Students select a concentration in either Bioengineering or Advanced Process Engineering. Bioengineering prepares students for the biotech, pharma and medical device industries, while Advanced Process Engineering focuses on advanced topics in design, control and optimization that are applicable to a wide range of chemical processing.
M.S. Professional Engineering Option
Not less than 30 credit hours must be taken in graduate level courses, in advanced undergraduate level courses, or independent study, which are approved by the Graduate Advisor (the Professional Engineering Master’s Program Director), and the Graduate Program Committee.
All full-time M.S. students must complete one year of CHE 502 Professional Development for Chemical Engineering Master's Students (one fall semester and one spring semester). Part-time M.S. students must either complete one year of CHE 502 Professional Development for Chemical Engineering Master's Students in-person or develop an individual plan for achieving equivalent professional development training that is approved and assessed by the CHE 502 Professional Development for Chemical Engineering Master's Students instructor.
All graduate students must enroll in CHE 503 Colloquium while in residence at WPI.
A minimum of 9 credit hours from core courses
A minimum of 6 credits of Chemical Engineering electives
These may be at the graduate or advanced undergraduate level. Any questions as to which courses count should be directed to the Graduate Advisor. Students may choose to take one of these courses in the topic of innovation to gain additional experience in business and for preparation for the GQP, including ETR 500. Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Students should get approval from the Faculty Director for course substitution.
A minimum of 9 credits in Bioengineering or Advanced Process Engineering
Bioengineering Concentration
Students pursuing the Bioengineering concentration must take CHE 521: Biochemical Engineering.The course will be offered annually. A minimum of 6 credits of concentration electives must also be taken. Students can choose additional courses to fulfill their concentration requirement as new courses become available, as long as they receive approval, in advance, from the Graduate Committee.
A minimum of 6 credits of Bioengineering concentration electives
Advanced Process Engineering Concentration
Students in the Advanced Process Engineering concentration must take CHE 565: Advanced Process Engineering. The course will be offered annually. In addition, a minimum of 6 credits of concentration electives must be taken. Students can choose additional courses to fulfill their concentration requirement as new courses become available, as long as they receive approval, in advance, from the Graduate Committee.
A minimum of 6 credits in Advanced Process Engineering concentration electives
CHE 504 and 509 can be used to satisfy concentration requirements if not taken as part of the core.
A minimum of 6 credits in GQP
A minimum of 6 credits in CHE 590: Graduate Qualifying Project (GQP) must be taken. The GQP provides a capstone experience in applying chemical engineering skills to real-world problems. GQPs are in cooperation with an industrial, technological, or national laboratory partner and with the approval and supervision of a GQP Advisor.