Chemical Engineering Master of Science (M.S.)

2 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Wyoming

Program Overview

The M.S. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Wyoming is designed for students who want to deepen their expertise in advanced chemical engineering while gaining opportunities for research, internships, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Students can explore areas including energy, carbon capture, environmental engineering, materials, biotechnology, microfluidics, process control, and sustainable chemical manufacturing, making the program a strong fit for careers in industry, research, or further graduate study.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1:
Students begin with the core chemical engineering foundation, developing advanced knowledge through CHE 5020 – Thermodynamics, CHE 5010 – Transport Phenomena, and CHE 5030 – Reaction Kinetics. They also complete CHE 5355 – Mathematical Methods in Chemical Engineering, building the analytical and mathematical skills needed to understand complex engineering systems and prepare for specialized research. The M.S. requires 30 credit hours, with students choosing either a thesis-based Plan A or a non-thesis Plan B.

Year 2:
Students use their remaining coursework and electives to develop expertise aligned with their research interests, while Plan A students complete CHE 5960 – Thesis Research and defend their thesis. Plan B students replace the thesis research requirement with additional electives and complete a research paper and presentation, giving students flexibility to pursue either a research-focused or coursework-focused master's pathway.

Focus Areas:

Energy production and conversion, carbon capture, coal conversion, enhanced oil recovery, sustainable wastewater treatment, environmental chemical engineering, green chemical manufacturing, materials science, nanomaterials, microfluidics, process control, fuel-cell catalysts, membrane materials, biotechnology, biomaterials, mathematical modeling, permeable media.

Learning Outcomes:

Students develop advanced knowledge of thermodynamics, transport phenomena, reaction kinetics and mathematical methods; strengthen their ability to analyze complex chemical engineering systems; conduct independent research; apply engineering principles to energy, environmental, materials and biotechnology challenges; and communicate technical findings through research papers, presentations and, for Plan A students, a master's thesis.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

The University of Wyoming's undergraduate Chemical Engineering program is ABET-accredited; the university does not identify the M.S. itself as separately ABET-accredited on the program page. The graduate program instead emphasizes advanced research, faculty mentorship, interdisciplinary work and preparation for industry or doctoral study.

Reputation & Employability:

UW's Chemical Engineering M.S. provides a research-intensive environment at a university with Carnegie R1 research status. The official program page lists graduate career destinations including Intel, Panasonic Energy of North America, Tesla, 3M, Western Research Institute, and others, while identified career paths include Process Engineer, Petroleum Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Materials Engineer, Energy Systems Engineer, Pharmaceutical Engineer, Research Scientist, Quality Control/Assurance Engineer and Product Development Engineer.

The program also highlights a typical two-year completion time for full-time students and notes that many graduates continue into Ph.D. programs.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Chemical Engineering M.S. at the University of Wyoming gives students substantial opportunities to develop practical research skills through close faculty mentorship, interdisciplinary projects, and access to specialized laboratory and computing resources. Graduate students can work on research involving energy and environmental systems, biotechnology, advanced materials, microfluidics, process control, carbon capture, sustainable fuels, and simulation-driven engineering, while the department also provides opportunities for research assistantships, internships, seminars, and industry interaction. Lab access is coordinated through faculty advisors, and students complete required safety training through UW’s online WyoLearn system before working with laboratory equipment.

Students can build hands-on and research experience through the following UW facilities, technologies, and opportunities:

High Bay Research Facility: A 90,000-square-foot research facility that includes the Improved Oil Recovery Laboratory, supporting research related to unconventional oil reservoirs and energy-related chemical engineering.
Advanced Research Computing Center: Provides computational research support for students and faculty, particularly valuable for chemical engineering work involving mathematical modeling and simulation.
NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center: UW students and researchers have access to this high-performance computing resource for computationally intensive research and data-driven work.
Stable Isotope Facility: Provides isotopic analysis capabilities for UW students and faculty researchers, supporting research that requires advanced chemical and material characterization.
Advanced chemical analysis and microscopy: University-wide resources include NMR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electrospray mass spectrometry, EPR, X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and other materials-characterization equipment.
Research areas and laboratories: Students can participate in faculty-led research in bioengineering and biotechnology, energy and environmental systems, and advanced materials and computational engineering, including tissue engineering, drug delivery, biomaterials, carbon capture, sustainable fuels, nanomaterials, polymers, and simulation-based design.
Research assistantships: The department offers opportunities to work with faculty on funded research, giving graduate students direct experience with active research projects.
Internships and industry exposure: The M.S. program specifically highlights opportunities for internships, while the department also hosts research seminars, industry guest speakers, and networking events.
Interdisciplinary collaboration: Graduate students can collaborate with researchers in biology, chemistry, physics, other engineering departments, and the School of Energy Resources, expanding the practical scope of chemical engineering research.
Process control and simulation resources: UW's Chemical and Biomedical Engineering facilities include a Process Control Laboratory with industry-supported instrumentation and a Process Simulation Laboratory designed to replicate a chemical-plant control-room environment. These facilities are documented for the department's hands-on chemical engineering education.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Chemical Engineering M.S. at the University of Wyoming prepares graduates for technical careers across energy, advanced materials, environmental engineering, pharmaceuticals, and research, with the university specifically listing alumni employers such as Intel, Panasonic Energy of North America, Tesla, 3M, and Western Research Institute. Graduates can also use the degree as preparation for doctoral study, with UW noting that many of its chemical engineering master's graduates continue to Ph.D. programs.

Typical career roles include Process Engineer, Energy Systems Engineer, Materials Engineer, Research Scientist. The program also identifies Petroleum Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Pharmaceutical Engineer, Quality Control/Assurance Engineer, and Product Development Engineer among possible career paths.

Here are the key opportunities that can support your transition from graduate study into a professional career:

Career support: UW provides graduate students with resume workshops, job fairs, and one-on-one career advising. Faculty mentorship and industry connections also support career development across industry, academia, and national laboratories.
Employment outcomes: The official M.S. program page identifies graduates working at Intel, Panasonic Energy of North America, Tesla, 3M, Western Research Institute, Gene R. George and Associates, Interpro, and Samules Consulting. UW does not publish a current M.S.-specific employment rate or salary figure on the official program page, so no salary figure is presented here.
University–industry connections: The Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering has an Industrial Advisory Board that meets each semester and helps align academic, research, and outreach activities with industry needs. Its members include professionals from Dow, ConocoPhillips, HF Sinclair, Phillips 66, Church & Dwight, JR Simplot, Trihydro, VoltaGrid, and Endpoint Industrial Controls.
Industry experience: UW's department highlights industry connections and internship opportunities for chemical engineering students, while the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences provides employer engagement through recruitment events and internship postings.
Accreditation value: UW's undergraduate Chemical Engineering program is ABET-accredited; the university does not identify the M.S. as separately ABET-accredited. For M.S. students, the degree's value is therefore centered on advanced technical knowledge, research experience, faculty mentorship, and preparation for professional or doctoral careers.
Research reputation: The University of Wyoming holds Carnegie R1 research status, giving graduate students access to a research-intensive university environment and interdisciplinary opportunities.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the M.S., students can continue into the Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Wyoming or pursue doctoral programs at other universities. UW's Chemical Engineering Ph.D. focuses on advanced research in areas such as energy production, materials science, transport in permeable media, biomedical engineering, water treatment, microfluidics, process control, biomaterials, and nanomaterials.