Catalyzed Transition to Chemical Engineering Program
Not having a chemical engineering bachelor’s degree shouldn’t stop you from pursuing your dream career.
Our Catalyzed Transition to Chemical Engineering program will equip you with the fundamental knowledge necessary to excel in ASU’s chemical engineering graduate program and graduate on time without the need to take multiple undergraduate courses.
Why join this program?
Learn how to convert raw materials into valuable products
Chemical engineering applies the knowledge of chemical reactions, matter and its transformations and motion, and biology to design, optimize, and scale up processes that convert raw materials into valuable products. As a chemical engineer, you will be trained to solve complex problems that involve chemical reactions, materials, and energy, with an eye toward industrial applications, sustainability, and economic viability. From developing new energy systems that combat climate change to engineering advanced pharmaceuticals to tackle diseases like COVID-19 and cancer, chemical engineers are at the forefront of technological innovation. Our Catalyzed Transition to Chemical Engineering program at ASU will equip you with the diverse tools necessary to catalyze your future while offering endless opportunities in varied industries.
Unlock a broad spectrum of career opportunities
The transition from pure sciences, mathematics, and even other engineering disciplines to chemical engineering opens a broad spectrum of career opportunities. Chemical engineers are in high demand across multiple industries, including pharmaceuticals, energy, environmental protection, food and beverages, and advanced materials, among many others. Whether you are interested in research and development, process design, production management, or environmental stewardship, a graduate degree in chemical engineering will equip you with the skills needed to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in today’s world.
Get trained by renowned faculty
Our award-winning faculty, with expertise spanning four main research areas: biomolecular engineering, sustainability and green energy engineering, advanced materials engineering, and reaction and controls engineering, are eager to support your transition and help you achieve your academic and professional goals. Our Catalyzed Transition to Chemical Engineering program is an excellent opportunity to build upon your existing knowledge and seamlessly integrate into our graduate community and chemical engineering at large.
Skip always feeling like you have to catch up
In many programs, students without an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering are required to develop their engineering knowledge and skill set through multiple undergraduate courses before they begin graduate-level coursework. As a result, the time to graduation is often extended by an additional semester or even a year. We recognize the challenge this presents and have developed an innovative pathway to facilitate the transition to engineering. Our Catalyzed Transition to Chemical Engineering program covers the foundational undergraduate chemical engineering material in a streamlined and intensive format within the graduate student paradigm. This program is designed to prepare you for your chemical engineering graduate coursework and research, allowing you to conduct your master’s or PhD studies alongside your peers. Thus, this program will enable you to graduate on time while maintaining the breadth of core competencies provided in an undergraduate education.
What the program entails
The Catalyzed Transition to Chemical Engineering program is designed for highly motivated students with a STEM background who are ready to transition into a chemical engineering graduate program, at either the PhD or Master’s level.
The program consists of a single, graduate level, intensive chemical engineering overview course, “Fundamental Concepts in Chemical Engineering” followed by the conventional graduate degree program. The hybrid online/in-person course teaches students the key tenants of chemical engineering including:
- A review of the chemistry, math, physics and basic programming necessary for chemical engineering
- Mass and energy transport phenomena
- Engineering thermodynamics
- Reaction kinetics
The hybrid modality provides students the opportunity to rewatch lectures and take notes on their own schedule, ensuring that they cement these fundamental concepts, while being integrated in student life in Tempe. Further, because this course is taught at the graduate level, students earn credits towards graduation requirements.
Students take the class in their first semester, either in the summer (encouraged for PhD students) or during the traditional school year. Upon successful completion of this course, students proceed with the core chemical engineering graduate coursework. While enrolled in the class, students are eligible to take other engineering courses.
Steps necessary to complete the Catalyzed Transition to Chemical Engineering program – Masters Degree
- Gain admission into the Catalyzed Transition to Chemical Engineering Program
- Attend new graduate student orientation
- Enroll in and complete the Fundamental Concepts in Chemical Engineering course
- Complete and submit iPOS (Plan of Study) by the end of the 1st semester
- Complete core chemical engineering and remaining technical elective graduate coursework
- Complete culminating experience (Thesis, applied project, or portfolio option)
- Graduate
The Catalyzed Transition to Chemical Engineering Program – PhD
The chemical engineering doctoral degree at ASU is granted to students upon evidence of excellence in research and the demonstration of independent, creative scholarship in chemical engineering culminating in a dissertation. At ASU, students are not required to complete a master’s degree before beginning doctoral work. Enrolling in the Catalyzed Transition to Chemical Engineering PhD program expedites your ASU’s chemical engineering PhD if you come from a non-ChemE background by enabling you to jump right into the core classes and prepare for research and the qualification exam.
The PhD program introduces students to the techniques, procedures and philosophical attitudes necessary for exploring unknown areas in chemical engineering. Students are taught the scientific method through an in‐depth study of a specific research topic, leading to a deep knowledge of chemical engineering and his/her chosen area.
Steps necessary to complete the Catalyzed Transition to Chemical Engineering Program – PhD
- Gain admission to the Catalyzed Transition to Chemical Engineering PhD program
- Attend new graduate student orientation
- Enroll in and complete the “Fundamental Concepts in Chemical Engineering” course, preferably over the summer
- Select faculty advisor and begin core ChemE core coursework
- Initiate research with your faculty advisor
- Complete and submit iPOS (Plan of Study) by end of the 1st semester
- Take and pass the qualifying examination
- Select the remaining members of the dissertation committee, add them to the iPOS, and begin preparing for the dissertation prospectus
- Complete coursework
- Request to defend the dissertation prospectus and take the comprehensive exam
- Apply for the Master’s in Passing, if applicable
- Complete research and write the dissertation
- Apply for graduation
- Schedule the dissertation defense with the SEMTE Graduate Advising Office and the Graduate College
Recommended applicant qualifications
The following are the recommended qualifications for applicants to the Catalyzed Transition to Chemical Engineering programs.
- Students should have completed a four year degree in a STEM field (i.e. science, technology, engineering and math) with an unweighted GPA above a 3.0 (or equivalent).
- Students should have completed at least Calculus 1 and 2, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and Physics 1, all with a grade of B (or equivalent) or better.
Have questions?
Contact: [email protected]