Chemical Engineering, Master of Science

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of California Davis

Program Overview

The Chemical Engineering, Master of Science (M.S.) at UC Davis is a research-focused graduate degree designed for students aiming for careers in research and development or further study in chemical engineering. Students combine advanced coursework with a faculty-supervised research project and thesis, with opportunities to specialize in areas including energy, environment, synthetic biology, and biotechnology.

Curriculum Structure:

Year 1:

Students begin with the graduate core and the ECH 200: Preparing for Graduate Student Success course, which helps them identify and work with a major professor. Core study includes ECH 252: Statistical Thermodynamics, ECH 253A: Advanced Fluid Mechanics, ECH 253C: Advanced Mass Transfer, ECH 256: Chemical Kinetics and Reaction Engineering, and ECH 259: Advanced Engineering Mathematics, building a strong foundation for advanced chemical engineering research.

Year 2:

Students shift their focus toward specialized electives and independent research, selecting courses that align with their career and research goals while completing ECH 299: Research. Students also complete ECH 290: Department Seminar, where they attend lectures from visiting scholars and engage with current developments in chemical engineering, before advancing to candidacy and completing their original master's thesis.

Focus Areas:

Energy, environment, synthetic biology, biotechnology, advanced fluid mechanics, mass transfer, statistical thermodynamics, chemical kinetics and reaction engineering, advanced engineering mathematics, process systems, computational engineering, materials, and interdisciplinary chemical engineering research.

Learning Outcomes:

Advanced chemical engineering knowledge, quantitative and mathematical analysis, research methodology, experimental design, data analysis, independent research, technical communication, critical problem-solving, interdisciplinary collaboration, and preparation for research and development careers or doctoral study.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

The M.S. in Chemical Engineering is a graduate research degree and is not separately listed as ABET-accredited. UC Davis's B.S. in Chemical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the criteria for Chemical, Biochemical, Biomolecular, and similarly named engineering programs.

Reputation (Employability & Academic Standing):

UC Davis describes its Chemical Engineering graduate program as top-ranked, with state-of-the-art research facilities and individualized faculty attention. The department currently reports $5.6 million in research expenditures, 64 graduate students, and 18 faculty members, while UC Davis's official materials have also reported strong U.S. News graduate Chemical Engineering rankings, including #30 in the 2022 ranking and #31 in the 2021 ranking; these are historical rankings rather than a current 2026 ranking.

The department also states that the majority of its M.S. graduates find jobs in industry, while its graduate program prepares students for careers in academia, industry, and research.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Chemical Engineering M.S. at UC Davis is built around original research under faculty supervision, so students gain practical experience by designing experiments, developing research protocols, analyzing data, and contributing original work to the field. The department provides individualized faculty mentoring and access to research environments across Bainer Hall, Ghausi Hall, Academic Surge, and other campus facilities, while students can also use computational tools such as Python, MATLAB, and Aspen Plus for chemical engineering work.

Key opportunities and resources include:

Faculty-led thesis research: M.S. students conduct research under the supervision of a faculty member, with the thesis expected to make an original contribution to the field. Students develop research methods, experimental protocols, data-analysis approaches, and scientific communication skills as part of the thesis process.
Research laboratories: Chemical Engineering research is conducted across areas including Biotechnology and Human Health, Catalysis and Renewable Energy, Process Systems Engineering, Soft Materials, and Transport Phenomena. Faculty research groups include the Kuhl Research Group, Ahn Lab, Kronawitter Lab, Kulkarni Research Group, Renewable Energy Electronics Lab, Palazoglu Research Lab, Shah Lab, Wan Research Lab, and Zhao Lab.
Computational tools: The department provides student resources for Python, MATLAB, and Aspen Plus, including a Chemical Engineering programming resource through Canvas. These tools support computational analysis and chemical engineering modeling.
Department computing resources: Chemical Engineering's Computing Services supports instructional and research computing, while departmental/campus software licensing provides access to tools including Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat. The department also maintains computing facilities for engineering students.
M.S. graduate workspace: M.S. students have dedicated office space in Academic Surge 1026, which includes computers and shared tables for graduate-student use.
Bainer Hall research environment: Bainer Hall houses Chemical Engineering faculty offices and laboratories, making it one of the department's principal locations for graduate research. Research spaces are also located in Ghausi Hall, Kemper Hall, Academic Surge, and other campus facilities, depending on the research group.
Research across energy and biotechnology: Students can engage with research involving energy, biotechnology, nanotechnology, catalysis, renewable energy, process systems, soft materials, and transport phenomena, giving the M.S. a strong connection to current chemical engineering challenges.
National-laboratory research opportunities: UC Davis Chemical Engineering researchers have participated in projects with national laboratories. For example, the department has documented graduate research involving Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where a Chemical Engineering Ph.D. student used molecular-dynamics simulations and accessed advanced national-lab facilities.
Canvas and digital learning: Canvas is UC Davis's learning-management platform for course materials, assignments, announcements, quizzes, and grading. Graduate students can also use OASIS for academic advising information, GPA and unit tracking, and appointments with graduate advisors.
Research and library resources: Graduate students have access to the wider UC Davis Libraries system, while the department's research infrastructure supports experimental and computational work across multiple Chemical Engineering research groups.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Chemical Engineering M.S. at UC Davis is specifically designed to prepare students for careers in research and development or further study, combining advanced coursework with a focused research project and thesis. UC Davis reports that the majority of its master's graduates enter industry, while others continue into academic and national-laboratory research positions.

Typical career roles: R&D Engineer, Process Engineer, Research Scientist, Chemical Process Engineer.

Students can build their professional pathway through:

Career and professional support: UC Davis Chemical Engineering provides graduate advising and individualized faculty mentoring focused on students' professional goals. Graduate students can also pursue teaching-assistant positions, while the university's broader career resources support job and career development.
Employment outcomes: UC Davis states that the majority of M.S. graduates find jobs in industry. Recent graduates listed by the department include an Automation Engineer at Genentech, a TD Module & Integration Engineer at Intel, and an Application Chemist at Arieca Inc.
Salary information: The department's official graduate pages do not publish a current M.S.-specific median or average salary, so a program-specific salary figure should not be assumed. A UC Davis Chemical Engineering article cites approximately $91,000 median U.S. salary for process engineers and $84,000 for R&D engineers, but these are general career figures rather than UC Davis M.S. graduate outcomes.
University–industry partnerships: UC Davis Chemical Engineering maintains connections with industry and national laboratories. Its Center for Rational Catalysis Synthesis (CeRCaS) brings together academia, industry and national laboratories, giving graduate students opportunities to work directly with industry and national-laboratory professionals.
National-laboratory connections: UC Davis has a formal research relationship with Sandia National Laboratories, including collaboration on catalytic-surface research and opportunities for UC Davis students and postdoctoral researchers to access Sandia research capabilities.
Industry reach: UC Davis Chemical Engineering graduates work across biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, energy, food processing, environmental protection, aerospace and specialty chemicals. The department identifies employers and organizations such as Genentech, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Marathon, Procter & Gamble, L'Oréal, Clorox, BioMarin, Bayer, General Mills and the California Energy Commission among its broader graduate/graduate-program career ecosystem.
Accreditation value: The M.S. itself is not separately ABET-accredited; UC Davis's Chemical Engineering B.S. is ABET-accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission. The M.S. adds graduate-level research and technical specialization beyond the accredited undergraduate engineering foundation.
Graduation outcomes: The M.S. prepares graduates for industrial R&D, national-laboratory research and academic pathways. UC Davis reports that many graduates move into industry, while others pursue postdoctoral or further academic research positions.

Further Academic Progression:
After the M.S., students can apply for the Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at UC Davis, which is designed for students interested in solving complex, long-term research problems through a major research project and dissertation. The Ph.D. can lead toward advanced industrial R&D, research and product development, national-laboratory, postdoctoral, and academic careers. UC Davis also notes that doctoral students complete the same core Chemical Engineering courses as M.S. students before progressing to additional doctoral examinations and research.