Master of Science

The Master of Science Degree

The Master of Science (M.S.) degree is aimed at preparing students for careers in research and development, or for further study in the field. Like the doctoral degree, the M.S. degree combines coursework and research, but with a more limited scope of the research project and thesis to reflect the shorter time-to-degree. After graduation, the majority of our master’s students find jobs in industry.

Core Courses

You will begin with the core courses for the degree and our "Preparing for Graduate Student Success" course (ECH 200), which will match you with a major professor over the course of your first fall quarter. The five core courses are listed below: 

• ECH 252: Statistical Thermodynamics
• ECH 253A: Advanced Fluid Mechanics
• ECH 253C: Advanced Mass Transfer
• ECH 256: Chemical Kinetics and Reaction Engineering
• ECH 259: Advanced Engineering Mathematics

Electives

A total of 12 units of electives are required, which include 2 units of ECH 290. For the remaining 10 units of electives, you can select from any available upper-division undergraduate course (courses numbered 100-199) or graduate-level course (courses numbered 200-299). Popular electives include those from physics, chemistry, computer science, management, and other engineering disciplines. In consultation with your major professor, you will select courses each quarter based on your career goals and aspirations. 

Students are also expected to complete two quarters of ECH 290: Department Seminar, which requires students to attend a majority of the weekly departmental lectures by visiting scholars in the field. This course exposes graduate students to the latest advances in chemical engineering. 

Thesis

The master's thesis should represent a student's original contribution to the knowledge in the field, and the research should be conducted under the supervision of a faculty member. Students advancing to candidacy should prepare an outline for their thesis, which should include a critical evaluation of the methods and limitations of the research project an a full description of the experimental design, protocols and data analysis. There are no limitations on the length or the number of publications required.

To learn more about transferring course work please go to Graduate Studies webpage on the topic.

Sample Schedule: Full-Time Student