Chemical Engineering, MEng

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

Virginia Tech

Program Overview

The M.Eng. in Chemical Engineering at Virginia Tech is designed for students who want to deepen their chemical engineering expertise through advanced, non-thesis coursework and prepare for professional engineering careers. The program offers flexibility to develop knowledge across chemical engineering fundamentals and applications including polymers, process systems, biochemical engineering, catalysis, materials, sustainability, and computational methods.

Curriculum Structure:

Graduate Chemical Engineering Foundation:
The M.Eng. requires a minimum of 30 graded credit hours, with coursework at the graduate level forming the core of the program. Students can build their advanced foundation through subjects such as ChE 5094 — Kinetics, ChE 5125 — Transport I, ChE 5144 — Thermodynamics, and ChE 5044 — Engineering Mathematics, developing deeper understanding of reaction systems, transport processes, thermodynamic analysis, and quantitative engineering methods.

Advanced Coursework and Specialization:
Students use the remainder of their plan of study to develop expertise around their professional interests through approved 5000-level and higher coursework. Virginia Tech's Chemical Engineering graduate curriculum supports areas including polymer chemistry and engineering, colloid and surface chemistry, nanotechnology, applied thermodynamics, molecular modeling, biochemical and tissue engineering, biomaterials, catalysis and surface science, green engineering, computer-aided design, and supercritical fluid science and technology.

Focus Areas:

Polymer chemistry and polymer science, colloid and surface chemistry, nanotechnology, applied thermodynamics, molecular modeling, biochemical engineering, tissue engineering, biomaterials, nanomedicine, catalysis and surface science, process systems, design for sustainability, green engineering, computer-aided design, supercritical fluid science and technology, simulation and computational chemical engineering.

Learning Outcomes:

Students develop advanced chemical engineering knowledge, quantitative and analytical problem-solving skills, the ability to apply engineering principles to complex chemical and interdisciplinary systems, professional technical communication, and specialized expertise relevant to areas such as materials, polymers, biotechnology, catalysis, process systems, sustainability, and computational engineering.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation):

The M.Eng. in Chemical Engineering is not separately identified as an ABET-accredited graduate program. Virginia Tech'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. The M.Eng. instead provides graduate-level professional preparation through advanced coursework.

Reputation (Employability & Rankings):

Virginia Tech's College of Engineering is ranked No. 31 nationally for engineering graduate programs in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings. The college also reports No. 13 nationally for engineering research expenditures based on the FY2024 NSF HERD Survey, while its graduate engineering community included 2,994 students in Fall 2025, providing a substantial environment for advanced engineering study.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The M.Eng. in Chemical Engineering at Virginia Tech is structured as a non-thesis professional degree, so students gain practical expertise primarily through advanced coursework, applied chemical engineering problems, computational work, and access to Virginia Tech’s specialized research and engineering facilities. The department supports work across process systems, polymers, catalysis, biomaterials, nanotechnology, separations, biochemical engineering, and computational chemical engineering, giving students opportunities to connect advanced theory with industry-relevant applications.

Students can build practical and professional experience through the following program-related resources and opportunities:

Advanced Chemical Engineering Coursework: Courses such as Kinetics, Transport I, Thermodynamics, and Engineering Mathematics provide applied preparation in reaction engineering, transport processes, thermodynamic analysis, and quantitative engineering methods.
Computational Chemical Engineering: Virginia Tech Chemical Engineering identifies computer-aided design, molecular modeling, simulation, artificial intelligence, and big data among its graduate research and specialization areas, giving students opportunities to develop computational approaches to engineering problems.
Process Systems Engineering: The department's process-systems research environment covers process design, process modeling, optimization, process integration, and control, providing exposure to methods used in modern chemical-process industries.
Nanoscale Characterization and Fabrication: Virginia Tech provides access to specialized nanoscale research infrastructure supporting work in nanotechnology, materials, and advanced chemical engineering applications.
Materials Characterization Facilities: Dedicated materials-characterization resources support research and applied work involving polymers, composites, nanomaterials, and advanced materials.
Polymer Composite and Materials Research: The department's polymer and materials research facilities provide opportunities to explore polymer engineering, composite materials, processing, and material properties.
Macromolecules Innovation Institute: The Macromolecules Innovation Institute provides an interdisciplinary environment for research and learning in polymers, macromolecular science, materials, and molecular engineering.
Catalysis and Surface Science: Research groups including the Karim Catalysis and Nanomaterials Research Group and Ducker Surfaces Group provide specialized environments for catalysis, nanomaterials, surface chemistry, and interfaces.
Membranes and Separation Processes: The Martin Membranes and Separation Processes Research Group focuses on membranes and advanced separation technologies, including applications such as carbon capture.
Supercritical Fluids: The Kiran Supercritical Fluids Lab provides a specialized research environment focused on supercritical-fluid science and technology.
Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering: Research facilities including the Rajagopalan Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Lab, Goldstein Skeletal Tissue Engineering and Mechanobiology Group, and Whittington Biopolymers and Tissue Engineering Lab connect chemical engineering with biomaterials and healthcare applications.
Fralin Life Sciences Institute: This interdisciplinary institute complements Chemical Engineering work in biotechnology, biomaterials, healthcare technologies, and life-science applications.
University Libraries: M.Eng. students have access to Virginia Tech University Libraries and its research resources to support advanced coursework and technical projects.
Internships and Cooperative Education: Virginia Tech Chemical Engineering promotes internships and cooperative education as opportunities for students to gain professional industry experience. These are opportunities rather than stated requirements of the M.Eng.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The M.Eng. in Chemical Engineering at Virginia Tech is designed to prepare graduates for professional engineering careers by developing advanced knowledge through non-thesis coursework. Its broad chemical engineering preparation can support careers across chemical processing, materials, energy, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and process systems.

Typical career roles: Chemical Process Engineer, Process Design Engineer, Process Development Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer.

Key career and progression opportunities include:

Career services: Virginia Tech’s Career and Professional Development provides career advising, résumé and cover-letter reviews, interview preparation, career fairs, employer events, job-search resources, and career-development programs to help students prepare for employment.
Employment and salary: Virginia Tech does not publish a program-specific employment rate or median salary for the Chemical Engineering M.Eng. in its official program materials, so a specific figure should not be attributed to this degree.
University–industry connections: Virginia Tech Chemical Engineering conducts research and maintains connections involving industry partners and organizations such as the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and U.S. Department of Energy. Areas relevant to industry include process systems, catalysis, polymers, materials, membranes and separations, biotechnology, and sustainable engineering.
Internships and professional experience: The department promotes internships and cooperative education to provide students with opportunities to gain real-world engineering experience. These are professional-development opportunities rather than stated requirements of the M.Eng.
Long-term accreditation value: The M.Eng. itself is not separately ABET-accredited. Virginia Tech’s B.S. in Chemical Engineering is ABET-accredited, while the M.Eng. provides advanced graduate-level professional preparation.
Graduation outcomes: The M.Eng. requires a minimum of 30 graded credit hours and provides advanced preparation in chemical engineering fundamentals and specialized areas. Graduates can apply this training to professional engineering roles or use the degree as a foundation for further graduate study.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the M.Eng., students can pursue a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Virginia Tech or another university if they want to move into research, advanced technical development, academia, or national-laboratory careers. Virginia Tech offers doctoral research opportunities across areas including catalysis, materials, polymers, biochemical engineering, process systems, membranes, nanotechnology, and computational chemical engineering.