Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Chemical Engineering

University of Illinois Chicago

The PhD in Chemical Engineering at UIC develops students into researchers in their own right. Doctoral students work alongside faculty mentors to conduct investigations in their labs, and they also may have the opportunity to develop classroom skills as teaching assistants. Our doctoral programs produce top-tier candidates for high-level industry jobs, postdoctoral research positions, and tenure-track faculty roles at universities around the world.

PhD coursework covers core subjects in chemical engineering such as continuum and molecular fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, macroscopic and microscopic thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, and process analysis. Dissertation research projects are devised collaboratively between students and their faculty advisors.

The PhD requires 108 semester hours, beginning with coursework and culminating in the research, writing, and defense of an original dissertation. We welcome applicants who are completing (or who have already completed) a master’s degree in chemical engineering or a related discipline, as well as applicants with only an undergraduate degree.