Dec 06, 2025  
2025-2026 University Catalog 
    
2025-2026 University Catalog

Chemical Engineering, MSCHE

Location(s): West Lafayette, Indianapolis


About the Program


The Charles D. Davidson School of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University has been educating future leaders in chemical engineering for over 100 years. This tradition of excellence is combined with a passion to push the boundaries of chemical engineering as it pertains to energy solutions, clean water production, advanced manufacturing, pharmaceutical innovation, biological engineering, and the improvement of human health. With over 30 faculty members, including 6 National Academy of Engineering (NAE) members and 2 National Medal of Technology recipients, leading teams of postdoctoral researchers and graduate students who are performing cutting-edge research, the research portfolio of the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering is continuously evolving to address the most pressing needs of society. Critical to this success is the interdisciplinary nature of the experimental, computational, and theoretical work we perform. 

Because of this world-class training and the paradigm-shifting results that occur during their educational experiences, M.S. and Ph.D. alumni from the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering have the skills and creative thinking abilities that allow them to be leaders in academia, national laboratories, government and policy roles, private consulting corporations, and in chemical industry. In this way, our graduates continue to shape the future of chemical engineering and its related fields.

For Master’s students, the Davidson School offers a thesis or non-thesis option, as well as a one year, Professional Master’s program. See below for each set of requirements.

Program Website

Professional Master’s Program Website

Program Requirements - Thesis


30 Credits Required

Thesis Research (15 credits)


  • The additional fifteen hours can be exclusively CHE 698 research or a combination of CHE 698 research and coursework.
  • The thesis research should be original work that contributes to new knowledge but will be of limited scope compared to Ph.D. thesis research. The student will defend her/his thesis at a final defense. Course credits obtained while the student is working toward the M.S. may be used toward the Ph.D. degree.
  • The M.S. (thesis) students should also take the safety course (ChE 655), and seminar (ChE 690). They then take one more three-credit-hour class, plus research and seminar, during their second semester to meet the overall course requirement.

Program Requirements - Non-Thesis


30 Credits Required

Electives (24 credits)


  • The electives are typically a mixture of 500 and 600 level courses from chemical engineering and other disciplines that are chosen by the student after consultation with the student’s advisor. The electives may be within a specified concentration.
  • A minimum of 15 credit hours of coursework (core plus electives) must have a CHE prefix. A maximum of 6 credit hours of electives from 300 and 400 level course may be taken with approval of the student’s advisor. 

 

Program Requirements - Professional Master’s


30 Credits Required

Required Courses (6 credits)


Management Courses (9 credits)


Capstone Project (6 credits)


The program includes a 6 credit hour capstone project that will provide the opportunity for students to deliver tangible products in a formal format consistent with the expectations of companies that hire chemical engineers.

Concentration Selectives (9 credits)


Students should choose from the Concentrations list below to focus their studies.

GPA Requirements


Graduate Programs Disclaimer


  • The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Students should consult with their advisor/department for more information.
  • Not all graduate programs may be actively recruiting students and course modality availability may vary. 
  • Please refer to the Explore Graduate Programs website for a list of currently available graduate programs.
  • Transfer credit policy: Credits earned for graduate study at other universities (both domestic and international) may be applied toward an advanced degree. Only credit hours associated with graduate courses for which grades of B- or better were obtained will be eligible for transfer. Any additional conditions under which credit transfers may be made are determined by the various departments.
  • Comparative information about Purdue University and other U.S. educational institutions is also available through the College Navigator tool, provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, and through the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.