The Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering offers Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Our graduate programs emphasize original research at the cutting edge of engineering science, close collaboration with faculty advisors, and the independence to develop and defend your own ideas. PhD students work within active research groups tackling pressing engineering problems, supplementing their research with advanced coursework tailored to their area of focus.
Faculty research spans five established areas of strength: biotechnology, catalysis, environment and energy, materials, and multi-scale modeling. Much of the department's most impactful work happens at the boundaries between these areas - where catalysis meets energy, where biology meets engineering, and where materials science intersects with chemistry and sustainability. Our faculty collaborate across Pitt, including with colleagues at the School of Medicine, the Center for Energy, and the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, as well as with researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, national laboratories, and industry partners worldwide.