Chemical and Molecular Engineering, MS

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

Stony Brook University SUNY

Program Overview

The M.S. in Chemical and Molecular Engineering at Stony Brook University is a STEM-designated graduate program designed for students who want to advance their expertise in chemical engineering while exploring molecular-level approaches to materials, energy, biotechnology, and related engineering challenges. Students can choose a thesis or non-thesis pathway, allowing them to focus either on research and preparation for doctoral study or on advanced coursework and a professional capstone experience.

Curriculum Structure:

The M.S. requires 30 graduate credits. Stony Brook offers both thesis and non-thesis options rather than a fixed year-by-year curriculum, so students progress through core graduate coursework, electives, and either research or a capstone depending on their chosen pathway.

First year:

Students develop their advanced foundation in chemical and molecular engineering through graduate-level coursework covering areas such as Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, Transport Phenomena, and Chemical Reaction Engineering. They can then use elective coursework to begin developing expertise in their preferred area of Chemical and Molecular Engineering.

Second year:

Students deepen their specialization through advanced electives and complete the requirements of their selected pathway. Thesis-track students undertake CME 599 – Research and complete an original master's thesis, while non-thesis students complete additional electives and a capstone project, giving them an opportunity to apply their graduate training to a focused engineering problem.

Focus Areas:

Chemical and molecular engineering, materials engineering, energy, biotechnology, nanotechnology, computational engineering, molecular-level engineering.

Learning Outcomes:

Advanced chemical and molecular engineering knowledge, quantitative problem-solving, engineering analysis, research skills, experimental and computational methods, ability to apply engineering principles to complex chemical and molecular systems, independent project or thesis development.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

The M.S. in Chemical and Molecular Engineering is a STEM-designated graduate program. Stony Brook's Chemical and Molecular Engineering program is housed within the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences; the university does not identify this master's degree itself as a separately ABET-accredited program.

Reputation (Employability & Rankings):

Stony Brook University is a major research university with extensive research activity across engineering, materials science, energy, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. Students benefit from being part of a research-intensive environment and from Stony Brook's location on Long Island near New York City, providing access to a broad regional technology, engineering, healthcare, and research ecosystem.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The M.S. in Chemical and Molecular Engineering at Stony Brook University gives students opportunities to build practical expertise through research, laboratory work, computational approaches, and a choice between thesis and non-thesis study. Thesis-track students complete CME 599 research and an original master's thesis, while non-thesis students complete a capstone project, allowing students to apply advanced chemical and molecular engineering concepts to a focused problem. Stony Brook's research environment also provides access to specialized facilities supporting materials, nanotechnology, chemical processing, energy, and molecular engineering.

Students can develop hands-on and research experience through:

Master's research: Thesis-track students complete 6 credits of CME 599 – Research and an original master's thesis, providing substantial independent research experience.
Capstone project: Non-thesis students complete a capstone project, giving them an applied alternative to the research thesis.
Advanced research laboratories: The department's research environment covers nanomaterials, energy conversion and storage, catalysis, polymers, biomolecular engineering, and computational molecular engineering.
Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC): Stony Brook's AERTC supports research in energy technologies, energy storage, fuel cells, solar energy, and sustainable energy systems, providing relevant facilities for students working in energy-related areas.
Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN): Located at Brookhaven National Laboratory and operated by Stony Brook University, CFN provides access to advanced facilities for nanoscience, materials synthesis, characterization, and theory/computation.
Computational research: Students working in computational areas can engage with molecular modeling, simulation, and computational materials research supported by Stony Brook's research computing infrastructure.
Instrumentation and characterization: Research facilities provide access to advanced techniques for studying the chemical, physical, structural, and molecular properties of materials.
Interdisciplinary research: Students can work across chemical and molecular engineering with related areas such as materials science, nanotechnology, energy, biotechnology, and applied physics.
Internships and field trips: The official M.S. program information does not state that internships or field trips are mandatory components of the degree, so these should not be presented as required program activities.
Specific software: The official program information does not identify a particular commercial software package as a required M.S. component, although computational modeling and simulation form part of the department's research activities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The M.S. in Chemical and Molecular Engineering prepares graduates for careers across research and development, process engineering, product development, quality engineering, and technical consulting, with applications in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, energy, advanced materials, and sustainability. Stony Brook specifically highlights employers such as Brookhaven National Laboratory, Pfizer, Estée Lauder, Chem Cubed, and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, giving students exposure to career pathways across research-intensive and industrial settings.

Typical career paths include R&D Engineer, Process Engineer, Product Development Engineer, Quality Engineer:

Career support: Stony Brook’s Career Center provides graduate students with career coaching, workshops, career fairs, networking opportunities, job and internship searches, and employer connections. Graduate students can also use Handshake to find positions and connect with employers.
Employment outcomes: Stony Brook reports that nearly 95% of graduates are employed or continue their education through advanced study across its graduate Materials Science and Chemical Engineering programs.
Salary information: Stony Brook does not publish a separate salary figure specifically for graduates of the M.S. in Chemical and Molecular Engineering on the program page. The university's official Chemical and Molecular Engineering outcomes data therefore should not be interpreted as an M.S.-specific salary figure.
University–industry connections: The department's Chemical and Molecular Engineering External Advisory Board brings together leaders from industry, research, and academia to advise on emerging technologies, workforce needs, and industry trends. The graduate program also identifies collaborations and career connections involving Brookhaven National Laboratory and lists employers including Pfizer and Estée Lauder.
Accreditation value: Stony Brook's Chemical and Molecular Engineering B.E. is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The university does not state that the M.S. itself is separately ABET-accredited, so the accreditation should not be presented as accreditation of the master's degree.
Graduation outcomes: The department reports that graduates progress into research and development, product development, quality engineering, process engineering, technical consulting, industry, research, and further academic study.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the M.S., students can continue into a Ph.D. in Chemical and Molecular Engineering at Stony Brook, where they can undertake advanced research in areas such as catalysis, nanotechnology, environmental science, energy storage, and biomedical engineering. The university also indicates that its graduate programs prepare students for further advanced study in engineering and related disciplines, allowing the M.S. to serve as a pathway toward research-focused doctoral study or other advanced professional education.