What will I study in the chemical engineering doctoral program?
WMU's Ph.D. program emphasizes skill development and applicable knowledge, requiring students to focus on original research projects. Students will find that research is centered around chemical engineering in transport, thermodynamics and chemical reaction engineering.
Your doctoral work will be specific to you, especially as your work on research. You must complete the general requirements listed below and should consult the course requirements catalog or the advisor for further details.
- 60 graduate-level credit hours, excluding the dissertation, beyond the bachelor’s degree, or a total of 30 graduate-level credit hours, excluding the dissertation, beyond the master’s degree.
- Comprehensive examination after completion of all course work
- Oral defense of the dissertation
- Completion of at least three hours of research seminar within the department
- Enrollment on campus in four consecutive semesters or sessions
- Required research tools
Information you need
Explore chemical engineering research at WMU
Research spotlights
WMU co-leading new NSF-funded center dedicated to advancing sustainable packaging
Western Michigan University is taking on a leadership role with the Center for Plastic, Paper and Hybrid Packaging End-of-Life Solutions, which is focused on developing solutions to pressing issues related to the amount of plastic waste and plastic-coated paper waste produced in the United States.
Faculty and students at WMU develop novel and sustainable method for treating pollutants in water
A team of researchers at Western Michigan University's College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, including graduate and undergraduate students, have developed a cost-effective, environmentally friendly and efficient method for treating water contaminated with toxic pollutants that can harm both humans and the environment.
Faculty research topics
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Advanced Separations, Water Purification, and Biomass Processing
- Battery Technologies
- Chronic Inflammation
- Chromatography
- Direct Air Capture and Carbon Dioxide Separation
- Electrochemistry
- Gas Storage and Molecular Sieving
- High-pressure Processes
- Mass Spectrometry
- Material Design, Synthesis and Characterization
- Materials for Biomedical Applications
- Metalcasting
- Molecular Biology
- Molecular Simulation and Thermodynamic Modeling
- Polymer Physics and Chemistry
- Supercritical Fluids
- Sustainable Polymer Engineering
- Upcycling Waste
Funding
A limited number of graduate assistantships are awarded through a selective and highly competitive process.
Resources
Graduate support at WMU
Application requirements
- Admission decisions will be made by the department doctoral committee.
- All students must meet the general requirements for a doctoral degree specified in the Graduate College Catalog.