Chemical Engineering MS
The Chemical Engineering Master of Science (ChE MS) program has a strong emphasis on research to foster knowledge skills and activities that prepare students for real-world problems under the guidance of faculty working in areas including biochemical/biomolecular engineering, carbon capture, biomedical, catalysis, environmental remediation, materials design, machine learning applications in medicine, and process controls. Our curriculum is customizable with a wide range of technical electives to choose from to tailor student's career goals. The program offers both full-time and part-time options of study leading towards the ChE MS degree.
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Why study Chemical Engineering MS at SJSU?
Gain hands-on experience
Multi-disciplinary research
Core classes in the evenings and late afternoon
Work With Faculty on Research Projects
- A.I./Machine Learning
- Biochemical/Biomolecular Engineering
- Biomedical
- Biotechnology
- Carbon Capture
- Catalysis
- Process Control
- Materials Design
What Chemical Engineering MS Students Say About The Program
“SJSU has helped me level up my network ... thanks to the mentors and colleagues I’ve met in organizations such as the MESA Engineering Program, Alpha Omega Epsilon professional sorority for women in STEM, and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society. [SJSU] has always encouraged me to be very proud in representing my roots as a first-generation Vietnamese-American and as a female engineer.”
Kathy Tong
'24 M.S., Chemical Engineering
"I chose to study at SJSU specifically because of my relationships with the professors. The smaller class sizes allowed me to form close connections with them, which has proven to be very beneficial in my time at SJSU. For example, the industry connections that my professors have has helped me obtain internship opportunities and work toward my career goals."
Jinann Alzaghari
'23 SAGE (BS+MS), Chemical Engineering
"... while completing my undergraduate degree, I gained hands-on experience working in a lab, which sparked my desire to continue learning in a practical, research-driven environment. Pursuing a master's degree allows me to delve deeper into complex topics and apply them to independent projects, enhancing both my knowledge and skills in this dynamic field."
Bella Bowers
'24 MS Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering MS Graduates at Work
With a ChE MS degree, students have the ability to work across various careers and disciplines.
Snapshot of Career Pathways
- Process Engineer
- Field Engineer
- Manufacturing Scientist/Engineer/Technician
- Research Scientist
- Environmental Health and Safety
- Project Management
Where are Chemical Engineering MS Graduates Getting Jobs?
- Apple
- Meta
- Bloom Energy
- NASA
- Western Digital
- Genentech
- Agilent Technologies
- Applied Materials
- PG&E
- Mango Materials
- Lockheed Martin
- Jabil
- DuPont
- Intel
- Cepheid
- NovoNordisk
- MacDermid Alpha
- Henkel
- E&J Gallo Winery
- Stanford University
Visit the Career Center to view all the resources available to help you explore career pathways and opportunities to engage with employers.
Admission Requirements
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Chemical Engineering admits students for the Fall and Spring. This program is STEM-eligible.
Deadlines
The Fall application opens for both International and Domestic students closes March 1, 2025 for International Students and May 1, 2025 for Domestic Students, unless otherwise stated on the Graduate Admissions Deadline webpage. We do rolling admissions, so you can expect to hear from us promptly once your application has been referred to the department from Graduate Studies.
Application Process
SJSU follows a two-step graduate admissions process:
Step 1
Apply through Cal State Apply.
Step 2:
Upload program required documents through Cal State Apply Quadrant 4.
Eligibility Requirements
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the program or need assistance, please email our team at chemical-materials-engineering@sjsu.edu.
Funding Resources
- Scholarship opportunities from the University and College of Engineering
- There are limited Teaching Assistant and Grader positions available for qualified students
- Some faculty members have funded projects with budget to support students on research projects
- Internships at local companies and national labs
Program Courses
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Chemical Engineering is a 30 unit program. To complete the program, students must take 4 core courses and choose 4 technical electives from various areas tailored to your career goals. In addition, there are 6 units required for Culminating Experience. Descriptions of all of the courses are available on the SJSU Catalog. Program courses are subject to change.
Program Learning Outcomes
The ChE MS Program is designed to produce graduates who:
- Are able to solve complex engineering problems and tasks, and use engineering, science and statistics principles to justify recommendations.
- Are able to evaluate the impact of their work on society, including ethical, economic, global and environmental aspects.
- Can deliver effective presentations of engineering results in written and oral formats.
- Have life-long learning skills and are able to apply their engineering knowledge to critically evaluate relevant literature and new technologies or systems.
- Are effective leaders, capable of working in diverse environments.
- Are able to apply their engineering education to a variety of career paths.
Faculty Spotlight
Dr. Lew joined the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at San José State University in the fall of 2023. Prior to his appointment at SJSU, he was a research engineer at Chevron Technology Company for eleven years studying zeolite synthesis and catalysis. Dr. Lew's research at SJSU seeks to understand the underlying synthesis principles surrounding new and improved zeolites and how the resulting materials can be exploited for critical environmental and sustainable manufacturing uses.
Christopher Lew, Assistant Professor, ChE
Student Spotlight
Devin Virasammy, M.S. Chemical Engineering, is advancing in his career
"Under the mentorship of Dr. Kao and through a transformative Industry/Academic research capstone project at Synthekine, I spearheaded the development of automated methods for protein purification. This endeavor yielded three purification methods and established decision criteria, amplifying drug discovery efforts and fortifying partnerships with industry giants like Merck and Sanofi. Building on this success, I now lead initiatives to automate DNA production and protein production pipelines, seamlessly integrating each unit operation into a single process."
About the program
Top 5 Reasons to Choose our M.S. in Chemical Engineering Program
- The ChE MS program is taught by faculty with extensive research or industrial experience.
- Our program has a strong emphasis on research to foster knowledge skills and activities that prepare you for real-world problems. You get guidance from faculty in areas such as: biochemical/biomolecular engineering, carbon capture, biomedical, catalysis, environmental remediation, materials design, machine learning applications in medicine, and process controls.
- Our curriculum is customizable with a wide range of technical electives to choose from to tailor student's career goals.
- Most of our core and elective courses are offered in the evenings to make it accessible for working students.
- Our graduates get hired by industry leaders like Apple, Meta, Western Digital, Agilent, PacBio, Genentech, Six Sigma, by government agencies like NASA and LLNL, and by startups. Many of our students find jobs in industry even before they graduate.
