MS Chemical Engineering

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

Georgia Institute of Technology

Program Overview

The M.S. in Chemical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology provides advanced training in chemical engineering fundamentals while allowing students to tailor their studies through Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and cross-disciplinary electives. The program suits students seeking advanced technical expertise or research preparation, with opportunities to explore areas such as catalysis, energy, microfluidics, biomolecular engineering, polymers, sustainability, separations, and data-driven process engineering.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1:

Students develop a strong advanced foundation through core courses including ChBE 6100 – Advanced Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, ChBE 6200 – Advanced Transport Phenomena, Fluid Mechanics, and Heat, and ChBE 6300 – Kinetics and Reactor Design. They also study ChBE 6260 – Transport Phenomena-Mass Transfer and ChBE 6500 – Mathematical Modeling and Analysis of Chemical Processes, building the technical and quantitative skills needed to analyze chemical processes and engineering systems.

Year 2:

Students who continue into a second year can use their remaining credits to deepen their specialization through Chemical Engineering and cross-disciplinary electives, while students following the thesis pathway undertake ChBE 7000 – Master's Thesis and research. Elective options include subjects such as ChBE 6030 – Chemical Engineering of Energy Systems, ChBE 6130 – Electrochemical Engineering, ChBE 6745 – Data Analytics for Chemical Engineers, ChBE 6746 – Data-Driven Process Systems Engineering, and ChBE 6779 – Bioprocess Engineering.

The M.S. can be completed through a coursework option or thesis option, so the actual study duration and structure can vary according to the student's selected pathway and course plan.

Focus Areas:

Catalysis and Reaction Kinetics, Chemical Process Engineering, Energy Systems, Electrochemical Engineering, Microfluidics, Complex Fluids, Data Analytics, Data-Driven Process Systems Engineering, Biocatalysis and Metabolic Engineering, Protein Engineering, Drug Design and Delivery, Bioprocess Engineering, Polymers, Separations, CO₂ Capture, Sustainability, Microelectronics, Process Synthesis and Control.

Learning Outcomes:

Advanced chemical engineering thermodynamics, transport phenomena, mass transfer, kinetics and reactor design, mathematical modeling, chemical process safety, quantitative problem-solving, specialized technical knowledge, independent research, data-driven analysis, and the ability to apply chemical engineering principles to complex engineering and societal challenges.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

Georgia Tech's B.S. in Chemical Engineering is ABET-accredited, providing an established professional accreditation framework for the undergraduate discipline. The official accreditation information does not identify the M.S. in Chemical Engineering as separately ABET-accredited, so the M.S. should not be described as an independently ABET-accredited graduate degree.

Reputation (Employability Rankings):

Georgia Tech's School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering was ranked No. 5 nationally and No. 2 among public universities for graduate Chemical Engineering programs in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings. Georgia Tech's College of Engineering was also ranked No. 4 nationally among graduate engineering schools, highlighting the university's strong position in graduate engineering education.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The M.S. in Chemical Engineering at Georgia Tech is a coursework-based, non-thesis degree, so its practical learning is primarily built into advanced technical coursework, computational work, specialized electives, and access to the School’s research environment rather than a required thesis. Students can strengthen applied skills through subjects such as ChBE 6745: Data Analytics for Chemical Engineers, ChBE 6746: Data-Driven Process Systems Engineering, ChBE 6710: Microfluidics and Applications, and ChBE 6130: Electrochemical Engineering, while Georgia Tech also provides M.S. students with access to career services and opportunities for industry internships.

The program's practical resources include dedicated computing facilities, engineering software, computational research groups, and laboratories across the School's research areas. Students can therefore connect chemical engineering fundamentals with simulation, optimization, data analytics, process design, and emerging applications in energy, biotechnology, materials, and complex systems through opportunities such as:

Industry internships: M.S. students may complete an internship during a semester through Georgia Tech's Graduate Internship Program, which connects graduate students with industry and government organizations. Recent internship employers listed by ChBE include Abbott, Alcon, Amgen, Eastman Chemical Company, Invista, Merck, and Praxair.
Chemical Engineering Computer Lab: The dedicated ChBE computer lab provides access to engineering and scientific software, including AspenTech Suite, COMSOL, MATLAB, Engineering Equation Solver (EES), ChemOffice, AutoCAD, OriginLab, and MathType.
Data-driven engineering: The Data-Driven Process Systems Engineering Lab develops modeling and optimization tools that combine chemical engineering fundamentals with data analytics and machine learning, with applications in energy, process intensification, pharmaceuticals, and bioproducts.
Process modeling and simulation: Georgia Tech ChBE research uses mathematical tools to simulate process behavior and identify optimum operating conditions, with applications spanning manufacturing, environmental systems, and supply chains.
Microfluidics: ChBE 6710: Microfluidics and Applications provides specialized study connected to microfluidic engineering, an area also represented within the School's research portfolio.
Energy and electrochemical systems: Students can take ChBE 6030: Chemical Engineering of Energy Systems and ChBE 6130: Electrochemical Engineering, connecting advanced chemical engineering concepts with energy technologies and electrochemical processes.
Bioprocess and biomolecular applications: Electives such as ChBE 6760: Biocatalysis and Metabolic Engineering, ChBE 6762: Protein Engineering, ChBE 6765: Drug Design, Development & Delivery, and ChBE 6779: Bioprocess Engineering provide opportunities to develop expertise relevant to biotechnology and pharmaceutical applications.
Research facilities: The School's research environment covers catalysis, reaction kinetics, complex fluids, microelectronics, microfluidics, polymers, separations, CO₂ capture, biomedicine, solar energy, environmental science, biofuels, data-driven modeling, and process synthesis and control.
Ford Environmental Science and Technology Building: The School is based in the Ford ES&T Building, which houses classrooms and research laboratories and is part of Georgia Tech's Biotech Quad.
Industry-linked research: Georgia Tech ChBE reports that many research projects are conducted with corporate partners, allowing participating students to work on research directly relevant to industry and interact with industrial scientists and engineers.
Graduate professional development: Georgia Tech ChBE provides professional-development opportunities covering areas such as project management, team leadership, communication, and professional skills, although the formal Professional Preparation requirement cited by the School applies specifically to Ph.D. students rather than M.S. students.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The M.S. in Chemical Engineering at Georgia Tech prepares graduates for advanced technical roles across chemical processing, energy, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, materials, and data-driven engineering. Its combination of advanced Chemical Engineering coursework, specialized electives, computational tools, and Georgia Tech's strong industry connections can support graduates pursuing both technical industry careers and further academic study.

Potential career roles: Chemical Engineer, Process Engineer, Process Development Engineer, R&D Engineer.

Students can strengthen their career prospects through:

Career services: Georgia Tech's College of Engineering Career Center provides graduate students with career coaching, résumé and cover-letter reviews, interview preparation, career fairs, employer events, and job-search resources. ChBE also provides graduate career resources and maintains connections with employers.
Employment outcomes: Georgia Tech's official 2024–25 First Destination Report provides employment and salary data by college and degree level. However, a separate M.S. Chemical Engineering salary figure is not published by ChBE, so a program-specific salary should not be presented as an official statistic.
Industry internships: ChBE supports graduate internship opportunities, with students having worked with companies including Abbott, Alcon, Amgen, Eastman Chemical Company, Invista, Merck, and Praxair. These experiences can provide direct exposure to professional Chemical Engineering environments.
University–industry partnerships: ChBE reports that many of its research projects are conducted with corporate partners, allowing students involved in those projects to interact with industrial scientists and engineers and work on industry-relevant problems.
Industry-connected research: Georgia Tech's research portfolio spans areas including energy, catalysis, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, polymers, separations, CO₂ capture, microelectronics, and process systems engineering, creating opportunities for students to develop skills relevant to multiple industries.
Professional network: Georgia Tech's location in Atlanta, together with its extensive engineering and technology ecosystem, gives students access to employer events, industry engagement, and professional networking opportunities.
Accreditation value: Georgia Tech's B.S. in Chemical Engineering is ABET-accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission. The official accreditation information does not list the M.S. as separately ABET-accredited, so the graduate degree should not be described as an ABET-accredited program.
Graduation outcomes: ChBE graduates can pursue opportunities in chemical and process industries, energy, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, materials, environmental engineering, and data-driven process engineering, depending on their selected coursework and professional experience.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the M.S., students interested in research can pursue a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Georgia Tech or a related doctoral program. The Ph.D. provides deeper research specialization in areas such as catalysis, energy, biomolecular engineering, complex fluids, process systems, polymers, separations, and sustainability, supporting longer-term careers in advanced research, academia, and R&D.