Chemical Engineering MS

The SJSU M.S. in Chemical Engineering is strongly research-oriented, giving students opportunities to work directly with faculty on research projects or a thesis. Students can gain practical experience in areas such as biochemical and biomolecular engineering, carbon capture, catalysis, biotechnology, materials design, biomedical engineering, AI/machine learning, and process control. The program also supports interdisciplinary collaboration with scientists from national laboratories such as Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL) and NASA, as well as industry professionals.

Students build this practical experience through research, internships, specialized laboratories, computing resources, and a culminating thesis or project:

• Research projects and thesis: Students complete a research-based culminating experience, with options including CHE 280 Graduate Research, CHE 280I Graduate Research Internship, CHE 298 MS Research/Project, CHE 298I MS Research/Project Internship, CHE 299 Master’s Thesis, or CHE 299I Master’s Thesis Internship. Graduate students are required to secure a research advisor, research project, and begin working in a laboratory as part of the research pathway.
• Microscale Process Engineering Laboratory (MPEL): Provides hands-on experience in process engineering, microfabrication, and device testing and is available for student and faculty research.
• Materials Characterization and Metrology Center ([MC]²): Provides materials imaging and chemical-analysis capabilities that can support student research across science and engineering applications.
• Bioprocess Engineering Laboratory: Students can work with specialized equipment including computer-controlled Applikon fermentors, an online process-gas mass spectrometer, Agilent 1100 LC/MSD, Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer, HPLC, UV/Vis spectrometer, GC, PCR equipment, incubators/shakers, and bioimaging systems.
• Energy research facilities: The department provides equipment such as the MBraun Labstar Glovebox, Gamry 1010E and Biologic SP-200 potentiostat/galvanostat/impedance analyzers, BluQCM QSD 300, MTI Battery Analyzer, and hydraulic coin-cell crimper, supporting energy and electrochemical research.
• Computational research: Students have access to the College of Engineering High-Performance Computing (COE HPC) resource for computational work.
• Polymers and composites: Research facilities include wet benches for processing and an extruder, providing practical resources for polymer and composite materials research.
• Mechanical testing: Available equipment includes Instron, Rockwell hardness, Charpy Impact, cold rolling, four-point bend testing, and annealing furnaces.
• Engineering software: SJSU's College of Engineering provides students access to MATLAB, ANSYS, LabVIEW, SOLIDWORKS, Autodesk software, Microsoft Office, and Adobe Acrobat through its engineering computing resources.
• Industry and national-lab exposure: The department identifies internships at local companies and national laboratories as a funding and professional-development opportunity. The program also highlights collaboration with LBL, NASA, and industry professionals.
• Industry-academic projects: SJSU highlights an M.S. student's industry/academic research capstone with Synthekine, where the student developed automated protein-purification methods and worked toward applications involving drug discovery and production pipelines.
• Industry-connected faculty: The program is taught by faculty with substantial research and industrial experience, and the department supplements this expertise with adjunct faculty bringing Silicon Valley industry experience. 

The M.S. in Chemical Engineering at San José State University can lead to careers spanning advanced manufacturing, semiconductor and technology companies, biotechnology, energy, environmental engineering, and research. The program's research focus, industry-connected faculty, and Silicon Valley location give students opportunities to build both technical expertise and professional connections:

• Career support: SJSU's Career Center provides graduate students with career counselling, resume support, interview guidance, job and internship search strategies, employer events, and career fairs. Students also have access to Handshake, SJSU's official career platform, where they can search jobs and internships, connect with recruiters, register for employer events, and receive personalized job recommendations.

• Career fairs and employer access: The university hosts job and internship fairs and on-campus recruiting sessions. SJSU's Fall 2026 calendar includes employer events specifically for master's students, including engineering career and internship opportunities.

• Employment outcomes: The Chemical Engineering MS program identifies graduates working at Apple, Meta, Bloom Energy, NASA, Western Digital, Genentech, Agilent Technologies, Applied Materials, PG&E, Lockheed Martin, Intel, DuPont, Novo Nordisk and Stanford University, among others. SJSU also states that many students find industry positions before completing the degree.

• Salary information: An official SJSU Chemical Engineering factsheet reported an average entry-level salary of $87,000 for M.S. Chemical Engineering graduates hired into professional Chemical Engineering positions in Silicon Valley. This figure is from the university's 2019 factsheet, so it should be treated as historical rather than a current salary guarantee.

• University–industry connections: SJSU's Chemical and Materials Engineering department highlights collaboration between students, faculty, industry professionals, national laboratories such as Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL) and NASA, and Silicon Valley companies. The department also reports industry/academic research projects, including a student's work with Synthekine on automated protein-purification methods.

• Internship opportunities: The department lists internships at local companies and national laboratories among its funding and professional-development opportunities. Students can also complete the program's research internship options, including CHE 280I Graduate Research Internship and CHE 298I/CHE 299I internship pathways.

• Long-term accreditation value: The M.S. itself is not separately ABET-accredited; ABET accreditation applies to SJSU's undergraduate B.S. in Chemical Engineering. The M.S. therefore derives its professional value primarily from its graduate-level research training, technical curriculum, industry connections, and preparation for advanced careers or doctoral study rather than from a separate ABET accreditation of the master's degree.

• Graduation outcomes and further study: The program's stated learning outcomes include solving complex engineering problems, evaluating ethical/economic/environmental impacts, communicating engineering results, continuing to learn new technologies, and working effectively in diverse environments. These outcomes support both direct entry into industry and progression toward further graduate-level research.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the M.S., students can continue into Ph.D. study in Chemical Engineering or related engineering/science fields, particularly if they want to pursue advanced research or academic careers. The M.S. also provides a foundation for research-intensive careers involving areas such as biochemical/biomolecular engineering, carbon capture, catalysis, biotechnology, materials design, AI/machine learning applications, and process control.