Undergraduate Curriculum

The Typical Undergraduate Course of Study

Entering Fall 2020 and later

Year 1

Fall Spring
  • CBE 1600
  • CHEM 1012*
  • CHEM 1101
  • MATH 1400
  • PHYS 0140
  • CHEM 1022
  • CHEM 1102
  • MATH 1410
  • PHYS 0141
  • SS/H/TBS Elective
  • WRIT Requirement

Year 2

Fall  Spring 
  • CBE 2300
  • CHEM 2410**
  • MATH 2400
  • ENGR 1050
  • CBE 2310
  • CBE 3500
  • MATH 2410
  • CHEM 2420 or CHEM/MSE 2210
  • SS/H/TBS Elective

Year 3

Fall  Spring 
  • CBE 3510
  • CBE3600
  • Free Elective
  • SS/H/TBS Elective
  • Technical Elective
  • CBE 3530
  • CBE 3710
  • Laboratory Technical Elective
  • Ethics Elective***

Year 4

Fall  Spring 
  • CBE 4000
  • CBE 4100
  • CBE 4510
  • Technical Elective
  • SS/H/TBS Elective
  • CBE 4590
  • Technical Elective
  • Technical Elective
  • SS/H/TBS Elective

*Students entering Fall 2025 and onward must take Chemistry placement test at Penn or take CHEM 1012. AP Chem (EAS 0091) not accepted. 

** Starting Fall 22, to complete the Organic Chemistry lab tech elective requirement, students must take two 1.5 CU lecture + lab courses (CHEM 2411 + CHEM 2421) or two 1 CU lecture-only chemistry courses plus 1 cu of corresponding labs. 

*** EAS 2030 (also counts as SS/H elective) or CBE 3200 (also counts as engineering elective) must be one of the ethics courses taken

Entering Fall 2017 and later

Year 1

Fall Spring
  • MATH 104/1400 Calculus, Part I
  • CHEM 101/1012 General Chemistry I
  • CHEM 053/1101 General Chemistry Lab I
  • CBE 150/1500 Introduction to Biotechnology
  • PHYS 140/0140 Principles of Physics I
  • SSH Elective 
  • CBE 160/1600 Introduction to Chemical Engineering
  • MATH 114/1410 Calculus, Part II
  • CHEM 102/1022 General Chemistry II
  • CHEM 054/1102 General Chemistry Lab II
  • PHYS 141/0141 Principles of Physics II
  • WRIT Requirement 

Year 2

Fall Spring
  • CBE 230/2300 Material and Energy Balances
  • MATH 240/2400 Calculus, Part III
  • CHEM 241/2410 Organic Chemistry I**
  • SSH Elective*
  • Free Elective
  • CBE 231/2310 Thermodynamics of Fluids
  • MATH 241/2410 Calculus, Part IV
  • CHEM 242/2420 Organic Chemistry II or CHEM 251/2510 Principles of Biological Chem
  • ENGR 105/1050 Engineering Computer Elective
  • SSH Elective

Year 3

Fall Spring
  • CBE 350/3500 Fluid Mechanics
  • CBE 360/460/3600 Chemical Process Control
  • CHEM 221/2210 Physical Chemistry I or MSE 221/2210 Quantum Physics of Materials
  • CBE Elective
  • SSH Elective*
  • CBE 351/3510 Heat and Mass Transport
  • CBE 353/353 Molecular Thermodynamics and Chemical Kinetics
  • CBE 371/3710 Separation Processes
  • CBE 480/4800 Lab in Biotech & Genetic Engineering or CHEM 223/2230 Exp Physical Chem I
  • SSH Elective*

Year 4

Fall Spring
  • CBE 400/4000 Introduction to Process Design
  • CBE 410/4100 Chemical Engineering Lab
  • CBE 451/4510 Chemical Reactor Design
  • Free Elective
  • Technical Elective
  • CBE 459/4590 Process System Design Projects
  • CBE Elective
  • Technical Elective
  • SSH Elective*
  • Free Elective

* EAS 203/2030 (Engineering Ethics) must be one of the social science courses taken

** Starting Fall 22, to complete the Organic Chemistry requirement, students must take two 1.5 CU lecture + lab courses (CHEM 2411 + CHEM 2421) or two 1 CU lecture-only chemistry courses (CHEM 2410 + CHEM 2420 OR CHEM 251), plus the lab tech elective.

Course Planning Guides:

The Course Planning Guide (CPG) assists the student in planning a course of study to complete the program as expected. A sample CPG is available to assist with planning.

Entering Fall 2020 and later:

Entering Fall 2017 and later:

Additional Information:

CBE Minor

The Minor in  CBE consists of 6 engineering courses in CBE, selected with the approval of the Undergraduate Curriculum Chair.  Detailed information concerning minors in the School of Engineering is available here.

Undergraduate Academic Rules and Regulations

The official academic rules and regulations governing the undergraduate course of study are found in the SEAS Undergraduate Handbook.

In This Section:

Your CBE Contact:

Hannah Wright

Undergraduate Coordinator

Phone: 215-573-0290

Office: 311A Towne Building

Email: wrighth@seas.upenn.edu

Student Resources