Chemical Engineering Option and Minor (ChE)

Caltech’s Chemical Engineering option prepares its students for the future, whether that be furthering research and development in industry, or continuing their studies at the graduate level. The option's breadth enables its students to make an impact in a variety of fields, such as: researching sustainable technologies (energy efficiency, pollution management, climate mitigation, biofuels); inventing novel biotechnologies (enzyme engineering, cell culturing, pharmaceuticals); and developing processes for organic (polymers, films, fuels, pharmaceuticals) and inorganic (semiconductors, ceramics) products.

This is accomplished through a mixture of interdisciplinary classes that expose students to: most fields of science (chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology); core chemical engineering principles; and an area of specialization. The inherently computational nature of chemical engineering shines through courses’ active use of computational software such as Python, Matlab, Mathematica and COMSOL for modelling and data analysis. At the same time, classes and independent projects also focus on systematic analysis and problem solving, incorporating social, economic, environmental, and technical constraints to tackle the open-ended challenges of today and tomorrow with new and creative solutions. Undergraduate research is emphasized, and students are encouraged, even in the first year, to participate in research with faculty.

First-year students normally take core courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and computer science (Ma 1 abc, Ph 1 abc, Ch1 ab, Bi 1, CS1), as well as general chemistry lab (Ch3a or Ch 3x). First-year students may take ChE 15 or wait until their second year. In their second year, students take advanced courses in math and science, including differential equations (Ma 2), applied math (ACM 95 ab), wave physics (Ph 2a), organic chemistry (Ch 41 ab), and organic chemistry lab (Ch/ChE 9).

The option’s curriculum begins in students’ second year and continues through their third year with fundamental studies in heat transfer, fluid mechanics, mass transfer, thermodynamics, reactor design, and chemical kinetics. While still building a common foundational toolkit, third-year students also begin to specialize in one of five tracks: biomolecular, sustainability, process, materials, computational. Students learn and use design principles in multiple lab courses that entail hands-on, open-ended projects relevant to current research so students can innovatively apply chemical engineering concepts. Students may also pursue an undergraduate thesis to explore research topics under the mentorship of professor - proposing a research plan, applying relevant lab techniques, and presenting results through project reports, oral presentation, and written thesis. More information about the option and track requirements can be found on: https://tinyurl.com/2kxfnnva.

Attention is called to the fact that any student whose gradepoint average is less than 1.9 at the end of an academic year in the subjects listed under the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering may, at the discretion of the faculty in this division, be refused permission to continue the work in this option.

1. Ma 2, Ph 2 a, Ch/ChE 9, ChE 15, Ch 21 ab ^†, Ch 41 ab, ChE 62, ChE 63 ab, Ch/ChE 91 (or En/Wr 84), ACM 95 ab, ChE 101, ChE 103 abc, ChE 105, ChE 126, one of [ACM/EE/IDS 116, BE/Bi 103a, ChE/Ch 137] and one of [Ec 11, Ec 117, BEM 102, BEM 103, BEM 104, BEM/Ec/ESE 119]¹.
2. Completion of a track (biomolecular, sustainability, process systems, materials or computational), each consisting of at least 63 units of science or engineering courses. Students should inform the undergraduate option representative of their track choice by the beginning of the spring quarter of the sophomore year by providing a planned schedule for completion of all degree requirements. Requirements for the tracks are as follows.
   1. Biomolecular track: BE/ChE 163, [Ch/Bi 110a or Ch/Bi 110b], [ChE/Ch/BE 130 or ChE 90c], and additional units of bioengineering or biochemical engineering electives or approved related courses.^3,4
   2. Sustainability track: two of [ChE/ESE/ME/MS 111, ESE 101, ESE 102, ESE 103], one of [ChE 128 or ChE 90c], and additional units of 100 level ESE electives, 100 level EST electives or approved related courses.^3,4,5
   3. Process systems track: ChE 118, ChE 120, [ChE 128 or
      ChE 90 c], and additional units of engineering electives,
      courses from the other tracks, or approved related
      courses.³
   4. Materials track: [ChE 128 or ChE 90 c]; at least one course on materials synthesis or processing selected from [Ch 102, Ch 117, Ch/ChE 147², ChE/Ch/MS 113, ChE 115², MS 133 or an approved substitute]; at least one course on the physical basis of structure and properties selected from [Ch 120 ab, ChE/Ch 148², MS 115, MS/APh 122², MS 131, MS 132 or an approved substitute]; and additional units of 100 level ChE electives, 100 level MS electives, 100 level APh electives or approved related courses.^3,4
   5. Computational track: ACM/IDS 104, ChE/Ch 137, at least one course sequence from [Ch 121 ab; BE/ChE 163 & BE/CS/CNS/Bi 191a; ESE 101 & ESE 136; Ae/ACM/ME 232 ab; or ChE 90 abc], and additional units from ChE/Ch 139, 100 level IDS, ACM, CS courses or approved courses in IDS, ACM, CS numbered 20-99.³

For students electing to complete two tracks, no course can be used to fulfill the requirements of more than one track.

1. Passing grades must be earned in all courses required by the Institute and the option. None of the courses satisfying option requirements may be taken pass/fail (except when courses are only available P/F)
2. Passing grades must be earned in a total of 486 units, including courses listed above.

^† Ph 12 b may substitute for Ch 21 a.
¹ The 9 units of Ec 11, Ec 117, BEM 103, BEM 104 or BEM/Ec/ESE 119 partially satisfy the Institute requirements in humanities and social sciences. BEM 102 does NOT count for Institute core social science course.
² Course is not typically offered every academic year. Typically offered in alternate years.
³ No more than 18 units of [ChE 90ab, ChE 80 or BE 98] may count as track electives. No more than 10 units of chemistry courses numbered between 11-41 may count as track electives.
⁴ ChE 118 and/or ChE 120 may be elected provided the design project undertaken contains a significant component relevant to the track.
⁵ students in the sustainability track are encouraged to take one policy-related course [BEM/Ec/ESE 119 or ME/EE/EST 117] as a track elective.

¹ See option requirements.

The chemical engineering minor is intended to supplement one of Caltech's undergraduate degrees. It is designed for students who wish to broaden their studies beyond their major to include chemical engineering. Students completing the chemical engineering minor requirements will have the phase "minor in chemical engineering" added to their transcripts. The chemical engineering minor requirements include:

1. ChE Core: ChE 63A, ChE 103a, ChE 103b, ChE 101
2. If ACM 95ab is not required for your major option, fulfill (2a). If ACM 95ab is required for your major option, fulfill (2b) instead of (2a):
   1. Math, Advanced: ACM 95ab
   2. ChE, Additional: any two of [ChE 63b, ChE 103c, ChE 105]

3. ChE, Electives: at least 18 additional units of courses from any of: (a) ChE 63b, (b) approved 100 level ChE-listed courses, or (c) ChE 80 (no more than 9 units)

Courses that are used to satisfy the chemical engineering minor requirements cannot be used to satisfy course requirements in the major option(s) not for another minor. All courses to be applied to fulfill the chemical engineering minor requirements must be taken for grades (not P/F), unless the course is only offered P/F. Students must maintain an average grade of B- or higher for all courses with no individual grade lower than a C. Courses taken as part of the chemical engineering minor are counted toward the total 486 units needed for Institute graduation requirements. As a complement to the required courses, SURF research with a relevant chemical engineering faculty member is encouraged.