Graduate Study in Chemical & Biological Engineering at Rensselaer
Graduate Study in Chemical & Biological Engineering at Rensselaer
Coordinator of Graduate Studies: B. Wayne Bequette
Student Coordinator: Ms. Lee Vilardi
The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering offers the Master of Science (M.S.), the Master of Engineering (M.E.), and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees (Ph.D), each of which is tailored to fulfill the varying educational needs of its graduate students.
Master’s Programs
The master’s degree represents an intermediate level of academic preparation. It is often the optimal degree for careers in engineering design.
Doctoral Programs
The Ph.D. degree represents the highest level of academic preparation. With it, a student can expect to maintain technical competence and contributions throughout a professional career. It is usually the preferred degree for research and development in industry and government and for teaching.
Within the Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, 72 credits of graduate-level studies, including the dissertation, are required for a Ph.D. The emphasis is on advanced study in a specialty with major focus on the dissertation. A doctoral student must pass a comprehensive examination, prepare a dissertation proposal and the dissertation itself, and present and defend the dissertation.