Jun 17, 2026  
2026-2027 University Catalog 
    
2026-2027 University Catalog

Chemical Engineering, BSCHE

Location(s): West Lafayette


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About the Program


The BS program in Chemical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Chemical, Biochemical, Biomolecular and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. Chemical Engineering remains a premier source of well-educated, well-prepared chemical engineers, educating students using innovative technologies and fostering an environment that inspires leading-edge research.

Chemical engineers work in a wide range of industries with worldwide impact. Applications include energy; pharmaceuticals and biological materials; the nutritional value of food; environmental protection and restoration; materials for computing, sensing, and communications; personal care, home care, and home health products; and system and data management.

Chemical engineers rely on their knowledge of mathematics and science - particularly chemistry - to overcome technical problems in industry and society. While the chemist studies basic chemical reactions, the chemical engineer applies the results of chemical research and transforms laboratory processes into efficient, full-scale processes or facilities. With their strong problem-solving skills and fundamental background in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology, chemical engineers can seize opportunities to translate industrial problems into competitive advantages. Currently, chemical engineers demand among the highest salaries for college graduates with a bachelor’s degree.

Research here is currently being conducted with polymers and materials, nanoscale science and engineering, fluid mechanics, catalyst design and engineering, sensors, biotechnology, and many others.

Davidson School of Chemical Engineering

Chemical Engineering Major Change (CODO) Requirements   

Degree Requirements


130 Credits Required

Chemical Engineering Major Requirements (46 credits)


Chemical Engineering Required Major Courses (43 credits)


A grade of C- or better is required in all Required Major Courses, unless otherwise noted.

Chemical Engineering Selective (3 credits)


Other Departmental/Program Requirements (87-97 credits)


Other Departmental Courses (36-40 credits)


Engineering General Education Requirements (24 credits)


For a list of courses that satisfy this requirement, see Supplemental Information  
  • General Education I - Credit Hours: 3.00 (UCC:HUM) 
  • General Education II - Credit Hours: 3.00 (UCC:BSS) 
  • General Education III - Credit Hours: 3.00 
  • General Education IV - Credit Hours: 3.00  
  • General Education V - Credit Hours: 3.00  
  • General Education VI - Credit Hours: 3.00 
  • Written Communication (UCC: WC) - Credit Hours: 3.00-4.00 
  • Oral Communication (UCC: OC) - Credit Hours: 3.00 

 

Additional General Education Requirements


  • At least 6 credits must be in non-introductory courses (30000-level or above OR from courses with a required pre-requisite in the same department) 
  • At least 12 credits must be taken from the College of Liberal Arts, the Daniels School of Business, and/or the Honors College provided such courses are not focused primarily on engineering, technology, the natural sciences, or mathematics. 
  • A course is not eligible for use towards the 24 credits of Engineering General Education requirement if that course is used to satisfy a different engineering degree requirement. 

GPA Requirements


  • A GPA of 2.0 is required for all Baccalaureate degrees. 
  • 2.0 GPA required in Chemical Engineering Required Major Courses  

Transfer Credit Policy


If you are interested in registering for a course offered by a different institution, please review the information on the Purdue Office of the Registrar Transfer Credit website. 

  * If you are an admitted transfer student, please review the above Transfer Credit website and then work with your academic advisor to determine exactly how your previous courses might apply.  

Grade Requirements


  • Students must earn a “C” or higher in CHE 20500 to enroll in any further CHE courses.  
  • A minimum grade of C- must be earned in all Required Major Courses and Math courses, unless otherwise noted. 

Course Requirements and Notes


  • 3 credits of CHE 41100CHE 41200, or CHE 49800 may be used to complete the Chemical Engineering Selective. 

  • 3 credits of CHE 41100, 41200, or 49800 may be used to complete the Engineering or Technical Selective.

  • Students may not earn credit in the following courses: ABE 20100, ABE 21000, ABE 30800, ABE 37000, IE 23000, IE 33000, ME 30900 and ME 31500.

  • Electives may need to be taken to reach 130 credits for the degree if STS course is taken that also completes Engineering Selective or Technical Elective.

  • Electives may need to be taken to reach 130 credits for the degree if HUM/BSS/STS course also fulfills General Education Upper-level Selective.

  • Students are required to complete the Every Boilermaker Engineer Codes Certificate during the students first year in Chemical Engineering. 

Pass/No Pass Policy


  • CHE students may take the Engineering General Education required courses for a letter grade or pass/ no pass option. All other courses may not be taken as P/NP. 

University Requirements


University Core Requirements


For a complete listing of University Core Course Selectives, visit the University Senate Website.
  • AI Working Competency (UCC: AI)
  • Human Cultures: Behavioral/Social Science (UCC: BSS)
  • Human Cultures: Humanities (UCC: HUM)
  • Information Literacy (UCC: IL)
  • Oral Communication (UCC: OC)
  • Quantitative Reasoning (UCC: QR)
  • Science #1 (UCC: SCI)
  • Science #2 (UCC: SCI)
  • Science, Technology, and Society (UCC: STS)
  • Written Communication (UCC: WC) 

Civics Literacy Proficiency Requirement


The Civics Literacy initiative is designed to develop civic knowledge of Purdue students to graduate a more informed citizenry. For more information visit the Civics Literacy - Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning - Purdue University.

To obtain the Civics Literacy credential, all Baccalaureate degree seeking students will complete the  Civics Literacy Podcast pathway - Complete 12 podcasts created by the Purdue Center for C-SPAN Scholarship & Engagement that use C-SPAN material and pass the required quizzes per episode.  After the pathway has been successfully completed, students will take the Civics Literacy knowledge test.  Civics Literacy does not impact a student’s GPA or bear any financial costs. 

More details about each pathway and how to complete the requirement can be found on the Civics Literacy Student Dashboard in myPurdue.

Upper Level Requirement


  • Resident study at Purdue University for at least two semesters and the enrollment in and completion of at least 32 semester hours of coursework required and approved for the completion of the degree. These courses are expected to be at least junior-level (30000+) courses.
  • Students should be able to fulfill most, if not all, of these credits within their major requirements; there should be a clear pathway for students to complete any credits not completed within their major.

Sample Plan of Study


The following sample plan of study is a suggested arrangement of courses. Consultation with an advisor may result in an altered plan customized for an individual student.

Fall 1st Year


13-17 Credits


Spring 1st Year


17-21 Credits


16 Credits


Spring 2nd Year


17 Credits


Fall 3rd Year


16 Credits


Spring 3rd Year


18 Credits


Fall 4th Year


17 Credits


Spring 4th Year


16 Credits


Pre-Requisite Information


For pre-requisite information, log in to mypurdue.purdue.edu and click here.

World Language Courses


World Language proficiency requirements vary by program. The following list is inclusive of all world languages PWL offers for credit; for acceptable languages and proficiency levels, see your advisor. (ASL-American Sign Language; ARAB-Arabic; CHNS-Chinese; FR-French; GER-German; GREK-Greek(Ancient); HEBR-Hebrew(Biblical); HEBR-Hebrew(Modern); ITAL-Italian; JPNS-Japanese; KOR-Korean; LATN-Latin; PTGS-Portuguese; RUSS-Russian; SPAN-Spanish)

Critical Course


The ♦ course is considered critical.

In alignment with the Degree Map Guidance for Indiana’s Public Colleges and Universities, published by the Commission for Higher Education (pursuant to HEA 1348-2013), a Critical Course is identified as “one that a student must be able to pass to persist and succeed in a particular major. Students who want to be nurses, for example, should know that they are expected to be proficient in courses like biology in order to be successful. These would be identified by the institutions for each degree program.”

Disclaimer


The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Consultation with an advisor may result in an altered plan customized for an individual student. The myPurduePlan powered by DegreeWorks is the knowledge source for specific requirements and completion.

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.

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