Ph.D. Program
The Ph.D. degree is designed to prepare chemical engineers to advance research, development, and education for addressing national and global challenges towards a highly sustainable industrial-based focus on petroleum, petrochemical and allied industries.
Competitive scholarship and assistantship are available for highly qualified students with research interests compatible with those of chemical engineering faculty.
18 Characteristics of the Chemical Engineering Ph.D. Program
Admission Requirements
Admission standards are designed to ensure that you are a qualified professional serving in a leadership role in your engineering discipline.
The requirements are as follows:
For all applicants:
- The general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies
- A bachelor's degree in an engineering related discipline equivalent to a 4-year engineering program in the United States; or a Master's degree after a bachelor degree equivalent to a 4-year engineering degree program in the United States.
- Official transcripts from higher education institutions where degrees were earned and most recently attended institution (if different from the institutions where degrees were earned)
- Personal statement of education goals and why you are a strong candidate for admission.
- Research Record – List of projects, publications, and presentations
- Recommendation Letters (no more than 3 will be considered)
Optional: Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
- TOEFL or IELTS score (waived if student has completed a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited university located in the United States or in another country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language of the country. All years of the degree must be completed in the qualifying country.)
- Proof that the applicant has the financial resources to attend Lamar University. As part of the application process, international students must submit a written Confirmation of Financial Resources form that contains personal, family, and/or sponsor financial information and a blank verification of financial holdings. All international students are required to have health and accident insurance for themselves and all their dependent family members in the United States. Insurance may be purchased at the university during the registration period.
Note:For applicants without a degree in the appropriate discipline, the department advisor will determine a plan of study that will facilitate successful completion of all requirements for the doctoral degree. This may include additional coursework, independent study, or other means to enhance the student's knowledge of key elements in this field
Degree Requirements
- All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements
- Residence requirement
a. Students with a Master degree: At least one year.
b. Students with a Bachelor degree: At least two years. - Completion of a total of 15 semester hours of core courses as follows:
CHEN 6302 Transport Phenomena
CHEN 6343 Kinetics and Reactor Design
CHEN 6345 Fundamentals of Sustainability
CHEN 6347 Advanced Thermodynamics
CHEN 6348 Advanced Chemical Engineering Mathematics - Completion of a minimum of 21 semester hours of elective courses selected from the following:
a. All other CHEN 5xxx and 6xxx level courses approved by your research advisor.
b. Other 5xxx and 6xxx level courses from other engineering or science disciplines approved by your research advisor.
NOTE: If a course is offered at both the 5000 and 6000 levels, you may not take both versions of the class. - Completion of a minimum of 12 semester hours of research courses (CHEN 6680 for spring/fall semester; CHEN 6380 for summer) prior to completion of their research proposal
- Completion of a minimum of 4 semester hours of Professional Seminar (ENGR 6110)
- Completion of qualifying examination.
- Completion and approval of a Ph.D. or D.E. dissertation proposal. Upon committee approval of the proposed research through an oral defense, the student is admitted to candidacy. The approved proposal must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies at least 14 weeks prior to the scheduling of the final defense of dissertation
- Completion of 18 semester hours of Ph.D. or D.E. dissertation courses (CHEN 6690 and CHEN 6691 for regular semester; CHEN 6390 and CHEN 6391 for summer) after admission to candidacy and satisfactory defense of Ph.D. dissertation
- Satisfactory defense of Ph.D. or D.E. dissertation. See defense procedures for instructions.
- The Ph.D. degree must be completed within 10 consecutive years of study
