Graduate

Historically, the field of chemical engineering has had a long and rich tradition as one of the core engineering disciplines, built on a solid foundation in chemistry, physics and mathematics. However, with the maturity of the chemical process industry, chemical engineering is no longer concerned only with flow in pipes, solution chemistry, chemical reactions and unit operations. Instead, the past decade has seen a revolution in the field, characterized primarily by an increased interest in applying chemical engineering tools and analytical skills to study highly interdisciplinary problems involving complex systems (e.g., in biotechnology and biological systems) and molecular-level phenomena (e.g., in microtechnology and nanotechnology). Since its inception in 2018, UC Irvine's Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has directed its attention on cutting-edge problems beyond the scope of traditional chemical engineering, a trend now mirrored in most major academic institutions around the world.

The department offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemical and biomolecular engineering. The departments' 17 faculty members are conducting cutting-edge multidisciplinary research in five thrust areas: biotechnology, energy, environment, microstructured materials and nanotechnology.

Graduate students participate in all aspects of the department through the CBE Graduate Student Association, which fields representatives for biweekly faculty meetings and plays an active role in the faculty hiring process. 

Competitive fellowship packages are available. The recommended deadline for Fall applications for the Ph.D. program is December 15, 2024. The recommended deadline for Fall applications for the master's program is January 15, 2025. After this date, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis for a limited time.

Please note GRE scores will be waived for Fall 2025 applicants. The Personal History Statement on the application is required, not optional.