Graduate students in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering are educated to tackle complex issues through classroom, lab, and real-world training.
All students complete a minimum of 18 hours of coursework, serve two semesters as a Teaching Assistant (TA). They must write a preliminary research proposal and pass an oral exam before advancing to candidacy. Finally, all students submit dissertations and pass final oral examinations to complete the program. All of these requirements are designed to prepare students for careers in academia or industry, while allowing ample flexibility and time to focus on research.
Requirements in a nutshell
- 18 hours of coursework (typically equaling 6 courses)
- 9 credit hours in required Chemical Engineering technical coursework, maintaining a 3.0 GPA
- 9 credit hours of electives
- Two semesters of TA service to the department
- Passing a candidacy examination by the 4th long semester
- Participating in the 1st year seminars
- Completing annual committee update meetings after advancing to candidacy
- Completing a dissertation and passing a Final Oral Examination
Supervisor Selection
Our department supports a direct match system for supervisor selection in a student’s first semester. Students are admitted to the graduate program without the need to identify a faculty advisor beforehand. Students have the opportunity to discuss their research interests with potential faculty advisors during the graduate program recruitment weekend in the spring, the summer peer-mentor program, orientation in mid-August and throughout the beginning of the fall semester until the end of September when students rank their faculty advisor preferences. The department finalizes the graduate student-advisor match during the first week of October.
Students may join labs of ChE faculty and can be co-advised by faculty from other UT departments. Students begin conducting research in their advisor’s lab starting in their second semester.
See our faculty research areas
