Graduate School Planning

Considering Graduate School

It is never too early to consider the possibility of attending graduate school after completing your bachelor’s degree. While it may seem far away right now, you should keep the door open for pursuing the path to further education. An M.S. or Ph.D. in chemical engineering is a valuable degree and is much sought after throughout industry and academia. Additionally, at present, nearly any strong student can receive free tuition and a stipend ranging from $20,000 to $30,000 per year to attend graduate school. The benefits of receiving an advanced degree are that you will command a higher salary than you can expect with a B.S. and, more importantly, it will greatly broaden your options in choosing a career path. There are many jobs that are only available to individuals with a Ph.D., particularly those in research and development, as well as almost all faculty positions.

Preparing During Undergrad

If you have even a remote interest in attending graduate school, it's beneficial to help your future self and shape your undergraduate curriculum to academically prepare you for graduate work. In your chemical engineering electives, you should try to schedule some of the courses listed below. Additionally, you should take as many of the chemical engineering electives as you can fit into your schedule and also consider taking additional math or science courses for your professional electives.

Developing Research Experience

Finally, since research is the backbone of most graduate work in chemical engineering, you should try to get a taste of this kind of experience by scheduling CHE 494 (Research Projects) or by doing research over the summer, either here at Penn State or at another university through an NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program. Most REU programs take students as early as the summer after their sophomore year, a time when it is often a challenge to find good summer intern positions. 

Recommended Courses

The following courses, offered periodically as senior electives, are recommended for students who plan to apply to graduate school.

• CHE 446: Introduction to Transport Phenomena
• CHE 494: Research Projects in Chemical Engineering

If you have any questions regarding graduate work or related matters, please see your adviser, who will be more than happy to discuss these opportunities with you.