Chemical Engineering (BS)

Intended Program Outcomes / Criteria and Methods of Assessment
Students graduating from the program should have knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, and chemical engineering, understand the meaning of these basic principles and an ability to apply the knowledge to analyze chemical engineering processes (C3.a). / Direct Measures:
Specific Skills -- Students will have:
  1. knowledge of and the ability to apply the fundamentals of mathematics, including topics in differential and integral calculus, differential equations, multivariable calculus, and linear algebra.
  2. knowledge of and the ability to apply basic sciences, including calculus-based physics and general chemistry (including the associated laboratories.
  3. knowledge of and the ability to apply advanced chemistry, including organic, physical, and analytical chemistry or biochemistry (including the associated laboratories).
  4. the ability to apply a knowledge of chemistry, physics, and mathematics to develop chemical engineering process models that take into account constraints on the design (e.g., cost and safety).
Implementation Strategies:
  1. Chemical engineering graduates must successfully complete a core mathematics sequence of nineteen semester hours of courses, which stress fundamental principles and problem solving in differential, integral, and multivariable calculus, as well as differential equations, with a grade of C or better.
  2. Chemical engineering graduates must successfully complete a core sequence of courses which stress fundamental principles and problem solving in physical and organic chemistry, and physics, including ten semester hours of physics, eight semester hours of general chemistry, and thirteen credit hours of advanced chemistry, with a grade of C or better.
  3. Chemical engineering graduates must complete a core chemical engineering sequence of courses which stresses fundamental principles and problem solving in the chemical engineering disciplines of mass and energy balances (ECH 3023 and ECH 3024), thermodynamics(ECH 3101), momentum, heat and mass transfer (ECH 3266 and ECH 4267), chemical reaction kinetics and reaction engineering (ECH 4504), separations processes (ECH 3418), and process dynamics and control (ECH 4323).
Method(s):
Course embedded assignment (often in tandem with exam question bank), department assessment, problem-solving exercise, project evaluation. / Indirect Measures:
1. Electronic survey questionnaires are to be administered to graduating seniors (annually) as an additional measure for assessment of this student learning outcome. In the Senior Exit Survey, the outcome is assessed on a scale of 1 to 5 (poor to excellent). The outcome assessment committee then evaluates the surveys, ranking this outcome on a scale of 1 – 5. The criteria for success for this outcome are a minimum average score of 3 out of 5 on the Senior Exit Survey, and a minimum of 3 out of 5 on the overall score of the outcome assessment committee.
2. Electronic survey questionnaires are to be administered to alumni (biennially) as an additional measure for assessment of this student learning outcome. In the Alumni Survey, a scale of 1 to 3 is used. The outcome assessment committee then evaluates the surveys, ranking this outcome on a scale of 1 – 5. The criteria for success for this outcome are a minimum average score of 2 out of 3 on the Alumni Survey, and a minimum of 3 out of 5 on the overall score of the outcome assessment committee.
3. A Town Hall Meeting (focus group) for undergraduate students will be held every year in the Spring, during which verbal feedback from undergraduate students will be sought on topics such as academics and student welfare. The results will be compiled without attributing individual students' names to the comments, organized into subject categories, analyzed, and discussed at the Annual Faculty Retreat.
2. Chemical Engineering Process Experimentation [Student Learning Outcome]
Start Date: 07-01-07
End Date: 06-30-08
Outcome Type: Content/Discipline Knowledge & Skills.
Define Outcome:
Upon completion of the course of instruction, the student will be able to design and conduct chemical engineering experiments, and analyze and interpret fundamental data of importance to the design and analysis of chemical processes. (C3.b) / Direct Measures:
Specific Skills -- Students will be able to:
  1. outline an experimental protocol to perform an experiment, given a general statement of the objectives;
  2. implement an experimental protocol to achieve stated objectives using a specific experimental apparatus;
  3. operate instrumentation and chemical engineering process equipment;
  4. analyze and interpret experimental data to obtain relevant process or design information, including estimation of uncertainties in experimental measurements and calculated parameters.
Implementation Strategies:
  1. Students learn to follow experimental procedures in required laboratory courses in general chemistry (CHM 1045L, CHM 1046L), general physics (PHY 2048L, PHY 2049L), organic chemistry (CHM 2210L), physical chemistry (CHM 4410L), and electrical engineering (EEL 3003L).
  2. Students are introduced to statistical analysis of experimental data, including regression, error, and sensitivity analysis in Process Analysis (ECH 3301) and in Chemical Engineering Computations (ECH 3854).
  3. All students graduating from the chemical engineering program are required to complete our two-semester laboratory sequence (ECH 3274L and ECH 4404L) with a grade of "C-" or higher in each course. Learning activities in both these courses include "hands on" lab experiments. Students must demonstrate, at a minimum, competence in each of three areas: (i) designing experiments, (ii) conducting experiments, and (iii) analyzing and interpreting data in order to pass each course. Students not meeting this requirement for all three of these areas, for all of their assigned experiments, fail the course.
  4. Coursework provides, in most of the core courses in the curriculum, experience in working with analysis and interpretation of experimental data.
  5. Students complete a problem in Kinetics and Reactor Design (ECH 4504) requiring analysis of experimental data to select optimal reactor parameters and/or suggest further experiments to refine their choice.
  6. In Process Control class and lab (ECH 4323 and ECH 4323L), students learn techniques to estimate model parameters from experimental data, and also learn the design and operation of controllers for process equipment.
Method(s):
Class performance or presentation, course report, faculty designed comprehensive or capstone examination and assignment, project evaluation, written report or essay. / Indirect Measures:
1. Electronic survey questionnaires are to be administered to graduating seniors (annually) as an additional measure for assessment of this student learning outcome. In the Senior Exit Survey, the outcome is assessed on a scale of 1 to 5 (poor to excellent). The outcome assessment committee then evaluates the surveys, ranking this outcome on a scale of 1 – 5. The criteria for success for this outcome are a minimum average score of 3 out of 5 on the Senior Exit Survey, and a minimum of 3 out of 5 on the overall score of the outcome assessment committee.
2. Electronic survey questionnaires are to be administered to alumni (biennially) as an additional measure for assessment of this student learning outcome. In the Alumni Survey, a scale of 1 to 3 is used. The outcome assessment committee then evaluates the surveys, ranking this outcome on a scale of 1 – 5. The criteria for success for this outcome are a minimum average score of 2 out of 3 on the Alumni Survey, and a minimum of 3 out of 5 on the overall score of the outcome assessment committee.
3. A Town Hall Meeting (focus group) for undergraduate students will be held every year in the Spring, during which verbal feedback from undergraduate students will be sought on topics such as academics and student welfare. The results will be compiled without attributing individual students' names to the comments, organized into subject categories, analyzed, and discussed at the Annual Faculty Retreat.
3. Design and Analyze Chemical Processes [Student Learning Outcome]
Start Date: 07-01-08
End Date: 06-30-09
Outcome Type: Content/Discipline Knowledge & Skills.
Define Outcome:
Upon completion of the senior-level Chemical Engineering capstone design sequence of ECH4604 and ECH4615, the student will have the ablity to design and analyze new and existing chemical systems and processes to meet desired needs. (C3.c) / Direct Measures:
Specific Skills -- Students will have:
  1. use mass and energy balances, thermodynamics, transport phenomena, unit operations, reaction kinetics, and process control for the analysis and control of process units.
  2. analyze and synthesize chemical engineering processes involving multiple unit operations.
  3. choose and implement an appropriate design approach, possibly requiring novel and innovative approaches.
  4. include constraints arising from economic, health and safety, ethical, environmental, and social considerations in designing systems and processes.
  5. evaluate the solution and iterate the design process, if necessary, to achieve required performance or optimize the solution.
Implementation Strategies:
  1. Students complete a set of core chemical engineering courses in which they solve open ended, design-oriented problems in separations processes and reaction engineering.
  2. Students take a capstone design course sequence in which they design chemical processes taking into consideration a variety of constraints (economic, health and safety, ethical, the environmental, social, etc.).
Method(s):
Capstone course evaluation, course report, department assessment, faculty designed comprehensive or capstone examination and assignment, project evaluation, written report or essay. / Indirect Measures:
1. Electronic survey questionnaires are to be administered to graduating seniors (annually) as an additional measure for assessment of this student learning outcome. In the Senior Exit Survey, the outcome is assessed on a scale of 1 to 5 (poor to excellent). The outcome assessment committee then evaluates the surveys, ranking this outcome on a scale of 1 – 5. The criteria for success for this outcome are a minimum average score of 3 out of 5 on the Senior Exit Survey, and a minimum of 3 out of 5 on the overall score of the outcome assessment committee.
2. Electronic survey questionnaires are to be administered to alumni (biennially) as an additional measure for assessment of this student learning outcome. In the Alumni Survey, a scale of 1 to 3 is used. The outcome assessment committee then evaluates the surveys, ranking this outcome on a scale of 1 – 5. The criteria for success for this outcome are a minimum average score of 2 out of 3 on the Alumni Survey, and a minimum of 3 out of 5 on the overall score of the outcome assessment committee.
3. A Town Hall Meeting (focus group) for undergraduate students will be held every year in the Spring, during which verbal feedback from undergraduate students will be sought on topics such as academics and student welfare. The results will be compiled without attributing individual students' names to the comments, organized into subject categories, analyzed, and discussed at the Annual Faculty Retreat.
4. MultidisciplinaryTeams [Student Learning Outcome]
Start Date: 07-01-08
End Date: 06-30-09
Outcome Type: Communication Skills, Content/Discipline Knowledge & Skills.
Define Outcome:
Upon completion of the course of instruction, the student will be able to operate on multidisciplinary teams. (C3.d) / Direct Measures:
Specific Skills -- Students will:
  1. demonstrate effective team and leadership skills, including the setting of objectives, development of strategy, and division of responsibilities in consultation with other team members, preparation of a schedule, and a process to monitor and review progress.
  2. have a broad-based education that allows them to function on multi-disciplinary teams.
Implementation Strategies:
  1. Chemical engineering graduates complete a core sequence of chemistry (CHM 1045+L, CHM 1046+L, CHM 2210, CHM 2211, CHM 4410, CHM 4411), physics (PHY 2048C, PHY 2049C), general engineering (EGM 3512, EEL 3003+L), and economics (ECO 2023).
  2. Chemical engineering graduates work in formal groups in chemical engineering laboratory courses. Each student assumes all of the roles in a team.
  3. Chemical engineering graduates have involvement in teams consisting of students from different areas within Chemical Engineering (e.g., materials, environmental, biochemical, biomedical) in the chemical engineering laboratory and design courses, as well as students from different engineering fields.
Method(s):
Course report, project evaluation, written report or essay. / Indirect Measures:
1. Electronic survey questionnaires are to be administered to graduating seniors (annually) as an additional measure for assessment of this student learning outcome. In the Senior Exit Survey, the outcome is assessed on a scale of 1 to 5 (poor to excellent). The outcome assessment committee then evaluates the surveys, ranking this outcome on a scale of 1 – 5. The criteria for success for this outcome are a minimum average score of 3 out of 5 on the Senior Exit Survey, and a minimum of 3 out of 5 on the overall score of the outcome assessment committee.
2. Electronic survey questionnaires are to be administered to alumni (biennially) as an additional measure for assessment of this student learning outcome. In the Alumni Survey, a scale of 1 to 3 is used. The outcome assessment committee then evaluates the surveys, ranking this outcome on a scale of 1 – 5. The criteria for success for this outcome are a minimum average score of 2 out of 3 on the Alumni Survey, and a minimum of 3 out of 5 on the overall score of the outcome assessment committee.
3. A Town Hall Meeting (focus group) for undergraduate students will be held every year in the Spring, during which verbal feedback from undergraduate students will be sought on topics such as academics and student welfare. The results will be compiled without attributing individual students' names to the comments, organized into subject categories, analyzed, and discussed at the Annual Faculty Retreat.
5. Problem Solving [Student Learning Outcome]
Start Date: 07-01-08
End Date: 06-30-09
Outcome Type: Critical Thinking Skills, Content/Discipline Knowledge & Skills.
Define Outcome:
Upon completion of the course of instruction, the student will be able to demonstrate the ability to identify, formulate, and solve chemical engineering problems. (C3.e) / Direct Measures:
Specific Skills -- Students will have the ability to:
  1. analyze engineering problems, including open-ended chemical processes: clearly identifying the problem and applying analytical, numerical and/or experimental techniques to obtain a solution.
  2. evaluate proposed solutions based on specified criteria, and validation of results.
Implementation Strategies:
  1. Chemical engineering graduates must complete a core chemical engineering sequence of courses which stress fundamental principles and problem solving in the chemical engineering disciplines of material and energy balances (ECH 3023); thermodynamics (ECH 3101); momentum, heat, and mass transfer (ECH 3266 and ECH 4267); chemical reaction kinetics and reaction engineering (ECH 4504); separations processes (ECH3418); and process dynamics and control (ECH 4323).
  2. Students will be required to practice problem-solving skills in classroom, laboratory, and examination situations.
  3. Students will receive formal training in problem-solving methods and evaluation strategies.
  4. Students will be assigned open-ended problems throughout the curriculum, including comprehensive projects in the capstone design course.
Method(s):
Course embedded assignment (often in tandem with exam question bank), department assessment, problem-solving exercise, project evaluation. / Indirect Measures:
1. Electronic survey questionnaires are to be administered to graduating seniors (annually) as an additional measure for assessment of this student learning outcome. In the Senior Exit Survey, the outcome is assessed on a scale of 1 to 5 (poor to excellent). The outcome assessment committee then evaluates the surveys, ranking this outcome on a scale of 1 – 5. The criteria for success for this outcome are a minimum average score of 3 out of 5 on the Senior Exit Survey, and a minimum of 3 out of 5 on the overall score of the outcome assessment committee.
2. Electronic survey questionnaires are to be administered to alumni (biennially) as an additional measure for assessment of this student learning outcome. In the Alumni Survey, a scale of 1 to 3 is used. The outcome assessment committee then evaluates the surveys, ranking this outcome on a scale of 1 – 5. The criteria for success for this outcome are a minimum average score of 2 out of 3 on the Alumni Survey, and a minimum of 3 out of 5 on the overall score of the outcome assessment committee.
3. A Town Hall Meeting (focus group) for undergraduate students will be held every year in the Spring, during which verbal feedback from undergraduate students will be sought on topics such as academics and student welfare. The results will be compiled without attributing individual students' names to the comments, organized into subject categories, analyzed, and discussed at the Annual Faculty Retreat.
6. Professional and Ethical Responsibility [Student Learning Outcome]
Start Date: 07-01-08
End Date: 06-30-09
Outcome Type: Content/Discipline Knowledge & Skills.
Define Outcome:
Upon completion of the course of instruction, the student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility. (C3.f) / Direct Measures:
Specific Skills -- Students will:
  1. demonstrate knowledge of the of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) code of ethics.
  2. demonstrate an understanding of the ethical aspects of professional practices, and formulate strategies to deal with unethical situations.
  3. demonstrate professional excellence in all aspects of their work.
Implementation Strategies:
  1. Students are made aware of the Department, College of Engineering, and Universities' statements on the Academic Honor Code, and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers code of ethics.
  2. Faculty and practicing engineers address the students on the impact of chemical engineering on society in a seminar course.
  3. Students include a section in every laboratory or process design report that discusses relevant health, safety, and environmental issues.
  4. Student work is graded for neatness, completeness, and punctuality throughout the curriculum.
  5. Students are encouraged to participate in service projects.
  6. Students with meritorious service accomplishments are recognized by departmental and college-wide awards.
  7. Students are encouraged to develop professional responsibility through participation and leadership in various profession-related activities in professional organizations.
Method(s):
Behavioral observation, class performance or presentation, course embedded assignment (often in tandem with exam question bank), course report, instructor constructed exam, judged performance, problem-solving exercise, project evaluation, public performance or presentation (juried), written report or essay. / Indirect Measures:
1. Electronic survey questionnaires are to be administered to graduating seniors (annually) as an additional measure for assessment of this student learning outcome. In the Senior Exit Survey, the outcome is assessed on a scale of 1 to 5 (poor to excellent). The outcome assessment committee then evaluates the surveys, ranking this outcome on a scale of 1 – 5. The criteria for success for this outcome are a minimum average score of 3 out of 5 on the Senior Exit Survey, and a minimum of 3 out of 5 on the overall score of the outcome assessment committee.