We explain in detail the curriculum of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, the areas covered, and the various career paths available after graduation. This article provides useful information for students who are considering their major and career options.
My major is Chemical & Biological Engineering, or Chemical & Biological Engineering in English. I have always loved chemistry since I was a child, and when I went to college, I was torn between chemistry and chemical engineering. Although studying chemistry alone was attractive, I was drawn to the mysteriousness of the words chemical engineering and biology, and eventually chose chemical and biological engineering. Chemical engineering is closely related to cutting-edge technologies such as nanotechnology, and the word biology conjures up images of researchers working in fields such as stem cell research and drug development, which made it more appealing to me. I’m sure students in other majors have similar impressions when they think of chemical and biomolecular engineering. However, when I entered the department and actually learned about the major, I realized that there was a huge difference in the content of the major from what I had imagined in high school.
The best way to understand the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is to take a closer look at the major curriculum. In my department’s curriculum, even though we are called the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, our courses are actually composed of 40% physics, 50% chemistry, and 10% biology. If you chose this major simply because you like chemistry, like I do, you’re going to struggle with the physics courses. In my freshman year, I was able to take my favorite chemistry and biology courses and enjoy my college life relatively easily, but in my sophomore year, as I started to learn more about my major, I started to wonder if I really wanted to major in chemical engineering. Chemical engineering has a lot to do with physics, while biological engineering is closer to biology. In my junior year, I learned subjects such as fluid mechanics and heat transfer, and I was once again frustrated by physics. After that, from the second half of the third year until graduation, you can choose your own elective courses, and I think these are the courses that best describe the major of chemical and biomolecular engineering. The required courses are the basic courses of chemical engineering, such as physical chemistry and organic chemistry, so it is not clear from the required courses what exactly I am studying. However, the elective courses I take after my junior year, such as polymer chemistry, chemical thermodynamics, and separation processes, give me a good idea of what kind of work or research I will be doing after graduation.
Compared to other majors, chemical biomedical engineering is very broad. According to the department’s website, the fields of chemical engineering include process development, nanomaterials and catalytic processes, semiconductor and electrochemistry, biology and environment, and organic polymer materials. Process development refers to the process of producing products in a chemical plant. Based on the knowledge of chemical reactions such as fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and chemical thermodynamics, process development develops a process that produces products efficiently. Secondly, nano-inorganic materials and catalytic processes are related to nanotechnology, and catalysts play a very important role in chemical reactions as substances that speed up chemical reactions. This field focuses on chemical reactions that occur on the surface of materials. Third, semiconductor and electrochemistry uses and studies chemical reactions related to electricity, most notably semiconductors and fuel cells. Fourth, biology and the environment deals with biological research and water treatment in environmental engineering. Finally, organopolymeric materials studies the synthesis and properties of organic and polymeric materials.
With so many different areas of chemical engineering, there are many different career paths after graduation. Students who graduate after completing their bachelor’s program usually choose to work. Many of our students work in petroleum-related companies such as oil refineries and petrochemical companies. Engineering is also a common career choice. Some students choose to work in finance or consulting without utilizing their major. After completing a master’s or doctoral program, most graduates work in research or become professors. Finally, some go on to become engineers, patent attorneys, pharmacists, dentists, and medical doctors. As you can see, the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering offers a wide variety of majors and a wide range of career options, so you can look forward to your future role in the field with excitement and anticipation.
