Degree Credit total 131
Official Degree Path: Swanson School of Engineering (SSOE) Catalog 
Department Enrollment Guidance and Policy                      Updated: 09/24/2024

Chemical Engineering Core Courses ( 46 credits total)

Purpose: The Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering offers six block scheduled courses referred to as “pillars” as curriculum anchors.   

  • All four of the Pillar courses, CHE 0100, CHE 0200, CHE 0300, and CHE 0400, require a minimum grade of “C-“ in order to move forward in the pillar sequence.
  • CHE 0100 – CHE 0400 must be successfully completed as pre-requisites for capstone classes CHE 0500 and CHE 0613.
  • Sequential scheduling is recommended as best practice, however, CHE 0300 and CHE 0400 may be taken out of sequence with an approved reason, such as co-op participation.
  • Only select, qualified transfer students may take specific concurrent pillar courses with the direct approval of the Undergraduate Program Coordinator.
  • No pillar course or its co-requisite courses may be used to satisfy an elective in the degree path.

Chemical engineering core includes the following courses:

  • CHE 0100 and 0101: Foundations of Chemical Engineering and Lab (7 credits)
  • CHE 0200 and 201: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics and lab (7 credits)
  • CHE 0214: Introductions to Chemical Product Design (3 credits, co-requisite to CHE 0200)
  • CHE 0300 and 301: Transport Phenomena and Lab (7 Credits)
  • CHE 0314: Taking Products to Market (3 credits, co-requisite to CHE 0300)
  • CHE 0400 and 401: Reactive Process Engineering and Lab (6 credits)
  • CHE 0500 and 501: Systems Engineering I: Modeling and Dynamics I and Lab (6 credits)
  • CHE 0613: Systems Engineering II: Process Design (5 credits)
  • CHE 0602:  Chemical Engineering Safety and Ethics (2 credits, co-requite to CHE 0613)

 

Chemical and Petroleum Engineering BSE Electives (17 credits total)

Purpose: Electives are classes in which a student may exercise a choice in enrollment from a list of pre-approved classes. Elective lists are available to students in the Academic Advising Report.

  • Each credit requirement in the degree path must be satisfied by an individual class choice of appropriate credit weight to reach the required 131 credits.
  • Some classes may appear on more than one pre-approved electives list.
  • No class can provide duplicate credit for two electives in the degree path.

Composition Course Elective (3 credits)

Purpose:  To develop advanced skills in written expression over and above the University Writing-Designated course requirement.

Exclusions: See the appropriate SSOE catalog for a definition of the Writing-Designated Course requirement. No course may satisfy both the department Composition elective and the Writing Designated Course requirement.

This elective can only be satisfied by one of the following five courses:

  • ENGCMP 0400, Written Professional Communication 
  • ENGCMP 0410, Writing in the Legal Profession
  • ENGCMP 0420, Writing for the Public
  • ENGCMP 0440, Critical Writing 
  • ENGCMP 0450, Research Writing 

Chemical (CHE)/Petroleum (PETE) Engineering Elective (3 credits)

Purpose: These electives are offered by the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering under the CHE or PETE course description and are meant to enrich student knowledge in the field.  

Exclusions: The pillar sequence courses (CHE 0100, 200, 300, 400, 613)  and their co-requisites (CHE 0101, 0201, 0301, 0401, 0501, 214, 314) may not be used to satisfy this requirement. CHE 1290 is specifically excluded.


This elective can be satisfied by the following courses:

  • ENGR 1090P: ENGINEERING COOPERATIVE PROGRAM - PITTSBURGH  (three credits)
  • ENGR 1933 - SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, & CULTURE OF CRAFT BREWING
  • Any CHE or PETE elective course not excluded above

Engineering Elective (3 credits) 

Purpose:  Electives taken to broaden the depth of knowledge in technical engineering topics. The engineering elective must be a technical class offered by any engineering department in the SSOE.  Note that the ENGR course description does not automatically qualify a class as an Engineering Elective.

Exclusions: CHE and PETE classes; ENGR  0711, 0712, 0715, 0716, IE 1010, IE 1040, any of the "short term" international courses offered by the Swanson School); Deitrich School of Arts & Sciences Classes

This elective can be satisfied by the following courses:

  • ENGR 1090P: ENGINEERING COOPERATIVE PROGRAM - PITTSBURGH  (three credits)
  • See the extensive list via the Academic Advising Report, consult with advising staff to address any questions prior to enrollment

Professional Elective (3 credits)

Purpose: The professional elective is meant to advance a student’s professional acumen and ability.

Exclusions:  Consult with advising staff to address any questions about courses that do not appear on the Academic Advising Report list; the Undergraduate Program Director may review requests for additional course approval

This elective can be satisfied by the following courses:

  • Any CHE/PETE elective
  • Any Engineering elective
  • Any Advanced Science elective
  • Approved Global Studies programs – see approved list in SharePoint
  • ENGR 1090P: ENGINEERING COOPERATIVE PROGRAM - PITTSBURGH  (three credits with a letter grade)
  • Many Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences courses, see extensive list via the Academic Advising Report; popular choices include MATH 0280, COMMRC 0520
  • CMPINF 0401
  • CS 0441, CS 0445, CS 0447, CS 0449, CS 1501

Advanced Science Elective ( 3 credits)

Purpose: To enhance a student’s knowledge and exposure to scientific inquiry. Classes are drawn from the upper-level course offerings in Astronomy (ASTRON), Biological Sciences (BIOSC), Chemistry (CHEM), Geology (GEOL), or Physics (PHYS). 

Exclusions:   No beginner or intermediate courses may qualify. CHEM 1000, 1720, 1810, 1880, 1410, 1420, and 1480 are specifically excluded; GEOL 1053-1059, 1300-1399, and any courses above 1960 are specifically excluded

This elective can be satisfied by the following courses:

  • ASTRON: any course including or above 0101
  • BIOSC: any course including or above 1170; 0150 and 0160 also accepted
  • CHEM:  any course including or above 1130; 0250 also accepted (*see exclusions above)
  • GEOL: any course including or above 1000 - 1052 and 1060 - 1299 and 1400-1960 only (*see exclusions above)
  • PHYS: any course including or above 0477

Advanced Laboratory (2 credits total)

Purpose: To enhance a student’s knowledge and exposure to scientific inquiry. Classes are drawn from the upper-level course offerings in Biological Sciences (BIOSC), Chemistry (CHEM), or Physics (PHYS).  Note that classes to satisfy the Advanced Laboratory elective may be taken in 1-credit or 2-credit increments.

This elective can be satisfied by the following courses:

  • Any 1 credit lab taken as a complement to the advanced science elective (see exclusions above)
  • CHEM 0345 is specifically recommended to satisfy this requirement with one course

Additional STEM Required Courses (22 Credits)

Purpose: Additional STEM courses are required to ensure a Chemical Engineering student is well-versed in the sciences, engineering, and math.

Required Courses:

  • CHEM 0310 (3 credits)
  • CHEM 0320 (3 credits)
  • CHEM 1480 (3 credits)
  • CHEM 1880 (3 credits)
  • ENGR 0021 (3 credits)
  • MATH 0240 (4 credits)
  • MATH 0290 (CHE 1290 preferred) (3 credits)