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NanoEngineering (NANO)

BUSINESS AFFAIRS:
240 Structural Materials Engineering Building, Warren College

STUDENT AFFAIRS:
241 Structural Materials Engineering Building, Warren College

http://nanoengineering.ucsd.edu

All courses, faculty listings, and curricular and degree requirements described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice. The NanoEngineering department website is the best reference for up-to-date information and requirements.

Departmental Focus

The Department of NanoEngineering focuses on nanoscale science, engineering, and technology that have the potential to make valuable advances in different areas that include new materials, biology and medicine, energy conversion, sensors, and environmental remediation, to name a few. NanoEngineering is a highly diversified and multidisciplinary field. The graduate research programs cover a broad range of topics, but focus particularly on biomedical nanotechnology, nanotechnologies for energy conversion and storage, computational nanotechnology, and molecular and nanomaterials. Undergraduate degree programs focus on integrating nanoscale science, technology, and engineering disciplines necessary for successful careers in the evolving nanotechnology industry.

Degree and Program Options

The Department of NanoEngineering offers two undergraduate programs. One program leads to the BS in NanoEngineering. The other program leads to the BS in chemical engineering. The BS in NanoEngineering and the BS in chemical engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET/EAC). The two degree programs have very different requirements and are described in separate sections.

NanoEngineering Program (NANO)

Program Objectives

The Department of NanoEngineering focuses on nanoscale science, engineering, and technology that have the potential to make valuable advances in different areas that include new materials, biology and medicine, energy conversion, sensors, and environmental remediation, to name a few. NanoEngineering is a highly diversified and multidisciplinary field. The graduate research programs cover a broad range of topics, but focus particularly on biomedical nanotechnology, nanotechnologies for energy conversion and storage, computational nanotechnology, and molecular and nanomaterials. Undergraduate degree programs focus on integrating nanoscale science, technology, and engineering disciplines necessary for successful careers in the evolving nanotechnology industry.

The mission of the NanoEngineering program is to provide a multidisciplinary education in nanoscale science and technology. The primary goals are to ensure that NanoEngineering students will

  • Have a strong technical background, enabling them to be successful in careers that cross traditional areas of applied science and engineering.
  • Be fluent in a multidisciplinary body of knowledge for participating in and seeding new technologies.
  • Constitute a high-technology workforce with professional, scientific, and technical skills; they will conduct themselves ethically and knowledgeably in a wide range of professional environments.

The Undergraduate Program

The BS in NanoEngineering is tailored to provide breadth and flexibility by taking advantage of the strength of basic sciences and other engineering disciplines at UC San Diego. The NanoEngineering major focuses on nanoscale science, engineering, and technology that have the potential to make valuable advances in different areas that include new materials, biology and medicine, energy conversion, sensors, and environmental remedication. The intention is to graduate nanoengineers who are multidisciplinary and can work in a broad spectrum of industries.

All NanoEngineering courses are scheduled to be consistent with the curriculum shown in the tables below. Students must follow the prescribed curriculum that pertains to their student category (four-year or transfer). Unavoidable deviation from the curriculum, for example, to participate in the Education Abroad Program, must be approved by the Undergraduate Affairs Committee prior to taking alternative courses elsewhere. Courses such as NANO 195, 197, and 198 are not approved to meet upper-division NanoEngineering elective major requirements. NANO 199 can be used as a NanoEngineering elective only under restrictive conditions. Policy regarding these conditions may be obtained from the department’s Student Affairs Office. To graduate, students must maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.0, and the department requires at least a C– grade in each course required for the major. All students are encouraged to visit the Department of NanoEngineering website for the most current information.

General-Education/College Requirements

For graduation, each student must satisfy general-education (GE) course requirements determined by the student’s college, as well as the major requirements determined by the department. The eight colleges at UC San Diego require widely different general-education courses, and the number of such courses differs from one college to another. Each student should choose his or her college carefully, considering the special nature of the college and the breadth of general education.

Major Requirements

Please note that there was a curriculum change and students admitted prior to fall 2020 should review previous catalog copies regarding requirements.

Basic sciences and mathematics (sixty units): This lower-division requirement includes twenty-four units of mathematics (MATH 20A-E and MATH 18 (formerly MATH 20F), sixteen units of physics (PHYS 2A–D), sixteen units of chemistry (CHEM 6A–C, 7L), and four units of biology (BILD 1).

Engineering preparation (twelve units): This requirement covers basics in computer programming, circuit analysis and circuits lab (NANO 15, 107, and 108).

NanoEngineering core (forty-five units): This requirement constitutes a one-unit seminar (NANO 4) and nine core courses (NANO 11, 20L, 102, 104, 110, 111, 112, 115L, 117, 119, 120A, 120B, and 148).

NanoEngineering electives (twenty units): The five elective courses requirement must be chosen from among the upper-division NANO courses offered by the department (NANO courses numbered 100 through 199).

Every course used for the degree (except NANO 4 and NANO 199) must be taken for a letter grade. All students follow the same basic science preparation and core set of classes in NanoEngineering during the first two years.

 

Fall

Winter

Spring

First Year

MATH 20A

MATH 20B

MATH 20C

CHEM 6A

CHEM 6B

CHEM 6C

NANO 15

NANO 11

PHYS 2A

NANO 4

GE

GE

GE

 

 

Sophomore Year

MATH 20D

MATH 18

MATH 20E

CHEM 7L

PHYS 2C

PHYS 2D

PHYS 2B

BILD 1

NANO 108

NANO 102

NANO 104

GE

NANO 20L

 

 

Admission to NanoEngineering

Effective fall 2014, NanoEngineering has been granted capped status for first-year applications.

First-year Student Admission

As the NanoEngineering major is capped for incoming first-year students beginning fall 2014, students who have excelled in high school and have declared NanoEngineering on their UC San Diego application are eligible for admission into the major.

UC San Diego Undergraduate Admissions will calculate an admissions target number and admit the appropriate number of incoming first-year students into the capped major using the UC San Diego Holistic Review score as a ranking method. Students who meet the UC San Diego admission criteria will be admitted into their chosen capped major, starting with the student having the highest holistic review score, until the admission target number is reached. These students will be notified directly by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions whether they have been admitted into their chosen capped major.

Continuing First-year Students (effective fall 2015)

First-year students not directly admitted into the NanoEngineering major will need to apply using the capped major application tool once they have met all application requirements, and after their first three quarters (end of spring quarter) or after the end of their sixth quarter (end of spring quarter). A certain number of continuing students who apply will be selected to enter the capped NanoEngineering major. 

Continuing students will be required to complete the following courses prior to applying.

NanoEngineering First-Year Applicants

(must apply after three quarters): http://ne.ucsd.edu/undergrad-programs/admissions

Screening courses: MATH 20A, 20B, 20C, PHYS 2A, CHEM 6A, 6B, 6C

NanoEngineering Sophomore Applicants

(must apply after six quarters): http://ne.ucsd.edu/undergrad-programs/admissions

Screening courses: MATH 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, MATH 18, PHYS 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, CHEM 6A, 6B, 6C, 7L

Applications to the capped major will be ranked according to the GPA obtained in the required screening courses, and considered for the major, starting with the student having the highest GPA in the required courses. The Department of NanoEngineering Student Affairs Office will notify students in a timely manner who are successful in transitioning into a capped major to officially declare the appropriate major online via the “Major/Minor” link under “Toolbox” at http://tritonlink.ucsd.edu.

Continuing students who apply and are unable to transition into a capped major will also be notified of their status in a timely manner by the NanoEngineering Student Affairs Office.

Transfer Students

The undergraduate engineering curriculum is designed to integrate four years of college educational experience. It will take transfer students two or three years to complete the major requirements, beyond their community college work, for the NanoEngineering Program. Most students need to take MATH 20E (Vector Calculus) at a UC as it is not usually available in community colleges. Transfer students must take NANO 4 and NANO 11 in their first year. Students should consult their adviser for a transition program compatible with their community college preparation.

Requirements for admission as a NanoEngineering major or into NanoEngineering courses are the same for transfer students as they are for continuing students (see section on “Acceptance to Departmental Majors in the Jacobs School of Engineering” in this catalog). Accordingly, when planning their program, transfer students should be mindful of lower-division prerequisite course requirements, as well as for meeting collegiate requirements.

Students who have taken equivalent courses elsewhere may request to have transfer credit apply toward the department’s major requirements. To receive transfer credit, complete an Undergraduate Student Petition and submit it to Student Affairs. For mathematics, chemistry, and physics, the respective department determines transfer equivalencies. An Undergraduate Student Petition form must be submitted to each department from which you are requesting transfer credit.

The following courses are strongly recommended for all engineering transfer students for success in their major. Community college equivalent courses can be found at https://assist.org.

  • Calculus I—for Science and Engineering (MATH 20A)
  • Calculus II—for Science and Engineering (MATH 20B)
  • Calculus and Analytic Geometry (MATH 20C)
  • Differential Equations (MATH 20D)
  • Vector Calculus (MATH 20E) or MATH 20E Requirement Fulfillment Exam administered through the Department of Mathematics
  • Linear Algebra (MATH 18)
  • Complete calculus-based physics series (PHYS 2A-B-C-D)
  • General Chemistry with lab experience (CHEM 6A-B-C plus 7L)
  • Biology (BILD 1)

NanoEngineering Transfer Applicants (effective fall 2015)

Continuing and transfer students can apply to switch into NanoEngineering once they have completed their screening courses. Transfer students who are past their third quarter at UC San Diego are no longer eligible to apply. A link to the capped major application will be available on our website near the application deadline date. The department will review the applications, based on completing the following courses and meeting the eligible GPA requirement.

For more information on applying to the NanoEngineering program as a transfer student: http://ne.ucsd.edu/undergrad-programs/admissions.

Screening courses: MATH 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, MATH 18 (formerly MATH 20F), PHYS 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, CHEM 6A, 6B, 6C, 7L

Academic Advising

Upon admission to the major, students should consult the catalog or NanoEngineering website (http://nanoengineering.ucsd.edu) for their program of study, or their undergraduate adviser if they have questions. The program plan may be revised in subsequent years, but revisions involving curricular requirements require approval by the undergraduate adviser or the Undergraduate Affairs Committee. Because some course and/or curricular changes may be made every year, it is imperative that students consult with the department’s undergraduate adviser on an annual basis.

In addition to the advising available through the Student Affairs Office, programmatic or technical advice may be obtained from faculty members.

As aforementioned, NanoEngineering courses should be taken in the recommended sequence. If courses are taken out of sequence, it may be impossible to complete the major within the nominal four-year period.

Program Alterations/Exceptions to Requirements

Variations from or exceptions to any program or course requirements may be possible only if the Undergraduate Affairs Committee approves a petition before the courses in question are taken.

Independent Study

Students may take NANO 199, Independent Study for Undergraduates, under the guidance of a NanoEngineering faculty member. This course is taken as an elective on a P/NP basis. Eligible students must have completed at least ninety units and must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Two NANO 199 courses are required to fulfill the NanoEngineering elective major requirement and must be done in consecutive quarters. Students must find a faculty member who will oversee the research project. After obtaining the faculty member’s approval on the topic and scope of the study, the student must submit a Special Studies Course form (each quarter) and a NANO 199 Contract form to the Undergraduate Affairs Committee. These forms must be completed, approved, and processed prior to the add deadline. After the second quarter is completed, the student must submit an Undergraduate Student Petition to have the work accepted as two NanoEngineering elective courses. A final report, with an assigned letter grade, must be attached to the petition for the faculty member and Undergraduate Affairs Committee to review. Detailed policy in this regard may be obtained from the Student Affairs Office.

Program Accreditation

The NanoEngineering (BS) program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://abet.org.

Contiguous BS/MS Program

A contiguous, terminal program leading to a bachelor of science and a masters in NanoEngineering is available to students with junior standing, who have an upper-division STEM GPA of 3.0 (effective for fall 2024 admissions) or better and a 3.0 overall UC San Diego GPA.

During the last quarter of their junior year (more specifically, the fourth quarter prior to the receipt of the BS), students interested in obtaining the MS within one year following receipt of the BS may apply to the Department of NanoEngineering for admission to the program. Students must submit three letters of reference from professors with their application.

Students will meet the requirements of both the BS and MS programs, such as courses and credits. There are no overlaps in courses. Upon completion of the BS/MS program, students are not automatically eligible for admission to the PhD program.

Chemical Engineering Program (CENG)

Program Objectives

The BS in chemical engineering program has affiliated faculty from the Department of NanoEngineering, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and the Department of Bioengineering. The curricula at both the undergraduate and graduate levels are designed to support and foster chemical engineering as a profession that interfaces engineering and all aspects of basic sciences (physics, chemistry, and biology). The BS in chemical engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://abet.org.

The program educational objectives of the chemical engineering program are:

To produce chemical engineering alumni who, a few years after completing the program

  • will be employed in a wide range of industrial, professional, and academic environments using their strong technical chemical engineering education and communication skills.
  • work with a strong sense of humanistic values and professionalism such that they can conduct themselves ethically and knowledgeably regarding technological impact in societal issues.
  • work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams to solve complex problems that may require different approaches and viewpoints.
  • will continue their personal improvement and multidisciplinary development, enabling them to respond to rapidly changing technological environments throughout their career.

The curriculum is designed to prepare chemical engineering graduates for further education and personal development throughout their entire professional career. We strive to accomplish these goals by providing a rigorous and demanding curriculum that incorporates lectures, discussions, laboratory and project development experiences in basic sciences, mathematics, engineering sciences, and design as well as the humanities and social sciences.

The Undergraduate Program

The chemical engineering (BS) program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://abet.org. The curriculum is tailored to provide breadth and flexibility by taking advantage of the strength of basic sciences and other engineering disciplines at UC San Diego. The intention is to graduate chemical engineers who are multidisciplinary practitioners and can work in a broad spectrum of industries rather than solely traditional chemical and petrochemical industries.

Areas of specialization are available whereby a graduate can be in a position for a career in nanotechnology, environmental technology, microelectronic device fabrication, materials and polymer processing, pharmaceutical and biotechnology, biomedical engineering, energy and thermal systems, control and system engineering, and so forth.

For students who aspire to pursue a graduate degree and a career in research and development, the units in an area of specialization can be allocated to more fundamental science and engineering courses. These students are also encouraged to perform independent projects in one of the faculty research laboratories or groups.

Whether the career goal is industry or graduate or professional school, the curriculum has a strong emphasis on developing problem-solving skills and the ability to think and learn independently. The capstone courses are the senior design and process lab courses. Students learn to participate in project teams, refine their communication skills, and work on various design and experimental projects that, over two quarters, introduce them to elements of project planning, execution, analysis, and improvement.

Entering first-year students will follow the new set of course work guidelines detailed in this section. Continuing students will continue with their current set of course work guidelines outlined in previous general catalogs. The Student Affairs Office can provide the proper curriculum tables. All students are encouraged to visit the Department of NanoEngineering website for the most current information.

Deviations from these programs of study must be approved by the Undergraduate Affairs Committee prior to taking alternative courses. In addition, technical elective (TE) course selections must have departmental approval prior to taking the courses. Courses such as CENG 195, 197, and 198 are not allowed as a technical elective in meeting the upper-division major requirements. CENG 199 can be used as a technical elective only under restrictive conditions. Policy regarding these conditions may be obtained from the department’s Student Affairs Office. To graduate, students must maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.0, and the department requires at least a C– grade in each course required for the major. Every course used for the degree must be taken for a letter grade.

Students with different academic preparation may vary the scheduling of lower-division courses such as math, physics, and chemistry, but should consult the department. Deviations in scheduling chemical engineering upper-division courses are discouraged and require prior approval. Most lower-division courses are offered more than once each year to permit students some flexibility in their program scheduling. However, all chemical engineering upper-division courses are taught only once per year, and courses are scheduled to be consistent with the curricula as shown in the tables.

General-Education/College Requirements

For graduation, each student must satisfy general-education course requirements determined by the student’s college as well as the major requirements determined by the department. The eight colleges at UC San Diego require widely different general-education courses, and the number of such courses differs from one college to another. Each student should choose his or her college carefully, considering the special nature of the college and the breadth of general education.

Professional Licensing

After graduation, all students are encouraged to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination as the first step in becoming licensed as a professional engineer (PE). Students graduating from our accredited program can take the PE examination after FE certification and two years of work experience; students graduating from a nonaccredited program can take the PE examination after FE certification and four years of work experience.

For further information please contact your local Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.

Major Requirements

To receive a BS in chemical engineering, students must complete general-education (GE) requirements of their colleges in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. The balance consists of basic sciences (fifty-four units), chemistry core (twelve units), chemical engineering core (thirty-three units)—includes a one-unit introductory seminar and laboratory course (CENG 4) that is required of all incoming first-year and transfer students, process laboratory and design (sixteen units), general engineering (twelve units), and technical electives (twelve units).

The specific breakdown is as follows:

Basic sciences (fifty-four units):

This lower-division requirement includes twenty-four units of mathematics (MATH 20A–E and MATH 18, formerly MATH 20F), fourteen units of physics (PHYS 2A–C, 2CL), and sixteen units of chemistry (CHEM 6A–C, 7L).

Chemistry core (twelve units):

Three advanced chemistry electives must be selected from among the preapproved list: CHEM 130, 131, 132, CHEM 41A-C*, 114A (or BIBC 100), 114B (or BIBC 102), or 120A-B. (Note: Students may not receive credit for both BIBC 100 and CHEM 114A, or BIBC 102 and CHEM 114B).

*Effective for fall 2022: The CHEM 41 series is a modified and improved version to better accommodate the needs of chemistry, biochemistry, and engineering students.

Chemical engineering core (thirty-three units):

This requirement covers chemical process modeling, solution thermodynamics, transport phenomena, chemical reaction engineering, process control, and unit operations (CENG 4, 100, 101A-C, 102, 113, 120, 122).

Process laboratory and design (sixteen units):

This requirement is crucial to fulfilling the chemical engineering program (BS) goals by providing hands-on and experiential instruction in the areas of project design, unit operations, hazards analysis, ethics, and economic analysis. (CENG 124A-B, 176A-B).

General engineering (twelve units):

This requirement covers basics in computer programming, probability and statistics, and instrumentation. The computer programming requirement should be satisfied with a course in MATLAB (CENG 15). Probability and statistics can be satisfied with CENG 114. Instrumentation is satisfied with CENG 170.

Technical Electives (twelve units):

Electives are intended to broaden and enhance professional goals. They may be chosen to achieve either breadth or depth in one’s education. All electives must be upper-division courses in engineering. Suggestions are listed below.

Biotechnology/Biochemical Engineering

NANO 103, 242, 244, 262
CENG 207, 254, 256
BENG 100, 101, 109, 110, 112A, 112B, 130,186A

Microelectronic Devices and Materials

NANO 107
CENG 134, 157
ECE 103, 134, 135A, 136L

Engineering Mechanics

NANO 141A, 141B
MAE 104, 130A, 130B, 131A, 149, 160

Engineering Science

NANO 141A, NANO 114B
MAE 104, 105, 107, 140, 149

Environmental Engineering

ESYS 103, MAE 119, 122, 125, 126A, 126B, 127

Materials Science and Engineering

CENG 134/NANO 134/CHEM 134
NANO 100L, 174, 174L
ECE 134
MATS 201A, 201B, 201C, 205A, 227

Nanotechnology

NANO 101, 102, 103, 104, 106,108, 110, 111, 112, 140, 145, 146, 148, 150, 156,* 158, 161, 162, 164, 168, 175, 201, 253
CENG 157, 175, 207/NANO 243, 208, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215

*NANO 156 and MAE 166 are cross-listed courses; CENG majors must enroll in NANO 156.

*NANO 175 and CENG 175 are cross-listed courses and credit cannot be given for both.

Process Dynamics and Control

MAE 140, 142, 143A, 144, 149, 180A
ECE 171B
BENG 122A

To fulfill the basic process control requirement for the BS, students can take one of the following three courses: CENG 120*, MAE 143B, OR ECE 171A. (*CENG 120 can be replaced by MAE 143B or ECE 171A only if a student chooses Process Control as the Area of Specialization). The basic process control requirement course above does not fulfill one of the three Area of Specialization course requirements.

Thermal Engineering and Systems

MAE 110, 113, 118, 119, 120

Independent Research

Two quarters of independent research can be approved as equivalent to two technical elective courses (eight units). See the Independent Student section below.

Principles of Team Engineering

Students are allowed to take one of the following four-unit “Teams in Engineering Service” courses: ENG 100D or ENG 100B and ENG 100L or two quarters of ENG 100L as an approved Engineering Focus elective. Click on the following link for more information about Global Ties: http://globalties.ucsd.edu/.

Chemical Engineering

Fall

Winter

Spring

First Year

MATH 20A

MATH 20B

MATH 20C

CHEM 6A

PHYS 2A

PHYS 2B

CENG 15

CHEM 6B

CHEM 6C + CHEM 7L

CENG 4

GE

GE

GE

 

 

Sophomore Year

MATH 20D

MATH 18 (formerly MATH 20F)

MATH 20E

CENG 100

CENG 102

CENG 113

PHYS 2C + PHYS 2CL

Adv CHEM1

Adv CHEM2

GE

GE

GE

Junior Year

CENG 101A

CENG 101B

CENG 101C

CENG 170

CENG 114

AS/TE

Adv CHEM

GE

GE

GE

 

 

Senior Year

CENG 120

CENG 124A

CENG 124B

CENG 122

CENG 176A

CENG 176B

AS/TE

AS/TE

GE

GE

GE

 

1Three advanced chemistry electives must be selected from among CHEM 130, 131, 132, 41A-B, 114A (or BIBC 100), 114B (or BIBC 102), 120A-B, or 41C . (Note: Students may not receive credit for both BIBC 100 and CHEM 114A, or BIBC 102 and CHEM 114B).

Two recommended options are:

  • CHEM 41A, 114A (or BIBC 100), and 41C for those interested in biochemical/organic.
  • CHEM 120A, 130, and 41A for those interested in inorganic/materials.

2Area of Specialization/Technical Electives: The three required technical electives must be upper-division or graduate courses in engineering, based on the preapproved courses. Otherwise, the selections must receive prior approval of the department.

Admission to Chemical Engineering

Effective fall 2014, chemical engineering has been granted capped status for first-year applications. Capped status will take effect for continuing and transfer students beginning fall 2015.

First-year Admission (effective fall 2014)

As the chemical engineering major is capped for incoming first-year students beginning fall 2014, students who have excelled in high school and have declared chemical engineering on their UC San Diego application are eligible for admission into the major.

The UC San Diego Office of Undergraduate Admissions will calculate an admissions target number and admit the appropriate number of incoming first-year students into the capped major using the UC San Diego Holistic Review score as a ranking method. Students who meet the UC San Diego admission criteria will be admitted into their chosen capped major, starting with the student having the highest holistic review score, until the admission target number is reached. These students will be notified directly by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions whether they have been admitted into their chosen capped major.

First-year students who applied but were not admitted directly from high school into the capped chemical engineering major will be admitted into the major indicated as their second choice on the UC application (providing it is an “open” major).

Continuing UC San Diego Students (effective fall 2015)

First-year students not directly admitted into the chemical engineering major will need to apply using the continuing application after their first three quarters (end of spring quarter) or after the end of their sixth quarter (end of spring quarter). A certain number of continuing students who apply will be selected to enter the capped chemical engineering major.

Continuing students will be required to complete the following courses prior to applying:

Chemical Engineering First-Year Applicants

(must apply after three quarters): http://ne.ucsd.edu/undergrad-programs/admissions

Screening courses: MATH 20A, 20B, 20C, PHYS 2A, 2B, CHEM 6A, 6B, 6C, 7L

Chemical Engineering Sophomore Applicants

(must apply after six quarters): http://ne.ucsd.edu/undergrad-programs/admissions

Screening courses: MATH 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, MATH 18 (formerly MATH 20F), PHYS 2A, 2B, 2C, 2CL, CHEM 6A, 6B, 6C, 7L

Transfer Students

The chemical engineering curriculum is designed to integrate four years of college educational experience. It is not easy for transfer students to complete the major requirements in only two additional years beyond their junior college work. However, if transfer students seek a college for which they already satisfy the general-education requirements, have taken the lower-division science and mathematics, and have completed some advanced chemistry requirement, then the rigorous first-year schedule below will permit them to graduate in two years. Other students should consult their adviser for a transition program compatible with their junior college preparation.

Requirements for admission as a chemical engineering major into chemical engineering courses are the same for transfer students as they are for continuing students. Accordingly, when planning their program, transfer students should be mindful of lower-division prerequisite course requirements, as well as for meeting collegiate requirements.

Students who have taken equivalent courses elsewhere may request to have transfer credit apply toward the department’s major requirements. To receive transfer credit, complete an Undergraduate Student Petition form and submit it to the Student Affairs office. For mathematics, chemistry, and physics, transfer equivalencies are determined by the respective departments. An Undergraduate Student Petition form must be submitted to each department from which the student is requesting transfer credit.

Effective fall 2009, these courses are strongly recommended for all engineering transfer students for success in their major. Community college equivalent courses can be found at https://assist.org.

  • Calculus I—for Science and Engineering (MATH 20A)
  • Calculus II—for Science and Engineering (MATH 20B)
  • Calculus and Analytic Geometry (MATH 20C)
  • Differential Equations (MATH 20D)
  • Vector Calculus (MATH 20E) or MATH 20E—Requirement Fulfillment Exam administered through the Department of Mathematics
  • Linear Algebra (MATH 18, formerly MATH 20F)
  • Complete calculus-based physics series with lab experience (PHYS 2ABC-CL)
  • General Chemistry with lab experience (CHEM 6A-B-C plus 7L) (except computer science and computer engineering majors)

All transfer students must take CENG 15 (MATLAB) in the fall or winter of their first year at UC San Diego. Transfer students may petition to take CENG 15 concurrently with CENG 100, and CENG 101A concurrently with MATH 20E. Complete a student petition form and submit it to the Student Affairs office. 

If students do not come in with all the above courses, it will most likely take three years to graduate. For the three-year/four-year curriculum, please go to http://ne.ucsd.edu/undergrad-programs/degree/bs-chemical-engineering/curriculum

Fall

Winter

Spring

Junior Year

MATH 20E*

CENG 15

Adv CHEM

CENG 101A

CENG 101B

CENG 101C

CENG 100

CENG 102

CENG 113

 

CENG 114

CENG 170

CENG 4

 

 

*You must complete a petition to take MATH 20E concurrently with CENG 101A. Click here for more information about petitions. 

Chemical Engineering Transfer Applicants (effective fall 2015)

Transfer students can apply to switch into the chemical engineering major at the end of their third quarter. Transfer students who are past their third quarter at UC San Diego are not eligible to apply. An online application will be available, and the department will review the applications based on the following criteria (courses taken at UC San Diego) and GPA. http://ne.ucsd.edu/undergrad-programs/admissions

MATH 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, MATH 18 (formerly MATH 20F), PHYS 2A, 2B, 2C, 2CL, CHEM 6A, 6B, 6C, 7L

Upon completion of these courses and online application, students will receive information via email from the Department of NanoEngineering Student Affairs Office. Applications will be ranked according to the GPA obtained in the required courses.

Applications to a capped major will be ranked according to the GPA obtained in the required screening courses and considered for the major, starting with the student having the highest GPA in the required courses. The Department of NanoEngineering Student Affairs Office will notify students in a timely manner who are successful in transitioning into a capped major to officially declare the appropriate major online via the “Major/Minor” link under “Toolbox” at http://tritonlink.ucsd.edu.

Continuing students who apply and are unable to transition into a capped major will also be notified of their status in a timely manner by the Department of NanoEngineering Student Affairs Office.

Academic Advising

Upon admission to the major, students should consult the catalog or Department of NanoEngineering website (http://nanoengineering.ucsd.edu) for their program of study or their undergraduate adviser if they have questions. The program plan may be revised in subsequent years, but revisions involving curricular requirements require approval by the undergraduate adviser or the Undergraduate Affairs Committee. Because some course and/or curricular changes may be made every year, it is imperative that students consult with the department’s undergraduate adviser on an annual basis.

Chemical engineering courses are offered only once a year and therefore should be taken in the recommended sequence. If courses are taken out of sequence, it may not always be possible to enroll in courses as desired or needed. If this occurs, students should seek immediate departmental advice. When a student deviates from the sequence of courses specified for each curriculum in this catalog, it may be impossible to complete a chemical engineering major within the normal four-year period.

In addition to the advising available through the Student Affairs Office, programmatic or technical advice may be obtained from chemical engineering faculty members.

Program Alterations/Exceptions to Requirements

Variations from or exceptions to any program or course requirements are possible only if a petition is approved by the Undergraduate Affairs Committee before the courses in question are taken. Petition forms may be obtained from the Student Affairs Office and must be processed through this office.

Independent Study

Chemical engineering students may take CENG 199, Independent Study for Undergraduates, under the guidance of a chemical engineering faculty member. This course is taken as an elective on a P/NP basis. Eligible students must have completed at least ninety units and must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. The two CENG 199s must be done in consecutive quarters and the student must find a faculty member who will oversee the research project. After obtaining the faculty member’s concurrence on the topic and scope of the study, the student must submit a Special Studies form (each quarter) and CENG 199 Contract form to the Undergraduate Affairs Committee. These forms must be completed, approved, and processed prior to the add deadline. After the second quarter is completed, the student must submit an Undergraduate Student Petition to have the work accepted as two technical elective courses.

A final report, with an assigned letter grade, must be attached to the petition for the faculty member and Undergraduate Affairs Committee to review. Detailed policy in this regard and the requisite forms may be obtained from the Student Affairs Office.

Program Accreditation

The chemical engineering (BS) program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://abet.org.

Contiguous BS/MS Program

A contiguous, terminal program leading to a bachelor of science and a master’s in chemical engineering is available to students with junior standing who have an upper-division STEM GPA of 3.0 (effective for fall 2024 admissions) or better and a 3.0 overall UC San Diego GPA.

During the last quarter of their junior year (more specifically, the fourth quarter prior to the receipt of the BS), students interested in obtaining the MS within one year following receipt of the BS may apply to the Department of NanoEngineering for admission to the program. Students must submit three letters of reference from professors with their application.

Students will meet the requirements of both the BS and MS programs, such as courses and credits. There are no overlaps in courses. Upon completion of the BS/MS program, students are not automatically eligible for admission to the PhD program.