS 152	Fundamentals of Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism	4

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COURSES		units
CHE 120	Introduction to Chemical Engineering	3
CHE 330	Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics	3
CHE 350	Introduction to Separation Processes	3
CHE 442	Chemical Reactor Analysis	3
CHE 443	Viscous Flow	3
CHE 444abL	Chemical Engineering Laboratory	3-3
CHE 445	Heat Transfer in Chemical Engineering Processes	2
CHE 446	Mass Transfer in Chemical Engineering Processes	2
CHE 460L	Chemical Process Dynamics and Control	3
CHE 480	Chemical Process and Plant Design	3

OTHER COURSES		units
BUAD 301++	Technical Entrepreneurship, or
ISE 460	Engineering Economy	3
CSCI 101L	Fundamentals of Computer Programming	3

Additional Requirements for Individual Degrees

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

The requirement for the degree in the absence of an area of emphasis 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 ELECTIVE		units
CHEM 322bL	Organic Chemistry, or
CHEM 430b	Physical Chemistry	4

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COURSES		units
CHE 405	Applications of Probability and Statistics for Chemical Engineers	3
CHE 476	Chemical Engineering Materials	3
CHE 485	Computer-Aided Chemical Process Design	3

CHE Technical Elective
An upper division CHE course		3

OTHER ENGINEERING COURSES		units
CE 205	Statics	2
EE 438L	Processing for Microelectronics	3

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
Emphasis in Biochemical Engineering

The requirement for the degree with this area of emphasis 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 COURSES		units
BISC 300L	Introduction to Microbiology	4
BISC 320L	Molecular Biology	4
BISC 330L	Biochemistry	4
BISC 403	Advanced Molecular Biology	4

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COURSES		units
BME 410	Introduction to Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering	3
CHE 489	Biochemical Engineering	3

CHE Technical Elective
CHE 405	Applications of Probability and Statistics for Chemical Engineers, or
CHE 485	Computer-Aided Chemical Process Design	3

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
Emphasis in Environmental Engineering

The requirement for the degree with this area of emphasis 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 COURSES		units
CHE 405	Applications of Probability and Statistics for Chemical Engineers	3
CHE 476	Chemical Engineering Materials	3
CHE 485	Computer-Aided Chemical Process Design	3
CHE 486	Design of Environmentally Benign Process Plants	3

OTHER COURSES		units
CE 453	Water Quality Control	3
CE 463L	Water Chemistry and Analysis	3
PTE 463L	Introduction to Transport Processes in Porous Media	3

Air Pollution Elective
ENE 428	Air Pollution Fundamentals, or
ENE 429	Air Pollution Control	3

Bachelor of Science in Chemical
Engineering Emphasis in Nanotechnology

The requirement for the degree with this area of emphasis 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 course		Units
CHEM 453	Advanced Inorganic Chemistry	4

Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Courses		Units
CHE 487	Nanotechnology and Nanoscale Engineering through Chemical Processes	3
CHE 491	Nanotechnology Research for Undergraduates (two semesters)	2-2
MASC 350	Nanostructured Materials: Design, Synthesis, and Processing	3

CHE Technical Elective
CHE 405	Applications of Probability and Statistics for Chemical Engineers, or
CHE 485	Computer-Aided Chemical Process Design	3

Other Engineering courses		units
Nano Technical Elective
EE 438L	Processing for Microelectronics, or
CHE 489	Biochemical Engineering, or
PTE 463L	Introduction to Transport Processes in Porous Media	3

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
Emphasis in Petroleum Engineering

The requirement for the degree with this area of emphasis 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 COURSE		units
Chemistry Technical Elective
CHEM 322bL	Organic Chemistry, or
CHEM 430b	Physical Chemistry	4

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COURSES		units
CHE 405	Applications of Probability and Statistics for Chemical Engineers	3
CHE 476	Chemical Engineering Materials	3
CHE 485	Computer-Aided Chemical Process Design	3

OTHER ENGINEERING COURSES		units
PTE 461	Formation Evaluation	3
PTE 463L	Introduction to Transport Processes in Porous Media	3
PTE 464L	Petroleum Reservoir Engineering	3
PTE 465L	Drilling Technology and Subsurface Methods	3

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
Emphasis in Polymer/Materials Science

The requirement for the degree with this area of emphasis is 133 units. A scholarship average of C (2.0) or higher is required in all upper division courses taken in the Departments of 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 COURSES		UNITS
CHEM 322bL	Organic Chemistry, or
CHEM 430b	Physical Chemistry	4

OTHER CHEMICAL ENGINEERING/MATERIALS SCIENCE COURSES		UNITS
CHE 405	Applications of Probability and Statistics for Chemical Engineers	3
CHE 472	Polymer Science and Engineering	3
CHE 476	Chemical Engineering Materials, or
MASC 310	Materials Behavior and Processing	3
MASC 350	Nanostructured Materials: Design, Synthesis, and Processing	3

OTHER ENGINEERING COURSES (choose three courses)		UNITS
Polymer/Materials Elective Courses
BME 410	Introduction to Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering	3
CHE 474L	Polymer Science and Engineering Laboratory	3
CHE 475	Physical Properties of Polymers	3
CHE 477	Computer Assisted Polymer Engineering and Manufacturing	3
CHE 487	Nanotechnology and Nanoscale Engineering through Chemical Processes	3
EE 438L	Processing for Microelectronics	3
MASC 440	Materials and the Environment	3

Minor in Engineering Technology Commercialization

See listing in the Special Educational Opportunities section.

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