An M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Rochester can open up opportunities to obtain higher-level professional positions or to continue study leading to a Ph.D. degree.  The M.S. program is geared toward students with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering or a closely related field.  The curriculum is designed to develop fundamental knowledge in chemical engineering core areas, and research opportunities are available through faculty-run research groups.

Through courses and research, students interact with our internationally recognized faculty in a collaborative environmental that is informal yet intellectually rigorous. The M.S. degree usually requires one to two years to complete. Students are required to complete core courses, take part in our seminar series, and participate as teaching assistants.  Students can complete a combination of coursework and an independent research thesis (Plan A), or they can focus on coursework (Plan B).

Plan A, Thesis Option. Students pursuing the thesis-based MS degree option (Plan A) are expected to earn 30 hours of credit, with at least 18 credit hours of graduate level coursework. Remaining credit hours are earned as MS reading and/or thesis research credits. Students who choose this option must also satisfactorily complete their master’s thesis and pass an oral thesis defense. 

?Plan B, Coursework Option. All students who pursue the coursework-based MS degree (Plan B) must earn a minimum of 32 graduate credit hours. At least 18 credits should be department course. A maximum of 6 credits of research and/or reading courses can be used toward the degree. Students who choose this option are required to pass a written exit exam.