Chemical Engineering, MS

2 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Oklahoma State University

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Chemical Engineering at Oklahoma State University is designed for students who want to deepen their expertise in advanced chemical engineering while developing the ability to solve complex quantitative problems through research, coursework, and independent study. The program combines strong fundamentals with practical and research-focused learning, making it suitable for students preparing for advanced technical roles, industry research, or further doctoral study.

Curriculum Structure:

Graduate Study:
Rather than following separate undergraduate-style years, the MS is structured around 30 credit hours consisting of core coursework, a seminar, electives, and thesis research. Students build advanced expertise through courses such as Advanced Chemical Reaction Engineering, which covers chemical kinetics, catalysis, heterogeneous systems, polymerization and biological reactions; Advanced Transport Phenomena, which explores mass, momentum and heat transport; and Chemical Engineering Process Modeling, which develops analytical and numerical approaches to chemical engineering systems.

Students also complete Principles of Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics and Introduction to Science and Engineering Research, helping them strengthen their understanding of thermodynamic systems while developing the skills needed to define research problems and plan solutions. The program includes Chemical Engineering Seminar, six hours of graduate-approved electives that can be tailored toward interests such as Catalysis and Photocatalysis, Advanced Bioprocess Engineering, Electrochemical Engineering, Process Simulation, Molecular Modeling and Simulation, and Membrane Separations, followed by six hours of Master's Thesis research.

Focus Areas:

Advanced reaction engineering, transport phenomena, process modeling, thermodynamics, chemical engineering research, catalysis and photocatalysis, bioprocess engineering, biomedical engineering, electrochemical engineering, process simulation, molecular modeling and simulation, membrane separations.

Learning Outcomes:

Advanced knowledge of fundamental chemical engineering principles, quantitative problem-solving, chemical process modeling, reaction engineering, transport phenomena, thermodynamics, independent research, research problem formulation, data-driven engineering analysis, and thesis-based research.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

The MS is offered by OSU's School of Chemical Engineering within the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. The university's graduate catalog states that admission requires a chemical engineering degree from an ABET-accredited program or a recognized international equivalent; OSU separately identifies ABET accreditation for its undergraduate Chemical Engineering program, so the MS should not be described as independently ABET-accredited.

Reputation (Employability & University Recognition):

OSU reports that its Chemical Engineering students experience high job placement and acceptance rates to medical and graduate schools, with graduates working with employers including Chevron Phillips Chemical, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Georgia-Pacific, PepsiCo, Phillips 66, Texas Instruments, Valero Energy and Zeeco. The university also reports a 92% FE exam pass rate for its Chemical Engineering students and states that OSU was ranked among the top 50 public universities in America by Niche in 2026; these figures are university-wide or undergraduate Chemical Engineering indicators rather than MS-specific employment statistics.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The MS in Chemical Engineering at Oklahoma State University gives students substantial research-based experience through independent study, faculty-guided research, seminar participation, and a six-credit master’s thesis. The program is particularly suited to students who want to work directly with advanced chemical engineering research, with opportunities spanning catalysis, polymers, separations, energy, biomedical applications, electrochemical engineering, and process modeling. Students can also engage with specialized research equipment and laboratory environments through the School of Chemical Engineering and its faculty research groups.

Students can build practical and research skills through:

Master’s Thesis Research: All MS students complete 6 credit hours of thesis research, carrying out an original research project under the direction of a faculty research advisor.
Research Methods: CHE 5303 – Introduction to Science and Engineering Research helps students develop the ability to define research problems and develop plans for solving them. The catalog also identifies CHE 6703 – Research Methods in Chemical Engineering, which covers experiment design, research records, data validation, results presentation, and research ethics.
Advanced Process Control Laboratory: OSU offers graduate-level study involving pilot-scale chemical processes, instrumentation systems, calibration, dynamic modeling, tuning, and advanced control strategies, giving students exposure to industrial process-control practices.
Polymer & Catalysis Lab: Faculty research facilities include equipment for polymer and catalysis research, including a Bruker DSX Avance 300 MHz solid-state NMR instrument, Bruker Ascend 400 MHz NMR instrument, catalysis equipment, rotary evaporator and polymer-processing areas.
Aichele Research Group Facilities: Students working in relevant research areas can encounter specialized equipment including an Oldershaw Column and VLE system, high-pressure gas evolution equipment, Artium Phase Doppler Interferometer, inflow microscope, acoustic spectroscopy equipment, high-pressure interfacial tensiometer, temperature/shear-controlled microscope, diffusion NMR spectrometer, and life-cycle assessment tools.
Research Areas: The School's research environment includes plasmonic catalysis, tissue regeneration, polymer science, catalysis, interfacial phenomena, separations, energy, environmental and biomedical applications, allowing students to align thesis work with specific research interests.
Graduate Seminar Series: The School runs a fall and spring Graduate Seminar Series, where experts from petroleum, energy, materials, chemical, and biomedical fields present current research and developments.
Industry-Connected Research: OSU's Chemical Engineering research groups report support and collaboration involving organizations such as the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, ACS Petroleum Research Fund, and industrial partners, providing an environment connected to active research challenges.
Engineering Laboratory Environment: The College's engineering laboratory facilities include the ENDEAVOR interdisciplinary laboratory building, designed to combine engineering, advanced technology, and entrepreneurship learning.
Professional & Technical Engagement: The School's broader Chemical Engineering environment connects students with professional organizations including the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and provides opportunities to participate in professional meetings and activities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Master of Science in Chemical Engineering at Oklahoma State University is built to develop advanced technical knowledge, quantitative problem-solving ability, and independent research skills that can translate into opportunities across chemical, energy, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, materials, environmental, and biotechnology industries. OSU’s Chemical Engineering resources also connect students with industry-facing research and employers, while the thesis pathway provides a strong foundation for students interested in research-intensive careers or doctoral study.

Typical career roles: Process Engineer, Production Engineer, Research & Development Engineer, Process Safety Engineer.

These opportunities are supported by OSU’s career resources, industry connections, and research environment:

CEAT Career Services: Students can access individualized career assistance, résumé/CV development, job-search correspondence support, mock interviews, interview preparation, salary-negotiation guidance, workshops, career fairs, and academic/non-academic job-search assistance.
Employment and salary information: OSU CEAT reports starting average salaries for Chemical Engineering graduates of $77,150 in 2022, $82,485 in 2023, and $84,497 in 2024. These are CEAT graduate figures and are not specifically reported for MS graduates.
Industry connections: CEAT corporate sponsors engage with students and faculty through research collaboration, curriculum input, experiential learning, and talent recruitment. OSU Chemical Engineering also has research relationships involving organizations such as ExxonMobil, Fractionation Research, Inc. (FRI), USGS, and other industry/research partners.
Research-to-industry exposure: FRI, located on the OSU campus, is described by the university as a major industrial-scale distillation research consortium supported by petroleum and petrochemical companies, giving relevant researchers opportunities to work on industrially focused process research.
Professional development: Chemical Engineering students can participate in professional organizations such as the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and Society of Petroleum Engineers, while the School's Graduate Seminar Series brings research and industry perspectives into the graduate environment.
Accreditation value: The MS admission pathway recognizes an ABET-accredited Chemical Engineering degree or recognized international equivalent as the relevant undergraduate preparation. OSU's undergraduate Chemical Engineering program is ABET-accredited; this provides a recognized professional foundation for students progressing into graduate-level chemical engineering study, although the MS itself should not be described as separately ABET-accredited.
Graduation outcomes: OSU reports high job-placement and graduate/medical-school acceptance outcomes for its Chemical Engineering students and lists employers including Chevron Phillips Chemical, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Georgia-Pacific, PepsiCo, Phillips 66, Texas Instruments, Valero Energy, and Zeeco. These outcomes are university-reported Chemical Engineering figures and are not presented as MS-only placement statistics.
Financial support: The Chemical Engineering graduate program states that all admitted graduate students are provided financial support, including an assistantship, tuition waiver, and subsidized health insurance, with applicants automatically considered for support.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the MS, students can continue into Oklahoma State University's PhD in Chemical Engineering, which is available to students entering with an MS. The doctoral program develops advanced expertise and independent research capability through graduate coursework, seminars, electives, and doctoral thesis research, preparing graduates for research leadership and academic or industry careers.