Master's Program
At the University of Pennsylvania, the M.S.E. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is primarily a degree for students who wish to prepare themselves for research and development activities by obtaining a more solid foundation in the principles of chemical and biomolecular engineering.
The primary goal of the Penn CBE master’s program is to provide students with a customized curriculum designed to prepare them to function creatively and independently in industry, research, and development, government, or academia.
The master’s degree program provides rigorous and advanced training in engineering allowing for limited specialization in one of several fields, including fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, control, design, bioengineering, polymer engineering, heat transfer, scientific computing, and computer applications.
The flexible curriculum allows students to select their own graduate coursework in math, chemical engineering, and other science and engineering disciplines. The University of Pennsylvania has a “one university” philosophy, and students may register for courses from any School in the University.
CBE master’s degree candidates select either the thesis or non-thesis degree track during their first year, in consultation with the Graduate Group Chair. Students typically complete their degree program in twelve to eighteen months.
Graduate Tracks
Advanced Materials & Nanotechnology
Overview
This field focuses on the development and application of new materials with unique properties at the nanoscale. It includes nanomaterials, smart materials, and materials with enhanced mechanical, electrical, or thermal properties.
Chemical and biomolecular engineers work on creating and characterizing advanced materials for use in a variety of applications, from electronics to biomedical devices.
Related CBE Courses
| Course | Title | Semester |
| CBE 5250 | Molecular Modeling and Simulations | Fall |
| CBE 5550 | Nanoscale Systems Biology | Fall |
| CBE 5310 | Nano-Transport | Fall |
Related Faculty
Other Electives
| Course | Title | Semester |
| BE 5850 | Materials for Bioelectronics | Spring |
| BIOM 5350 | Introduction to Bioinformatics | Fall |
| CAMB 6090 | Vaccines and Immune Therapeutics | Fall |
| CAMB 7520 | Genomics | Spring |
| CHEM 5431 | Advanced Organic Chemistry 1 | Fall |
| CIS 5350 | Introduction to Bioinformatics | Fall |
| ENGR 5040 | Fundamental Concepts in Nanotechnology | Fall |
| ESE 5230 | Quantum Engineering | Spring |
| ESE 5360 | Nanofabrication and Nanocharacterization | Spring |
| IMUN 6090 | Vaccines and Immune Therapeutics | Fall |
| MEAM 5370 | Nanotribology | Spring |
| MSE 5360 | Electronic Properties of Materials | Spring |
| MSE 5450 | Materials for Energy and Environmental Sustainability | Fall |
| MSE 5760 | Machine Learning and Its Applications in Materials Science | Spring |
| MSE 5850 | Materials for Bioelectronics | Spring |
| MSE 6400 | Optical Materials | Fall or Spring |
Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
Overview
This field focuses on the application of biological systems and processes to develop new drugs, therapies, and diagnostic tools. It includes drug delivery systems, tissue engineering, and the development of biopharmaceuticals.
Chemical and biomolecular engineers contribute to this field by designing and optimizing processes for the production of pharmaceuticals, developing new biomaterials, and advancing techniques for drug delivery and diagnostic applications.
Related CBE Courses
| Course | Title | Semester |
| CBE 5080 | Probability and Statistics | Summer |
| CBE 5170 | Principles of Genome Engineering | Spring |
| CBE 5270 | Advancements and Applications in Genome Editing and Engineering | Fall |
| CBE 5400 | Principles of Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering | Fall or Spring |
| CBE 5540 | Engineering Biotechnology | Spring |
| CBE 5550 | Nanoscale Systems Biology | Fall |
| CBE 5570 | Stem Cells, Proteomics and Drug Delivery – Soft Matter Fundamentals | Spring |
| CBE 5620 | Drug Discovery and Development | Fall |
| CBE 5640 | Drug Delivery Systems: Targeted Therapeutics and Translational Nanomedicine | Spring |
| CBE 5800 | Masters Biotechnology Lab | Fall or Spring |
| CBE 5801 | Laboratory in Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering | Spring |
Related Faculty
Other Electives
| Course | Title | Semester |
| BE 5550 | Nanoscale Systems Biology | Fall |
| BIOL 5062 | Biological Foundations for Bioengineering and Biotechnology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | Fall |
| CAMB 6090 | Vaccines and Immune | Fall |
| CHEM 7470 | Bioanalytical Chemistry | Spring |
| ENGR 5500 | Modern Biotechnology for Engineers | Fall |
| IMUN 6090 | Vaccine and Immune Therapeutics | Fall |
| MSE 5250 | Nanoscale Science and Engineering | Fall |
| REG 6120 | Introduction to Drug Development | Fall |
Computational Sciences & Machine Learning
Overview
This category includes the use of computational methods, simulations, and machine learning to solve complex problems in chemical and biomolecular engineering. It involves modeling chemical processes, predicting material behaviors, and analyzing large datasets.
Computational tools and machine learning techniques are increasingly used to accelerate research, optimize processes, and design new materials by providing insights that are difficult to obtain through experimental methods alone.
Related CBE Courses
| Course | Title | Semester |
| CBE 5060 | Introduction to High-Performance Scientific Computing | Fall or Spring |
| CBE 5140 | Data Science and Machine Learning in Chemical Engineering | Spring |
| CBE 5440 | Computational Science of Energy and Chemical Transformations | Fall or Spring |
| CBE 5590 | Multiscale Modeling of Chemical and Biological Systems | Not offered every year |
| CBE 6010 | Deep Learning for Scientists and Engineers | Spring |
Related Faculty
Other Electives
| Course | Title | Semester |
| BE 5550 | Nanoscale Systems Biology | Fall |
| BIOL 5536 | Fundamentals of Computational Biology | Fall |
| CIS 5150 | Fundamentals of Linear Algebra and Optimization | Spring |
| CIS 5350 | Introduction to Bioinformatics | Fall |
| CIS 5360 | Fundamentals of Computational Biology | Fall |
| CIS 6250 | Theory of Machine Learning | Fall |
| CIT 5900 | Programming Languages and Techniques | Spring |
| CIT 5920 | Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science | Fall |
| ESE 5410 | Machine Learning for Data Science | Spring |
| GCB 5360 | Fundamentals of Computational Biology | Fall |
| MEAM 5530 | Atomic Modeling in Materials Science | Fall |
Energy, Sustainability, & Environment
Overview
This category encompasses research aimed at addressing energy challenges, environmental impact, and sustainability. It includes the development of renewable energy sources, efficient energy storage, and technologies to reduce environmental pollution.
In chemical and biomolecular engineering, these efforts are crucial for developing processes and materials that support sustainable practices and mitigate environmental harm. Research in this area often involves designing new catalysts for energy conversion or systems for carbon capture and recycling.
Related CBE Courses
| Course | Title | Semester |
| CBE 5050 | Carbon Capture | Spring |
| CBE 5215 | Energy and Sustainability: Science, Engineering and Technology | Fall |
| CBE 5300 | Electrochemistry Fundamentals, Practices, and Analysis | Spring |
| CBE 5430 | Sustainable Development of Water Resource Systems | Spring |
| CBE 5450 | Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage | Fall or Spring |
Related Faculty
Primary
Secondary
Other Electives
| Course | Title | Semester |
| CHEM 7640 | Materials Chemistry | |
| EAS 5010 | Energy and Its Impacts: Technology, Environment, Economics, Sustainability | Fall |
| EAS 5020 | Renewable Energy and Its Impacts: Technology, Environment, Economics, Sustainability | |
| EAS 5030 | Energy Systems and Policy | Fall |
| ENGR 5215 | Energy and Sustainability: Science, Engineering, and Technology | Fall |
| ESE 5180 | Battery and Super-Capacitor Systems | |
| ESE 5210 | The Physics of Solid State Energy Devices | |
| ESE 5550 | Electrochemical Engineering of Materials | |
| MEAM 5020 | Energy Engineering in Power Plants and Transportation Systems | Fall |
| MEAM 5030 | Direct Energy Conversion: from Macro to Nano | |
| MEAM 6900 | Advanced Topics in Thermal Fluid Science or Energy | |
| MSE 5450 | Materials for Energy and Environmental Sustainability | Fall |
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Overview
This category covers activities related to the commercialization of new technologies, startup ventures, and innovative business practices. It includes developing business strategies, securing funding, and bringing new technologies to market.
Engineers in this field leverage their technical expertise to create and scale new technologies and products. This involves translating research innovations into viable commercial products and navigating the entrepreneurial landscape to drive industry advancements.
Related CBE Courses
| Course | Title | Semester |
| CBE 5150 | Chemical Product Design | Fall |
| CBE 5460 | Fundamentals of Industrial Catalytic Processes | Spring |
| CBE 5560 | The Biochemical Engineering of Wine | Spring |
Related Faculty
Secondary
Other Electives
| Course | Title | Semester |
| BE 6080 | Medical Entrepreneurship: Commercializing Translational Science | Fall |
| EAS 5430 | Engineering Entrepreneurship Fellows II | Fall |
| EAS 5450 | Engineering Entrepreneurship I | Fall or Spring |
| EAS 5460 | Engineering Entrepreneurship II | Fall |
Process Control & Design
Overview
This area involves the development and optimization of processes used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. It includes designing efficient and safe chemical reactors, separation processes, and systems for monitoring and controlling manufacturing operations.
Effective process control and design are essential for scaling up laboratory discoveries to industrial production. Engineers in this field work on improving process efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness.
Related CBE Courses
| Course | Title | Semester |
| CBE 5150 | Chemical Product Design | Spring |
| CBE 5460 | Fundamentals of Industrial Catalytic Processes | Spring |
| CBE 5560 | The Biochemical Engineering of Wine | Spring |
Related Faculty
Other Electives
| Course | Title | Semester |
| ESE 6050 | Modern Convex Optimization | Spring |
Soft Matter & Complex Fluids
Overview
Research in this category deals with materials that are easily deformed by external forces, including polymers, gels, and liquid crystals. It also covers the study of complex fluids with intricate behaviors, such as suspensions and emulsions.
Chemical and biomolecular engineers explore how these materials behave and interact under various conditions, leading to innovations in product formulations, coatings, and other applications where material properties are critical.
Related CBE Courses
| Course | Title | Semester |
| CBE 5080 | Probability and Statistics for Biotechnology | Summer |
| CBE 5170 | Principles of Genome Engineering | Spring |
| CBE 5270 | Advancements and Applications in Genome Editing and Engineering | Fall |
| CBE 5400 | Principles of Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering | Fall or Spring |
| CBE 5540 | Engineering Biotechnology | Spring |
| CBE 5550 | Nanoscale Systems | Fall |
| CBE 5570 | Stem Cells, Proteomics and Drug Delivery – Soft Matter Fundamentals | Spring |
| CBE 5620 | Drug Discovery and Development | Fall |
| CBE 5640 | Drug Delivery Systems: Targeted Therapeutics and Translational Nanomedicine | Spring |
| CBE 5800 | Masters Biotechnology Lab | Fall or Spring |
| CBE 5801 | Laboratory in Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering | Spring |
Related Faculty
Other Electives
| Course | Title | Semester |
| MEAM 5750 | Micro and Nano Fluidics | Spring |
| MSE 6100 | Transmission Electron Microscopy | Fall |