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PhD Program
Chemical Engineering
Doctoral Programs
In-Person
The PhD program is the opportunity to work closely with one of our world-renowned faculty on pushing forward the frontier of knowledge in Chemical Engineering.
The program is the introduction to a career of advanced research in either an academic or industrial setting. Our PhD students are a small and highly selective group who will go on to be the leaders and innovators of tomorrow's Chemical Engineering field.
Students enrolling in the PhD program will have the opportunity to conduct research in these and other areas. Students with degrees in chemical engineering and other engineering disciplines, in chemistry, in physics, in biochemistry, and in other related disciplines are all natural participants in the PhD program and are encouraged to apply. The Department of Chemical Engineering at Columbia is committed to a leadership role in research and education in frontier areas of research and technology where progress derives from the conjunction of many different traditional research disciplines. Increasingly, new technologies and fundamental research questions demand this type of interdisciplinary approach.
Requirements
Our program is highly competitive and the requirements reflect the rigorous nature of our training. Below outlines the requirements to both apply for and complete our Doctoral program in Chemical Engineering at Columbia University.
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Degree Requirements
To earn your PhD, you must:
- Only for students who have not yet earned an MS before their time in our program: Earn satisfactory grades in the four core courses (CHEN E4010 MATH METHODS IN CHEMICAL ENGIN, CHEN E4110 MECHANISMS OF TRANSPORT, CHEN E4330 ADVANCED CHEMICAL KINETICS, CHEN E4130 ADV CHEM ENGI THERMODYNAMICS/CHAP E4120 STATISTICAL MECHANICS AND COMP METHODS);
- pass a Qualifying Examination;
- pass a Proposal Examination within 12 months of passing the Qualifying Examination;
- pass a Dissertation Defense; and
- satisfy course requirements beyond the four core courses.