Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of Pennsylvania

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania provides advanced engineering education integrating chemistry, biology, and engineering principles. The program develops expertise in areas such as fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, process control, bioengineering, polymer engineering, heat transfer, and scientific computing, preparing graduates for technical and leadership roles across multiple industries.

Curriculum Structure

The program offers specialised graduate coursework. The official graduate admissions page does not specify a fixed year-wise curriculum or semester-by-semester course sequence.

Year 1:

Students develop advanced knowledge in chemical and biomolecular engineering through graduate coursework in fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, process control, bioengineering, and polymer engineering.

Year 2:

Students continue specialised coursework and advanced engineering study, selecting subjects according to their academic interests and professional objectives. The exact course requirements and completion schedule should be confirmed through the department.

Focus Areas: Chemical engineering, biomolecular engineering, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, process control, bioengineering, polymer engineering, heat transfer, scientific computing, sustainability, renewable energy.

Learning Outcomes: Apply advanced engineering principles, analyse complex chemical and biological systems, understand thermodynamic and fluid processes, evaluate engineering designs, apply computational methods, solve technical problems, develop interdisciplinary engineering knowledge.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation): No separate professional or programmatic accreditation is specified for this master's degree.

Reputation (Employability): Penn Engineering provides interdisciplinary graduate education supported by faculty expertise and research opportunities. The university identifies oil, chemical, pharmaceutical, and electronics industries as employment sectors for graduates, while some graduates continue to doctoral studies.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The M.S.E. offers opportunities to connect advanced engineering concepts with practical applications through specialised electives, independent study and an optional thesis. Students can explore laboratory-based biotechnology, computational modelling, process analysis and research problems, depending on their chosen courses and study plan.

Biotechnology Laboratory Experience: Students selecting CBE 5800 – Master's Biotechnology Lab can gain hands-on experience with biochemical engineering and biotechnology techniques. Laboratory activities include CRISPR-based gene editing in E. coli, production and purification of enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), yeast cultivation in a fed-batch bioreactor, and enzyme-kinetics analysis.
Biomolecular Engineering Applications: CBE 5540 – Engineering Biotechnology introduces the design and application of biological systems, including genetic engineering, protein engineering, metabolic engineering and bioprocess design. The course also explores technologies such as CRISPR-based genome editing, synthetic biology and high-throughput screening.
Computational Modelling: Students can explore computational approaches through engineering and science electives, including courses focused on deep learning, numerical methods, modelling and simulation. These subjects support the analysis of complex chemical, biological and physical systems.
Independent Study: With faculty permission, students may undertake CBE 5990 – Master's Independent Study, allowing them to explore a specialised topic under academic supervision.
Thesis Research: Students choosing the thesis route complete CBE 9990 – Master's Thesis, providing an opportunity to investigate an engineering research question and develop independent research capabilities.
Technical Communication: Laboratory-based coursework may include technical memos, data-analysis assignments, group reports and presentations, helping students communicate experimental findings and engineering solutions effectively.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The M.S.E. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering prepares graduates for technical and research-oriented careers across chemical manufacturing, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, energy, environmental engineering and advanced materials. Its combination of engineering fundamentals and elective specialisation supports opportunities in process development, product innovation, computational analysis and research and development.

Potential career roles:

Chemical Engineer: Develop and optimise processes for manufacturing chemicals, fuels, materials and other industrial products.
Bioprocess Engineer: Design and improve biological production systems used in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and industrial biotechnology.
Process Development Engineer: Develop, test and optimise production processes to improve efficiency, quality, safety and scalability.
Research and Development Engineer: Conduct technical investigations and develop new products, materials, processes and engineering solutions.
Pharmaceutical Process Engineer: Support the development and manufacturing of pharmaceutical products through process design, optimisation and scale-up.
Computational Modelling Engineer: Apply mathematical models, simulation and computational methods to analyse and improve engineering systems.

Industry relevance: The programme's focus areas connect with several major engineering sectors. Biotechnology and pharmaceutical coursework supports bioprocess and biomolecular applications, while catalysis, energy and environmental engineering provide foundations for sustainable process development. Computational science and process-control training can also support roles involving simulation, process optimisation and engineering systems design.

Career development: Penn Engineering provides master's students with specialised career-development support through its Penn Engineering Career Development Hub. Resources include career advising, job-search guidance, networking support, employer information and access to job and internship opportunities through Handshake.

Employment outcomes: Penn publishes graduate first-destination reports with information on employers, job titles and post-graduation plans. However, the available official information reviewed does not establish a specific employment rate or salary figure exclusively for graduates of the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering M.S.E. programme.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates interested in research-intensive careers may pursue a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering or related disciplines such as Bioengineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Biotechnology, Energy Engineering or Computational Science. Penn itself offers a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, providing a possible route for students seeking deeper expertise in engineering research, advanced process development and specialised scientific investigation. Admission to doctoral programmes is subject to individual entry requirements.