Chemical Engineering MS

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of California San Diego

Program Overview

The Chemical Engineering M.S. at UC San Diego is designed for students who want to broaden and deepen their undergraduate chemical engineering knowledge through advanced coursework, research, and specialized study across modern chemical engineering fields. Students can choose a Thesis Plan focused on original research or a Comprehensive Examination Plan centered on advanced coursework, making the degree suitable for both industry-oriented students and those considering doctoral study.

Curriculum Structure:

First Year:

Students build a strong advanced foundation through the program's five required graduate core courses, including CENG-210A Fluid Mechanics I, CENG-221A Heat Transfer, and CENG-221B Mass Transfer. These courses develop expertise in fluid and continuum mechanics, energy transport, diffusion, convection, and mass transfer with chemical reaction, while electives allow students to explore related engineering and STEM subjects.

Second Year:

Students continue to deepen their expertise through courses such as CENG-251 Thermodynamics and CENG-252 Chemical Reaction Engineering, covering phase equilibria, thermodynamic properties, reaction kinetics, reactor design, and transport effects in chemical systems. Thesis-plan students undertake CENG-299 Graduate Research and complete and defend a master's thesis, while Comprehensive Examination Plan students complete additional electives and a comprehensive examination based on the five core courses. The Thesis Track typically takes around 1.5–2 years, depending on research and thesis completion.

Focus Areas:

Fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, thermodynamics, chemical reaction engineering, nanotechnology, nanoscale synthesis and characterization, biochemical engineering, biomaterials and biomimetics, semiconductor processing, nanomedicine, process technology, chemical transport phenomena, molecular and nanoscale engineering.

Learning Outcomes:

Advanced understanding of chemical engineering fundamentals, quantitative analysis of fluid and transport processes, thermodynamic and reaction-system analysis, chemical reactor design, nanoscale engineering concepts, research and problem-solving skills, independent scientific investigation, technical communication, and preparation for advanced industry or doctoral study.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

The Chemical Engineering M.S. is a graduate-level program within UC San Diego's Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering. The department also maintains ABET accreditation for its undergraduate Chemical Engineering program; the M.S. itself is a graduate degree rather than a separately ABET-accredited program.

Reputation (Employability & Rankings):

UC San Diego's Jacobs School of Engineering ranked No. 9 among engineering schools nationally and No. 6 among public engineering schools in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings. Within the same 2026 rankings, UC San Diego's Chemical Engineering graduate program ranked No. 30 nationally, providing a strong institutional and departmental reputation for students pursuing advanced engineering careers. The Jacobs School also reports $329 million in federal, state, and industry research expenditures, highlighting the scale of its research environment and industry engagement.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Chemical Engineering M.S. at UC San Diego gives students the opportunity to develop practical research and advanced engineering skills through graduate coursework and, under the Thesis Plan, 12 units of CENG-299 Graduate Research followed by a master's thesis and defense. Students work within the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, whose research spans areas such as nanomedicine, energy and environmental nanotechnology, nanomaterials and nanomanufacturing, while the department's location in the Structural and Materials Engineering Building provides dedicated Chemical Engineering laboratory space.

Students can also benefit from the wider Jacobs School of Engineering's research ecosystem, which connects engineering students and researchers with multidisciplinary centers, industry collaborations, internships and co-op opportunities. The School specifically provides graduate students access to its Job & Internship Portal and offers Team Internship and immersive Co-op programs through the Corporate Affiliates Program.

Key experiential and research opportunities include:

CENG-299 Graduate Research: Thesis Plan students complete 12 units of CENG-299 while conducting research under a CENG/NENG faculty advisor, providing a direct pathway into independent graduate research and culminating in a master's thesis and defense.
Chemical Engineering laboratory facilities: The department is housed in the Structural and Materials Engineering (SME) Building, which includes dedicated Chemical Engineering laboratory space for the department's academic and research activities.
Multidisciplinary research environment: Chemical Engineering graduate education is supported by affiliated faculty from Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Bioengineering, and Chemistry, allowing students to work across engineering and fundamental sciences.
Nanotechnology and advanced materials research: Department research is aligned with areas including Biomedical Nanotechnology, Molecular and Nanomaterials, Nanotechnologies for Energy and the Environment, and Computational Nanoscience and Engineering, giving students opportunities to connect chemical engineering with nanoscale applications.
Research centers and institutes: Students can benefit from the Jacobs School's multidisciplinary research ecosystem, which includes the Center for Energy Research, Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering, Future Biomanufacturing Center, Institute of Engineering in Medicine, Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, and Sustainable Power and Energy Center.
Industry-connected experience: The Jacobs School provides engineering students with access to a Job & Internship Portal, Team Internship Program and immersive Co-op programs, creating opportunities to gain professional experience alongside graduate engineering study.
Computational tools: UC San Diego's Chemical Engineering curriculum has an established connection with MATLAB through Engineering Computation Using MATLAB, which covers engineering problem formulation, algorithm selection, programming and analysis of computational outputs. The department also offers a fully online version of this computational course, although it is an undergraduate course rather than a required component of the M.S. program.
Hands-on engineering and prototyping: The Jacobs School's EnVision Arts and Engineering Maker Studio provides access to prototyping and fabrication resources, including 3D printers, laser cutters, a CNC mill, soldering equipment and other tools. It is an interdisciplinary facility rather than a Chemical Engineering M.S.-specific requirement, but it expands the practical engineering resources available within the School.
Energy and biomanufacturing research: Chemical Engineering faculty participate in multidisciplinary initiatives such as the Sustainable Power and Energy Center and the Future Biomanufacturing Center, connecting research in areas such as energy materials, hydrogen, bioprocess engineering, laboratory automation, AI-driven analysis and digital twins with industry engagement.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Chemical Engineering M.S. at UC San Diego can prepare graduates for careers across chemicals, biotechnology, electronics, fuel and energy, materials, and pharmaceuticals, while also providing a pathway toward doctoral study. The program is offered through the Aiiso Yufeng Li Family Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering, whose graduate education combines advanced chemical engineering knowledge with interdisciplinary research and professional preparation.

Typical career roles: Chemical Engineer, Process Engineer, Research & Development Engineer, Process Development Engineer

Key opportunities and outcomes include:

Career and employment support: Students have access to the Jacobs School Job & Internship Portal, where employers post full-time positions and internships and can search student profiles and resumes. The Jacobs School also provides career and internship advising, career exploration, resume development, career fairs and professional opportunities.
Industry internships and co-op: The Jacobs School's Team Internship Program places multidisciplinary teams of 2–5 engineering students with corporate sponsors for paid, 10–12-week summer projects. Its Cooperative Education Program provides eligible graduate students, including Chemical and Nano Engineering students, with immersive full-time company experience of up to six months.
University–industry partnerships: The Jacobs School Corporate Affiliates Program (CAP) has more than 75 company partners, providing opportunities for recruitment, internships, research collaborations, faculty connections and industry engagement. CAP also gives member companies access to graduate-level student resumes and opportunities to participate in research and recruiting activities.
Employment statistics: UC San Diego's official Jacobs School sources do not currently publish a Chemical Engineering M.S.-specific employment rate or starting-salary figure. Therefore, an M.S.-specific salary or placement percentage should not be presented as a program outcome. The university does provide an UC Alumni Career Dashboard for exploring where engineering alumni go after graduation.
Professional and accreditation value: The Chemical Engineering B.S. at UC San Diego is ABET accredited, while the M.S. is a graduate degree and is not presented by the department as a separately ABET-accredited program. The department states that its graduate curriculum supports chemical engineering as a multidisciplinary profession interfacing with physics, chemistry and biology.
Graduation outcomes: The M.S. can be completed through either the Thesis Plan I or Comprehensive Examination Plan II. The department explicitly describes the M.S. as either a terminal degree or a degree that can be obtained on the way to a Ph.D., giving graduates options for both professional employment and continued academic study.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the M.S., students interested in advanced research can continue into a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at UC San Diego, subject to the department's doctoral admission requirements. The department specifically distinguishes M.S.-only, M.S./Ph.D.-oriented and Ph.D. admission categories, making doctoral study a clearly established progression route.