Frequently Asked Questions for the Purdue Chemical Engineering Master of Science Program
Fall 2016 Admission
1. What is the degree conferred?
You will receive a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University.
2. What is the duration of the program?
The program duration is 12 months for students who have a chemical engineering background.
3. When does the program start and end?
The program begins in mid - August and lasts until mid- August of the following year. Students will graduate
with the summer cohort.
4. How many credit hours are required to graduate?
You need to complete a minimum of 30 credit hours to obtain the MSChE degree.
5. Can I continue towards a PhD degree after I complete my Professional Master’s degree?
This program confers a terminal degree. It does not qualify you to continue towards a PhD degree; however,
you can apply to a PhD program upon completion of the MS degree.
6. What are the concentrations that can be pursued?
• Biochemical Engineering
• Energy Systems Fundamentals and Processes
• Kinetics, Catalysis and Reaction Engineering
• Particulate Products and Processes
• Pharmaceutical Engineering
7. I do not have a degree in Chemical Engineering. Can I still apply be considered this program?
We will consider applicants with a B.S. from areas such as chemistry, materials science, biomedical engineering,
or related disciplines. A special plan of study will be tailored for these students to help them grasp core chemical
engineering concepts. This may result in the duration of the MS program to be extended to 17 months (from
August until December of the following year.)
8. Will I have to complete a thesis?
This is a non-thesis program, but you will have the opportunity to engage in research activities during the
summer.
9. How does the summer research project work?
The program requires the completion of six credits of research during summer. Each student will be matched with
a professor or industrial sponsor to work on a research project relevant to their concentration. The results will be
presented to a panel of faculty and graduate students at the end of the summer, before graduation.
10. What incentives or awards are available for students enrolled in this program?
The program offers one excellence award for the best research project as voted by a panel of faculty and graduate
student judges, and one excellence award for academic achievement, based on GPA.
11. What is the tuition for this program?
The tuition for the program follows the standard tuition for Purdue Engineering Graduate Students. The rates are
published on the Purdue Bursar’s website at http://www.purdue.edu/bursar/tuition/feerates/2015-
2016/engineering.html#WL_EngineeringGrad .
12. Are students enrolled in this program eligible for tuition remission or employment?
No. Students enrolled in professional programs are not eligible for employment at Purdue as Graduate Lecturers,
Graduate Teaching Assistants, Graduate Research Assistants or Graduate Administrative/Professional.
Consequently, you cannot be eligible for tuition or fee remission since you are not a Purdue employee.
13. What are the scores and qualifications required for admission?
You must take the GRE but there is no minimum score for admission; typical scores for student admitted in the
program average 150 for Verbal, 166 for Quantitative and 3.5 for Analytical.
You must have at least a 3.0 GPA (or equivalent) from a B.S. program.
If you are an international student whose native language is not English, you must submit your TOEFL
scores through the ‘Test Scores’ link in your application. Also, request ETS to submit your TOEFL scores to the
Graduate School using institutional code 1631. Below are the minimum scores.
Minimum Paper-Based Test (PBT) Score Required: 550
Minimum Internet-Based Test (IBT) Overall Score Required: 77
With the following minimum section requirements:
Reading: 19
Listening: 14
Speaking: 18
Writing: 18
14. How do I apply for this program?
To apply for the ChE Professional MS Program follow this link https://engineering.purdue.edu/ChE/MS
For Fall 2016 admission you need to apply by June 15, 2016, and submit your official transcripts, GRE scores and
TOEFL scores (if required).
15.
Who do I contact if I have more questions?
You may contact the Chemical Engineering Graduate Office via email [email protected] or by phone at +1-
765-494-4057.
