The B.S.-M.S. program in Chemical Engineering is available to WPI undergraduates in Chemical Engineering. To be enrolled, students must apply through the application portal any time prior to completing their B.S. degree. Acceptance into the program allows students to double-count credits, usually resulting in earning both degrees in a total of five years of study. Students are encouraged to apply early in their undergraduate career to develop a Plan of Study to ensure they can graduate on schedule.
B.S.-M.S. students may choose any of the three M.S. Options and must complete all requirements of the option they choose, with one exception.
- A minimum of 22 (not 24) credit hours must be in graduate level courses.
B.S.-M.S. students should consult the information for their Option of choice for all other requirements. The M.S. Option can be changed at any time by changing the Program of Study in Workday.
All full-time B.S.-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 B.S.-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. This may require taking CHE 502 while still in undergraduate status.
All full-time B.S.-M.S. students must complete one year of CHE 503 Colloquium. This may require taking CHE 503 while still in undergraduate status.
Double-counting
Double-counting is approved by the Department through review of the Bachelor's and Master's Degree Course Designation Form and Course Completion Forms by the department Graduate Coordinator or Department Head. Once signed, the form can be submitted by the student to the Registrar. The form is usually submitted the semester that the B.S. degree is completed, but must be submitted at least during the semester the student is applying for the M.S. degree. The form can be found on the registrar's website. www.wpi.edu/offices/registrar/forms
B.S.-M.S. students may double-count up to 12 credits from undergraduate or graduate courses. A maximum of four undergraduate courses may be double-counted. The undergraduate courses allowed to double-count are listed below, although students may petition the graduate committee for other 4000-level courses to double-count.
A minimum grade of “B” and completion of an extra assignment is required for the course to be double-counted. The extra assignment is given by the instructor for each course. Students must notify their instructor of their intent to double-count either during or within a year of taking the course. Instructors approve the extra assignment by signing the Department course approval form. It is the responsibility of the student to save and submit copies of the course approval forms along with the Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Course Designation Form.
Allowed Undergraduate Courses (Four Maximum Allowed to Double-Count)
- Courses:
- CHE 3501 Applied Mathematics in Chemical Engineering
- CHE 4405 Chemical Process Dynamics and Control Laboratory
- MQP Major Qualifying Project (1/3 unit maximum)
- An Independent Study in Chemical Engineering at the 4000 level (1/3 unit maximum)
- Only One of the Following May Count:
- CHE 4401 Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering I
- CHE 4402 Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering II
- Only One of the Following May Count:
- CHE 4404 Chemical Plant Design Project
- CHE 4410 Chemical Process Safety Design
M.S. Options
The M.S. in Chemical Engineering has three options: course-based, thesis, or professional. Please visit the M.S. in Chemical Engineering page for more information on each option.