Chemical Engineering
Why Study Chemical Engineering?
At Caltech, our Bachelor of Science (BS) in Chemical Engineering degree program lets you take processes around us that we take for granted, from wastewater management to chemical interactions in the brain, and quantify them; do the math to understand them at their core and how to make them better. Prepare to solve real-world problems in energy, the environment, and manufacturing, from the small molecular scale to the large industrial scale.
Why Chemical Engineering at Caltech?
Even before you declare as a chemical engineering major, you'll have opportunities to join research teams, access state-of-the-art facilities, and tackle open-ended design challenges—the kind of hands-on experience that sets Caltech engineers apart.
Chemical engineering courses move beyond textbook problems to instead task you with designing innovative but realistic, workable processes that reuse water, recycle a manufacturing byproduct, and solve other problems you see around you. Take advanced coursework as early as possible, discussing topics with small classes or utilizing software to visualize molecules and their transformations.
What You'll Learn
The bachelor's in chemical engineering program curriculum builds expertise across fundamental principles while giving you the freedom to specialize in preparation for careers in research or industry, including startups and consulting in STEM fields. Learn core concepts, including transport phenomena, thermodynamics, applied mathematics, research methods, laboratory techniques, problem-solving approaches, and computational tools like Python, Matlab, and Ansys.
Courses introduce students to computation, material balances and separation processes, and how to engineer chemical reactions. Tracks are available in biomolecular engineering, chemical processes, materials, computational engineering, and sustainability. Many students in other options, such as business or biology, pursue a chemical engineering minor.
Who You'll Learn From
Experienced engineers and researchers who teach chemical engineering majors are pioneers in aerosol science, materials science, process engineering, biotechnology, and beyond. Our 13 CE professors and other division faculty involve students in interactive projects in small classes, work with undergraduates on cutting-edge research, and connect them with experts across their broad network. Through Caltech's shared core curriculum, chemical engineering majors also collaborate with experts across science and engineering disciplines.
I want to eventually work in environmental policy to implement environmental changes that are necessary for fighting climate change on a broader scale than individual scientists can do. I picked studying engineering because I want to be able to go and work in Washington and really be able to apply that information.
Career Possibilities
Chemical engineering students graduate galvanized to pioneer innovations across industries. Students can enter industry careers right away or pursue graduate study, improving processes in sustainability or leveraging machine learning technology in any context they dream of. They go on to make breakthroughs in areas such as:
- Advanced materials and semiconductors
- Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals
- Environmental engineering
- Process design and optimization
- Research and development
- Sustainable energy development
- Technical consulting
Many graduates also pursue advanced degrees at top institutions, further specializing their abilities in chemical engineering and other fields. Our students find interdisciplinary solutions across industries and academic areas, including healthcare, sustainable energy, and environmental engineering.
Curriculum Components and Prerequisites
The bachelor's in chemical engineering curriculum builds from Caltech's core first-year requirements in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and the humanities. In the second year, chemical engineering majors begin studying foundational chemical engineering, with degree components including an optional undergraduate thesis.
Third-year students choose at least one specialized track in:
- Biomolecular
- Computational
- Materials
- Process
- Sustainability
No specific prerequisites beyond preparation in math and science are required.
Pursue a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering at Caltech
The chemical engineering major at Caltech empowers you to enter research, industry, or advanced studies, providing the foundation to answer the largest problems of energy, manufacturing, environmental sustainability, and more. Join a community of scientists who combine rigorous engineering training with creative problem-solving to find what's possible in the world of chemical engineering.