Chemical Engineering, B.S.
Chemical engineers design and enhance cutting-edge processes that transform raw materials into new products. Mastering this field means you can pioneer advancements in biotechnology, food and packaging, alternative energy and more.
Why Study Chemical Engineering at Kettering University
Work shoulder-to-shoulder with industry experts from your first year with Kettering University’s Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Chemical Engineering program. Get paid as you join real-world chemical engineering teams through our Co-op program and collaborate with professors on their research projects.
In fact, past students have co-published research papers, presented at conferences and even become co-inventors on patents! Current faculty projects you can join include:
- Surface engineering thin films and coatings using plasma deposition for automotive and other applications.
- Engineering sustainable alternative energy technologies, such as carbon capture and waste-to-energy processes like anaerobic digestion.
- Designing new polymers and composite materials made from recycled materials.
- Investigating lithium-ion battery systems for recyclability and sustainable materials engineering.
Take a tour of Kettering’s Chemical Engineering Teaching Lab with Dr. Susan Farhat and learn about essential chemical process unit operations, from absorption columns to plug flow reactors to distillation and control systems.
College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Email: cheme@kettering.edu
Phone: (810) 762-7912
What You’ll Learn as a Chemical Engineering Major
Gain expertise in chemical unit operations, including fluid dynamics systems, heat transfer equipment, chemical reactors and separations systems. Our capstone design course offers projects that challenge you to apply the comprehensive knowledge from your previous courses to solve open-ended problems.
Learn to design and optimize chemical processes that revolutionize performance, increase profitability, reduce waste and pollution, and uphold strict safety standards. These projects involve industry applications, provide invaluable practical experience and prepare you for a successful career.
Advanced elective classes will expose you to various applications of chemical engineering beyond your foundational core courses, such as:
- Polymer Science and Engineering
- Fundamentals of Battery Systems
- Sustainable Engineering Design
- Nanotechnology
- Process Safety
Co-op Experience + Career Opportunities
Tackle real-world challenges involving fuel, pharmaceuticals, food production and more, building invaluable experience and industry connections.
Chemical Engineering Career Paths:
- Biochemical Engineer
- Materials Engineer
- Petroleum Engineer
- Process Engineer
- Quality Control/Assurance Engineer
- Research and Development Scientist/Engineer
Companies You Can Work With:
- BASF Corporation
- Bissell
- Dow Inc.
- Dupont
- Duro-Last Roofing
- Michigan Sugar
- Nestlé
- Raytheon
- Sika
- Teijin
Our Students Achieve More
Kettering students don’t just study theory — they actively shape the future. See how chemical engineering majors Graham Garner ‘18 and Michael Magyar ‘16 collaborated with pioneering faculty researchers to obtain patents for their work as undergraduate students.
Learn More About the B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Senior Thesis
The senior thesis project represents the culminating academic experience of your bachelor’s in chemical engineering degree program at Kettering. Undertake this senior project during your final year and apply the cumulative knowledge and skills you’ve earned to solve a real-world industry problem.
Build upon prior coursework, dive deeper into research begun during your Co-op experience or explore a new challenge that piques your interest. Recent thesis topics have included:
- Developing eco-friendly hydrogen-fueled campfires
- Investigating applications of AI and data analytics at food manufacturing plants
- Studying how generative AI can increase drafting efficiency in the patent application process
- Uncovering sources of variability in compression set testing data
Career Outcomes for Chemical Engineering Majors
Chemical engineers are working in a wide range of industries such as petroleum and natural gas, bulk and specialty chemical production, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, plastics and polymers, and semiconductors and electronics. Many of them work in product and process engineering, research and development, operations, technical sales, engineering systems design, plant or corporate management, and manufacturing.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts employment for chemical engineers will grow 8 percent through 2032. The BLS also reports that in 2023, the median pay for chemical engineers was $112,100.
Accreditation
The Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET, http://www.abet.org.
The Alumni Perspective
“Kettering’s value and impact really clicked for me when I got my second role out of college. I was actually an entire level ahead of many of them at my company, and I was accelerated on my career trajectory.”
Ashley Switalski
Chemical Engineering ‘18
Explore Related Programs
Kettering’s majors prepare you to find practical solutions to real problems. And if you embrace the challenge, you’ll reap the rewards.
Learn to write code for cars, drones and more — and test your results. Apply your problem-solving abilities to develop hardware and software.
Discover new ways to generate power, improve robot control and revolutionize electric vehicle systems. Get hands-on experience with circuits, virtual reality and more.
Gain a broad foundation in engineering and select a concentration in manufacturing, mechatronics, robotics systems or engineering management to refine your skills.
Next Steps
Gain the theoretical mastery and hands-on experience to develop groundbreaking, market-ready chemical engineering solutions with Kettering University’s Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering degree program.