Major code BS7251

Russ College of Engineering and Technology  
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering  
171 Stocker Center
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740.593.1492
www.ohio.edu/engineering/chemical/

Darin Ridgway, contact person
ridgway@ohio.edu

Program Overview

The Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering offers an accredited B.S. in chemical engineering.  The undergraduate program’s objectives are for graduates to gain a strong foundation in chemical engineering theory and practice, have communication and interpersonal skills needed to succeed in a professional environment, and have the ability to become scholars and professionals dedicated to the betterment of themselves and society.

Undergraduate study begins with foundation courses in chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics.  Individual and team projects are introduced early and continue throughout the curriculum, providing professional development through teamwork, communication skills and the ability to solve problems beyond the textbook. Students progress from basic analysis of commercial chemical and biological processes to operating pilot-scale manufacturing equipment and designing a complete manufacturing process.

In addition to their core requirements, students select from a wide range of technical elective courses in engineering, science and mathematics, giving the degree a strong interdisciplinary flavor. Student opting for the general track can choose electives from the full breadth of subject areas.  Students with a specific interest in focusing their technical electives may consider one of the tracks offered within the B.S. ChE degree,  These are the Chemical Engineering - Materials Track (BS7262), Chemical Engineering - Biological Track (BS7263), or the Chemical Engineering - Energy & the Environment Track (BS7264).

Admissions Information

Freshman/First-Year Admission

To best prepare for the demands of the academic programs in Russ College, four years of college preparatory math, one year of chemistry, and one year of physics are necessary. Students ranked in the top 30 percent of their classes who score at least 24 on the ACT or comparable SAT are most likely to be successful in Russ College of Engineering and Technology.  

Change of Program Policy

Students who wish to transfer into an engineering or computer science program must have earned a C or better in a math course and a science course. The math course must be equivalent to MATH 1200 or higher. The science course must be required for the program or preparatory for a required course such as CHEM 1500, 1510, PHYS 2051 or BIOS 1700. Students must have an overall GPA greater than 2.0 at Ohio University, for all courses in Russ College, and for all courses in Chemical Engineering. Students must have succeeded in all required courses taken previously in three or fewer attempts. For some courses, success means a grade of at least a C or C-.

External Transfer Admission

In addition to University guidelines, students should have earned a C or better grade in a college math course equivalent to MATH 1200 or higher and a C or better grade in a chemistry course equivalent to CHEM 1210 or higher or a physics course equivalent to PHYS 2001 or higher.

Opportunities Upon Graduation

Students earning a B.S. in Chemical Engineering are prepared to enter a manufacturing job in areas such as, but not limited to bulk or specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, petroleum, alternative fuels, plastics or materials. Areas such as production, quality control, environmental protection, or process design are common. Others are involved with sales, marketing, or management. Still others are more devoted to fundamental or applied research, whether in industry, academia, national laboratories, or regulatory agencies.

Requirements