MS in Chemical Engineering

The MS in Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah combines advanced chemical engineering coursework with opportunities for applied projects, computational work, and research. Students can specialize through technical electives in areas such as biomedical engineering, energy, nanotechnology, environmental engineering, and computing, while the project-based pathway allows students to complete an independent project and defend it before a supervisory committee. The department also provides access to specialized laboratories, process equipment, analytical instruments, computing facilities, and research environments for students developing advanced engineering skills.

Practical learning opportunities include:

• Independent projects: Students on the project-based MS pathway complete a 6-credit independent project, developed in consultation with their supervisory committee or employer, followed by an oral defense.
• Advanced research: The thesis-based pathway involves independent research under a chemical engineering faculty advisor, a written thesis, oral defense, research presentations, and a requirement to pursue a first-author peer-reviewed publication. The department's research areas include biomedical and biotechnology, energy and fuels, environmental sustainability, materials and nanotechnology, multi-scale simulation, nuclear engineering, and petroleum engineering.
• Process engineering laboratories: The department's laboratory infrastructure includes pilot-scale distillation columns, gas strippers, spray dryers, hydrogen fuel cells, extruders, heat exchangers, continuous and catalytic reactors, and reverse-osmosis systems, allowing students to work with equipment representative of industrial chemical-processing environments.
• Analytical equipment: Available equipment includes gas chromatographs, liquid chromatographs, FTIR, flame atomic absorption, differential scanning calorimeters, densitometers, microplate readers, spectrophotometers, and microscopy equipment for chemical and materials analysis.
• Computational tools: The department maintains dedicated computing facilities and provides access to coding, CAD, and process-simulation software. Teaching software can also be accessed remotely, allowing students to work on process simulations away from campus.
• Data analysis: The Starley Computer Lab is connected to the process laboratory and is used for analyzing data collected by student teams during laboratory work, creating a direct connection between experimental work and computational analysis.
• Design and prototyping: The Meldrum Innovation Laboratory includes the Starley Makerspace, equipped with 3D printers, a laser cutter, CNC equipment, soldering tools, and machining equipment. The associated Job Wet Lab includes analytical equipment such as a scanning electron microscope and UV-Visible spectrophotometer.
• Research facilities: Chemical Engineering maintains research laboratories across campus, with most departmental resources located in the Merrill Engineering Building. Faculty research provides opportunities to work in areas ranging from biomedical systems and biotechnology to energy, environmental sustainability, materials, nanotechnology, and computational modeling.
• Team-based engineering: The department's laboratory and makerspace environments support collaborative engineering work, while the ChemE Car Team gives College of Engineering students an opportunity to design and build a chemically powered and controlled vehicle and compete at regional and national competitions. The department identifies this as an undergraduate opportunity rather than an MS-specific requirement.
• Industry-connected experience: The department states that its broader Chemical Engineering program has a cooperative education program involving summer internships and semester-long work experiences in industry, government, and academia; however, the MS admissions/program page does not identify an internship as a required component of the MS degree. 

The MS in Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah is designed to build advanced chemical-engineering knowledge and prepare graduates for careers in industry, research, and technology. The program offers specialization opportunities in areas including biomedical engineering, energy, nanotechnology, environment, and computing, supporting career paths such as Chemical Engineer, Process Engineer, Research Engineer, and Materials Scientist.

Career development and outcomes: The University of Utah provides several employment resources and the department maintains connections with employers across chemical engineering and related industries:

• Career services: Chemical Engineering students have access to online job and internship postings, resume assistance, career fairs, on-campus interviews with local and national companies, mock interviews, interview preparation, job-search strategies, and CareerShift, a nationwide company database. The College of Engineering also maintains an online jobs board where employers post engineering jobs and internships.
• Employment and salary data: The University of Utah’s UGuide reports 2025 median annual earnings of approximately $123,000 for Chemical Engineers, with 80% of workers earning between $77,000 and $189,000 nationally. These figures cover workers at all experience levels rather than specifically MS graduates or entry-level employees.
• Industry connections: The department reports recent graduates working with organizations including IM Flash Technologies, Micron Technology, Watson Pharmaceuticals, Procter & Gamble, Halliburton, Rio Tinto, Archer Daniels Midland, Nestlé, Celanese, ICU Medical, FLSmidth, and URS Corporation, illustrating the range of industries connected with the department.
• Industry experience: University of Utah graduate engineering opportunities can connect students with industry and research environments. For example, MS Chemical Engineering graduate Alysha Allgood completed an internship with Idaho National Laboratory in Reactor Engineering and subsequently entered a University of Utah PhD program while collaborating with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
• Research progression: The department has active research opportunities across chemical engineering and related fields, while the MS itself can be completed through approved thesis or project pathways. This creates a route toward research-oriented employment as well as further graduate study.
• Accreditation value: The University of Utah states that its Chemical Engineering Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The department’s official accreditation page should be consulted to distinguish the ABET accreditation of the undergraduate Chemical Engineering program from accreditation of the MS degree specifically; the official MS materials do not state that the MS itself carries separate ABET accreditation.
• Graduation outcomes: Graduates can progress into industrial and research positions spanning medical devices, semiconductors, energy, environmental engineering, water purification, mineral processing, petroleum refining, natural-gas pipelines, and petrochemicals. The department also offers a direct academic pathway through its Chemical Engineering PhD program.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the MS, students can continue into a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah or pursue doctoral research in related engineering and scientific disciplines. The university also lists an MS Chemical Engineering + MBA combined/dual-degree pathway, providing an additional route for students interested in combining advanced engineering knowledge with business education.