General Information
The Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering offers facilities for advanced training and research leading to the Master of Engineering, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Chemical Engineering and in Materials Engineering. Degrees are granted in Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Process Control and Welding Engineering. Welding Engineering is not available at the doctoral level. The MEng degree is intended primarily for part-time students who are working in industry, but can also be taken by full-time students.
General fields for research in chemical engineering include fluid mechanics and rheology; reaction kinetics and catalysis; mass transfer and separation processes; heat transfer; thermodynamics, hydrocarbon P-V-T and phase equilibrium studies; polymer reactor engineering; computer process control; dynamic simulation; biotechnology, mathematical modelling and environmental engineering. Many research programs are oriented toward better utilization of natural resources in the province, e.g., upgrading of Athabasca bitumen and heavy oil feedstocks; processing of natural gas.
Active research areas in materials engineering include mineral processing; coal preparation; modelling and simulation; intelligent processing of materials and solidification processing; hydrometallurgy; pyrometallurgy; high temperature electrochemistry; corrosion; physical and mechanical metallurgy; process metallurgy; welding metallurgy; powder metallurgy; ancient materials; ceramic materials; and electronic materials. Active research areas in chemical process control include dynamic modeling, state and parameter estimation, model predictive control, fault monitoring and diagnosis and process optimization.
Many research projects are industrially applied, and supported by industry. In some cases research can be carried out at the supporting company. Details of current research projects are available from the Department office.
Entrance Requirements
The Department’s minimum admission requirements are an undergraduate degree with an admission GPA of at least 3.0 on the 4-point scale from the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification and standing from a recognized institution. The admission GPA will be calculated on the last 60 units of graded coursework completed, or on the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework.
Students applying to a PhD program directly from a BSc must have an average of at least 3.5 on a four-point scale in the last 60 units or two years of undergraduate or graduate work at the University of Alberta, or an equivalent qualification from a recognized institution.
For applicants with international qualifications, if the previous degree was not obtained from Canada, USA, UK, Australia or New Zealand, proof of English Language Proficiency is still required.
Where applicable, applicants must provide proof of English Language Proficiency (refer to English Language Requirement ). Any one of the following is acceptable:
- a minimum TOEFL score of 92 (internet-based) with at least 21 in each section or equivalent
- an overall band score of 7.0 on IELTS with at least 6.0 on each band
- a minimum overall score of 65 on the CAEL with at least 60 on each subtest
- a minimum score of 62 on the PTE Academic.
Applicants are also required to submit a CV, a one page Personal Statement, and should arrange for three references to be submitted.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is optional.
The Department will accept qualified applicants with degrees in other fields of engineering. Graduates with non-engineering backgrounds may be admitted under special arrangements which might involve the completion of certain undergraduate engineering courses.
Applicants wishing to pursue an MEng degree must have an undergraduate degree in Engineering.
Students with a Masters’ degree in Chemical or Materials Engineering (or a related discipline) are only eligible for admission into the PhD program, and students with a doctoral degree in Chemical or Materials Engineering (or a related discipline) are ineligible for admission into the graduate program. The determination of related disciplines (on a case-by-case basis) is made by the Associate Chair (Graduate).
For Fall (September) admission, the application deadlines are April 1 for all international students, and August 15 for Canadian and Permanent Resident students.
For Winter (January) admission, the application deadlines are October 1 for all international students, and December 1 for Canadian and Permanent Resident students.
Financial Assistance
Graduate assistantships are available for qualified students on a part-time or full-time basis, with remuneration according to the student’s background and hours of service. Scholarships and fellowships are available for research in chemical engineering, materials engineering, and process control. All MSc and PhD students are guaranteed a minimum level of financial support subject to acceptable performance.
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