2009-2010 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

84
C. Enable students to pursue graduatelevel
studies in chemical engineering
and related technical or scientific fields
(e.g., biomedical or environmental
engineering, materials science).
D. Provide a strong foundation for students
to pursue alternative career
paths, especially careers in business,
management, finance, law, medicine,
or education.
E. Establish in students a commitment
to life-long learning and service within
their chosen profession and society.
The expertise of chemical engineers is
essential to production, marketing, and
application in such areas as pharmaceuticals,
high performance materials as in the
automotive and aerospace industries,
semiconductors in the electronics industry,
paints and plastics, consumer products
such as food and cosmetics, petroleum
refining, industrial chemicals, synthetic
fibers, and just about every bioengineering
and bio-technology area from artificial
organs to biosensors. Increasingly, chemical
engineers are involved in exciting new
technologies employing highly novel
materials, whose unusual response at the
molecular level endows them with unique
properties. Examples include controlled
release drugs, materials with designed
interaction with in vivo environments,
“nanomaterials” for electronic and optical
applications, agricultural products, and a
host of others. This requires a depth and
breadth of understanding of physical and
chemical aspects of materials and their
production that is without parallel.
The chemical engineering degree also
serves as a passport to exciting careers
in directly related industries as diverse as
biochemical engineering, environmental
management, and pharmaceuticals.
Because the deep and broad-ranging
nature of the degree has earned it a high
reputation across society, the chemical
engineering degree is also a natural
platform from which to launch careers
in medicine, law, management, banking
and finance, politics, and so on. Many
students choose it for this purpose, to
have a firm and respected basis for a
range of possible future careers. For those
interested in the fundamentals, a career
of research and teaching is a natural
continuation of undergraduate studies.
The first and sophomore years of
study introduce general principles of
science and engineering and include a
broad range of subjects in the humanities
and social sciences. Although the program
for all engineering students in these first
two years is to some extent similar,
there are important differences. The
Professional Engineering Elective, usually
taken in Semester II, is designed to
provide an overview of an engineering
discipline. Those wishing to learn about
chemical engineering are encouraged
to take CHEN E1040: Molecular engineering
and product design, taught by the
Chemical Engineering Department.
Students who major in chemical engineering
are not currently required to take
computer science or programming, and
should in their sophomore year take
CHEN E3100: Material and energy balances
(see table on page 86).
In the junior-senior sequence one
specializes in the chemical engineering
major. The table on page 87 spells out
the core course requirements, which are
split between courses emphasizing engineering
science and those emphasizing
practical and/or professional aspects of
the discipline. Throughout, skills required
of practicing engineers are developed
(e.g. writing and presentation skills,
competency with computers).
The table on page 87 shows that a
significant fraction of the junior-senior
program is reserved for electives, both
technical and nontechnical. Nontechnical
electives are courses that are not quantitative,
such as those taught in the humanities
and social sciences. These provide
an opportunity to pursue interests in areas
other than engineering. A crucial part of
the junior-senior program is the 12-point
technical elective requirement. Technical
electives are science and/or technology
based and feature quantitative analysis.
Generally, technical electives must be
3000 level or above but there are a few
exceptions: PHYS C1403, PHYS C2601,
BIOL C2005, BIOL C2006, and BIOL
W2501. The technical electives are subject
to the following constraints:
• One technical elective must be within
SEAS but taken outside of chemical
engineering (that is, a course with a
designator other than BMCH, CHEN,
CHEE, or CHAP).
• One technical elective must be within
chemical engineering (i.e. with the
designator BMCH, CHEN, CHEE, or
CHAP).
• The technical electives must include 6
points of “advanced natural science”
course work, including chemistry,
physics, biology, and certain engineering
courses. Qualifying engineering
courses are determined by Chemical
Engineering Department advisers.
The junior-senior technical electives
provide the opportunity to explore
new interesting areas beyond the core
requirements of the degree. Often,
students satisfy the technical electives
by taking courses from another SEAS
department in order to obtain a minor
from that department. Alternately, you
may wish to take courses in several new
areas, or perhaps to explore familiar
subjects in greater depth, or you may
wish to gain experience in actual laboratory
research. Three points of CHEN
E3900: Undergraduate research project
may be counted toward the technical
elective content.
The program details discussed
above, and the accompanying tables,
apply to undergraduates who are enrolled
at Columbia as freshmen and declare
the chemical engineering major in the
sophomore year. However, the chemical
engineering program is designed to be
readily accessible to participants in any
of Columbia’s Combined Plans and to
transfer students. In such cases, the
guidance of one of the departmental
advisers in planning your program is
required (contact information for the
departmental UG advisers is listed on
the department’s Web site).
Columbia’s program in chemical
engineering leading to the B.S. degree
is fully accredited by the Engineering
Accreditation Commission of the
Accreditation Board for Engineering
and Technology (ABET).
Requirements for a Minor in
Chemical Engineering
See page 189.
Requirements for a Minor in
Biomedical Engineering
Students majoring in chemical engineering
who wish to include in their records
SEAS 2009–2010