BE Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Pennsylvania

Program Overview

The Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, BSE at the University of Pennsylvania brings together chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and engineering to help students understand how products and processes are developed and improved. It is a great fit for students who enjoy applying science to real-world challenges and want to explore careers in areas such as chemical industries, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, research, medicine, or other professional fields.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students build a strong foundation in mathematics, chemistry, physics, and engineering through courses such as Introduction to Chemical Engineering, General Chemistry I, and Calculus, Part I. They continue with General Chemistry II, Calculus, Part II, and Principles of Physics II, preparing them for more advanced engineering subjects.

Second Year: Students begin developing their core chemical engineering knowledge through courses such as Material and Energy Balances of Chemical Processes, Thermodynamics of Fluids, and Fluid Mechanics. Alongside these subjects, they study areas such as organic chemistry, linear algebra, differential equations, and scientific computing to strengthen their analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Third Year: Students move into more advanced chemical engineering topics, including Heat and Mass Transport, Chemical Process Control, Molecular Thermodynamics and Chemical Kinetics, and Separation Processes. These courses help students understand and analyse complex chemical systems, control industrial processes, and work with heat, mass, chemical reactions, and molecular behaviour.

Fourth Year: The final year focuses strongly on applying engineering knowledge through subjects such as Introduction to Product and Process Design, Chemical Engineering Laboratory, Chemical Reactor Design, and Product and Process Design Projects. Students bring together the knowledge gained throughout the degree to design, analyse, test, and improve chemical and biomolecular processes while completing their chosen electives.

Focus Areas

Energy and the Environment, Pharmaceutics and Biotechnology, Polymers and Soft Matter Science and Engineering

Learning Outcomes

Students develop the ability to apply mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering principles to real-world chemical and biomolecular engineering challenges. They learn to analyse chemical processes, understand thermodynamics and transport systems, work with reactions and separations, use computational and experimental methods, and design efficient and practical products and processes.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The program provides students with a strong foundation in key areas of chemical and biomolecular engineering, including material and energy balances, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, reaction engineering, process control, and separation processes. Its combination of traditional chemical engineering with biotechnology and biomolecular applications provides relevant preparation for further study and professional opportunities in engineering and related industries.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

The University of Pennsylvania has a strong reputation for engineering education and graduate opportunities. Penn Engineering's published rankings have placed its undergraduate engineering programs among the leading engineering programs in the United States, reflecting the strength and recognition of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, BSE at the University of Pennsylvania gives students plenty of opportunities to turn classroom knowledge into practical engineering experience. Through laboratory courses, design projects, computing, research, and team-based work, students learn how to analyse real processes, develop products, test ideas, work with experimental data, and communicate their findings. Students can also explore specialised areas such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, energy, environmental engineering, and advanced materials through hands-on coursework and research opportunities. The practical opportunities include:

Chemical Engineering Laboratory: Students carry out experiments involving heat and mass transfer, separations, and chemical reactors. They analyse experimental results, prepare technical reports, and present their findings, giving them experience with real chemical engineering laboratory work.
Product and Process Design Projects: In CBE 4590, students work in design groups to develop chemical, biochemical, or materials products and processes. Groups meet regularly with faculty advisors and industrial consultants and complete a detailed design report and formal presentation.
Product and Device Design: Through CBE 3300A and CBE 3300B, students work in small teams to create working products or devices. Activities include market research, intellectual-property research, maker-space skills, instrumentation, fabrication, prototype testing, and improving designs through repeated testing.
Scientific Computing: ENGR 1050 Introduction to Scientific Computing gives students practical experience using computational approaches to analyse and model engineering problems.
Biotechnology Laboratory: Students following the Pharmaceutics and Biotechnology concentration can take CBE 4800 Laboratory in Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering. Practical activities include CRISPR/Cas9, Western blotting, protein production, chromatography, immobilized enzyme reactions, and fed-batch bioreactors, supported by data analysis, technical writing, and group presentations.
Biotechnology Group Projects: CBE 4790 Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering includes group projects focused on current biotechnology topics. Students research problems, work collaboratively, present their findings, and prepare a final report.
Independent Research: CBE 0099 Undergraduate Research and Independent Study allows students to work directly with a faculty member on a research or development project. Students prepare a research proposal and gain experience with research techniques under faculty supervision.
Energy and Environmental Applications: Students interested in energy and sustainability can explore areas such as Renewable Energy, Engineering and the Environment, Carbon Capture, Computational Science of Energy and Chemical Transformations, and Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage.
Pharmaceutics and Biotechnology: Students can gain specialised knowledge through courses including Introduction to Biotechnology, Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, Laboratory in Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, Drug Discovery and Development, Drug Delivery Systems, and Engineering Biotechnology.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, BSE at the University of Pennsylvania gives graduates a strong and flexible foundation for careers in chemical industries, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, research, medicine, government, and other professional fields. With its combination of engineering fundamentals and specialised biomolecular applications, the program helps students build the technical and problem-solving skills needed to adapt to a wide range of career opportunities.

Typical career roles include: Chemical Engineer, Process Engineer, Biotechnology Engineer, Research and Development Engineer

Students can strengthen their career prospects through:

Penn Career Services: Students have access to career advising, employer connections, career exploration, and post-graduation planning. Penn also provides outcome information that allows students to explore employers, job titles, graduate schools, and salary information by school and major.
Employment outcomes: Across Penn's Class of 2025, 91% of graduates were either working full-time or continuing their education within six months of graduation. The median starting salary for Penn graduates employed full-time was $103,418. These figures represent Penn undergraduate graduates overall rather than Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering graduates specifically.
Historical program-specific salary: Penn's published 2016 senior survey reported an average salary of $69,923 for Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering graduates, based on 12 salary responses. This is historical information and should not be considered a current salary benchmark.
University–industry connections: Penn's Penn Center for Innovation supports collaboration between university researchers and private-sector organisations through sponsored research, collaborative research, technology licensing, and other corporate agreements. This creates an environment where engineering research can progress toward commercial technologies and products.
Long-term accreditation value: The Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering BSE is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. This provides an important professional benchmark and confirms that the program meets recognised standards for engineering education.
Graduation outcomes: Graduates are prepared for opportunities across chemical industries, research, medicine, law, government, and education. The program's broad engineering foundation also allows students to pursue specialised technical, research, and interdisciplinary career paths.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BSE, students can continue into master's or doctoral programs in areas such as chemical engineering, biomolecular engineering, biotechnology, materials science, energy, environmental engineering, pharmaceuticals, and related engineering or scientific disciplines. Students interested in research can also use Penn's faculty advising and research opportunities to prepare for advanced academic study.