Chemical Engineering (BS): Sustainable Engineering, Energy, and the Environment
The Sustainable Engineering, Energy, and Environment Concentration connects chemical engineering concepts with global grand challenges in the generation of clean and affordable energy, as well as sustainable and environmentally responsible engineering practices.
Plan Requirements
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| CH 101 or CH 103 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science 1 or General Chemistry I for Students in Chemical Sciences | 3 |
| CH 102 or CH 104 | General Chemistry Laboratory 1 or General Chemistry Laboratory I for Students in Chemical Sciences | 1 |
| E 101 | Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving 2 | 1 |
| E 115 | Introduction to Computing Environments | 1 |
| MA 141 | Calculus I 1 | 4 |
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research 2 | 4 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CH 201 or CH 203 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science 2 or General Chemistry II for Students in Chemical Sciences | 3 |
| CH 202 or CH 204 | Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory 2 or General Chemistry Laboratory II for Students in Chemical Sciences | 1 |
| MA 241 | Calculus II 1 | 4 |
| PY 205 & PY 206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory 1 | 4 |
| Select one of the following Economics Courses: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Fundamentals of Economics | ||
| E 102 | Engineering in the 21st Century | 2 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CH 221 or CH 225 | Organic Chemistry I 2 or Organic Chemistry I for Students in Chemical Sciences | 3 |
| CH 222 or CH 226 | Organic Chemistry I Lab 2 or Organic Chemistry Laboratory I for Students in Chemical Sciences | 1 |
| CHE 205 | Chemical Process Principles 2 | 4 |
| MA 242 | Calculus III 2 | 4 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CH 223 or CH 227 | Organic Chemistry II or Organic Chemistry II for Students in Chemical Sciences | 3 |
| CH 224 or CH 228 | Organic Chemistry II Lab or Organic Chemistry Laboratory II for Students in Chemical Sciences | 1 |
| CHE 225 | Introduction to Chemical Engineering Analysis 2 | 3 |
| MA 341 | Applied Differential Equations I 2 | 3 |
| PY 208 & PY 209 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory | 4 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| PSE 335 | Principles of Green Chemistry | 4 |
| CHE 311 | Transport Processes I 2 | 3 |
| CHE 315 | Chemical Process Thermodynamics 2 | 3 |
| CHE 497 | Chemical Engineering Projects I | 3 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Select one of the following Chemistry Electives: | 4 | |
| Chemistry of Polymeric Materials Laboratory and Chemistry of Polymeric Materials | ||
| Principles of Biochemistry | ||
| Physical Chemistry for Engineers | ||
| Special Topics In Chemistry | ||
| Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | ||
| Chemistry of Food and Bioprocessed Materials | ||
| CHE 312 | Transport Processes II | 3 |
| CHE 316 | Thermodynamics of Chemical and Phase Equilibria | 3 |
| CHE 330 | Chemical Engineering Lab I | 4 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CHE 331 | Chemical Engineering Lab II | 2 |
| CHE 446 | Design and Analysis of Chemical Reactors | 3 |
| CHE 450 | Chemical Engineering Design I | 3 |
| Concentration Elective | 3 | |
| CHE 395 | Professional Development Seminar | 1 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CHE 435 | Process Systems Analysis and Control | 3 |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Design II | 3 |
| Concentration Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 105 | |
- 1
A grade of C or higher is required.
- 2
A grade of C- or higher is required.
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEP Courses | |||
| GEP Humanities | 6 | ||
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | ||
| GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 3 | ||
| Restricted Elective - Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 | ||
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | |||
| World Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | |||
| Free Electives | |||
| Free Electives (12 Hr S/U Lmt) 1 | 3 | ||
| Total Hours | 20 | ||
- 1
Students should consult their academic advisors to determine which courses fill this requirement.
Concentration Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAE 528 | Biomass to Renewable Energy Processes | 3 | |
| CE 373 | Fundamentals of Environmental Engineering | 3 | |
| CE 476 | Air Pollution Control | 3 | |
| CE 477 | Principles of Solid Waste Engineering | 3 | |
| CE 478 | Energy and Climate | 3 | |
| CE 484 | Water Supply and Waste Water Systems | 3 | |
| CE 578 | Energy and Climate | 3 | |
| FB 576 | Environmental Life Cycle Analysis | 3 | |
| PSE 425 | Bioenergy & Biomaterials Engineering | 3 | |
| PSE 476 | Environmental Life Cycle Analysis | 3 |
Interdiscplinary Perspectives Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| ES 100 | Introduction to Environmental Sciences | 3 | |
| ES 200 | Climate Change and Sustainability | 3 | |
| ES 300 | Energy and Environment | 3 | |
| IDS 201 | Environmental Ethics | 3 | |
| SMT 232 | Recycling to Create a Sustainable Environment | 2 | |
| PCC 201 | Impact of Industry on the Environment and Society | 3 |
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| CH 101 & CH 102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory 1,2 | 4 |
| E 101 | Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving 3 | 1 |
| E 115 | Introduction to Computing Environments | 1 |
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research 3 | 4 |
| MA 141 | Calculus I 1 | 4 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CH 201 & CH 202 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory 2,3 | 4 |
| MA 241 | Calculus II 1 | 4 |
| PY 205 & PY 206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory 1 | 4 |
| Select one of the following Economics Courses: | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Economics | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| E 102 | Engineering in the 21st Century | 2 |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CH 221 & CH 222 | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab 4 | 4 |
| CHE 205 | Chemical Process Principles 3 | 4 |
| MA 242 | Calculus III 3 | 4 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CH 223 & CH 224 | Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II Lab 3,4 | 4 |
| CHE 225 | Introduction to Chemical Engineering Analysis 3 | 3 |
| MA 341 | Applied Differential Equations I 3 | 3 |
| PY 208 & PY 209 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory | 4 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| PSE 335 | Principles of Green Chemistry | 4 |
| CHE 311 | Transport Processes I 3 | 3 |
| CHE 315 | Chemical Process Thermodynamics 3 | 3 |
| CHE 497 | Chemical Engineering Projects I | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Select one of the following Chemistry Electives: | 4 | |
| Chemistry of Polymeric Materials and Chemistry of Polymeric Materials Laboratory | ||
| Principles of Biochemistry | ||
| Physical Chemistry for Engineers | ||
| Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | ||
| Chemistry of Food and Bioprocessed Materials | ||
| CHE 312 | Transport Processes II | 3 |
| CHE 316 | Thermodynamics of Chemical and Phase Equilibria | 3 |
| CHE 330 | Chemical Engineering Lab I | 4 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CHE 331 | Chemical Engineering Lab II | 2 |
| CHE 446 | Design and Analysis of Chemical Reactors | 3 |
| CHE 450 | Chemical Engineering Design I | 3 |
| Concentration Elective | 3 | |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| CHE 395 | Professional Development Seminar | 1 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CHE 435 | Process Systems Analysis and Control | 3 |
| CHE 451 | Chemical Engineering Design II | 3 |
| Concentration Elective | 3 | |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 125 | |
- 1
Grade of C (2.0) or higher required.
- 2
CH 103 General Chemistry I for Students in Chemical Sciences/CH 104 General Chemistry Laboratory I for Students in Chemical Sciences may substitute for CH 101 Chemistry - A Molecular Science/CH 102 General Chemistry Laboratory, and CH 203 General Chemistry II for Students in Chemical Sciences/CH 204 General Chemistry Laboratory II for Students in Chemical Sciences may substitute for CH 201 Chemistry - A Quantitative Science/CH 202 Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory.
- 3
Minimum grade of (C-) required.
- 4
CH 225 Organic Chemistry I for Students in Chemical Sciences/CH 226 Organic Chemistry Laboratory I for Students in Chemical Sciences may substitute for CH 221 Organic Chemistry I/CH 222 Organic Chemistry I Lab and CH 227 Organic Chemistry II for Students in Chemical Sciences/CH 228 Organic Chemistry Laboratory II for Students in Chemical Sciences may substitute for CH 223 Organic Chemistry II/CH 224 Organic Chemistry II Lab.
Career Opportunities
Careers in chemical engineering are sometimes exciting, always demanding, and ultimately provide a sense of accomplishment and achievement. Graduates find employment in sub-disciplines such as production, technical service, sales, management and administration; research and development; and consulting and teaching. Students desiring careers in teaching, research, or consulting are encouraged to continue their education and pursue a graduate degree (consult the Graduate Catalog). The undergraduate curriculum also provides strong preparation for graduate study in a wide range of professional specialties, and chemical engineering graduates often pursue careers in the medical sciences, business management, and law.
Career Titles
- Agricultural Engineer
- Automotive Engineer
- Biochemist
- Biomedical Engineer
- Chemical Engineer
- Chemist
- Dairy Technologist
- Electronics Engineer
- Engineering Professor
- Environmental Engineer
- Fire Prevention Engineer
- Industrial Air Pollution Analyst
- Industrial Waste Inspector
- Laboratory Tester
- Materials Engineer
- Materials Scientist
- Nanosystems Engineers
- Non-Destructive Testing Specialists
- Nuclear Engineer
- Nuclear Fuels Research Engineer
- Occupational Safety & Health Inspector
- Perfumer
- Petroleum Engineer
- Physicist
- Physics Professor
- Product Safety Engineer
- Quality Control Managers
- Radiation Protection Engineer
- Safety Inspector
- Sales Engineers
- Sales Representative (Chemicals & Drugs)
- Soil Engineer
- Solar Energy Systems Engineers
- Sustainability Specialists
- Toxicologist
- Water/Wastewater Engineers
Learn More About Careers
NCcareers.org
Explore North Carolina’s central online resource for students, parents, educators, job seekers and career counselors looking for high quality job and career information.
Occupational Outlook Handbook
Browse the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to view state and area employment and wage statistics. You can also identify and compare similar occupations based on your interests.
Career One Stop Videos
View videos that provide career details and information on wages, employment trends, skills needed, and more for any occupation. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Focus 2 Career Assessment (NC State student email address required)
This career, major and education planning system is available to current NC State students to learn about how your values, interests, competencies, and personality fit into the NC State majors and your future career. An NC State email address is required to create an account. Make an appointment with your career counselor to discuss the results.
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
American Chemical Society
American Oil Chemists’ Society
National Society of Professional Engineers