The University of Alberta
Faculty of Engineering
Engineers use creativity, scientific principles, and technological expertise to develop and advance the
products and production methods that define the world we live in. Everything you use – from toothpaste to
tongs, furniture to medicine, cars to clothes – depends on Chemical and Materials Engineers. If you want to
directly participate in creating the world you live in, this is an excellent place to start.
is about designing and engineering materials from molecular or atomic scale, to nano, micro, and macro
scales to develop technological solutions to societal problems. Engineered materials enable advances in the
fields of energy, biology, medicine, nanotechnology, transportation, secondary resources, and communications.
is about changing raw materials into useful products in safe and cost-effective ways. Chemical engineers
understand how to alter the chemical, biochemical, or physical state of a substance to produce everything
from shampoo to fuels.
When you enter Chemical and Materials Engineering at the U of A, you become part of a
community that includes your fellow students,
professors, and industry mentors. Opportunities for
collaborating on challenging and exciting projects
exist alongside engaging courses of study. You are
supported in your educational pursuits by programs
that address academic, personal, and career goals.
statistics, engineerin g thermodynamics , and materials science.
In the common first year, you will study courses in
chemistry, mathematics , physics, computer programming and engineerin g mechanics . In the
second term of the first year, you choose your
disciplin e and decide between traditiona l and
cooperative education streams.
Third and fourth years are for specific courses
related to Chemical Engineerin g or Materials
Engineering such as heat transfer, mass transfer,
fluid mechanics , reactor engineering , materials
processing, phase transformations, and materials
characterization. You can also tailor your studies to
reflect your interests by choosing a particular option
or elective stream within Chemical Engineering or
Materials Engineering . Courses in engineerin g
economics, engineerin g management , and other
electives can be chosen to prepare you as a business leader.
Starting from second year you enter the Chemical
Engineering or Materials Engineering program. You
will add fundamen tal science and engineerin g
Engineering impacts every area of the human endeavour. Which path do you want your career to
take?
OPTIONS AND ELECTIVE STREAMS IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Chemical engineers design, run, and maintain plants and systems that take laboratory or pilot experiments and
transform them into viable industry and consumer products and processes.
1
Chemical Engineering
The chemical engineer must understand the physics and mathematics behind the problems of heat and mass
flow when large quantities of reacting material must be heated or cooled, and moved from one section of the
plant to another. She or he must understand the properties of the materials available to build the plant; how they
tolerate high pressures and temperatures; and how they resist corrosion and wear. In the design and operation of
biotechnology or environmental protection processes, the chemical engineer also needs to understand basic
biological principles.
Students study the fundamentals of chemistry, physics, and mathematics, and then learn engineering science
and design. Graduates are equipped to embark on careers in the chemical, petrochemical, food processing, forest
products, pharmaceutical, and semiconductor industries, or work for a government agency.
2
Computer Process Control (CPC) Option
Manufacturers depend on computer process control technology to
help maintain their competitive edge. Learn to design, implement,
and maintain digital computer-directed systems across all fields. A
chemical engineer with CPC specialization is in demand in every
industrial production process – that’s everything from beer to
aspirin, fuels to cosmetics, iPods to paint.
3
Biomedical Option
Exploring a biomedical challenge from an engineering perspective
provides unique solutions . Learn to use chemical engineerin g
principles such as thermodynamics and mass transfer to enable
advances in human health and facilitate industrial applications.
4
Oil Sands Engineering Elective
Alberta’s oil sands contain over 1.7 trillion barrels of oil – an enormous resource to help meet our energy and industrial needs in
Canada and beyond for the next several hundred years. By taking the
Oil Sands Engineering Elective you will learn to solve important
engineering challenges related to oil sands processing.
Related career paths:
• Pharmaceutical and medical
• Oil, gas, and natural resources
• High tech and aerospace
• Semiconductor industries
Related career paths:
• Bioproduct synthesis and recovery
• Improved vaccine or drug delivery
• New diagnostic technology
• Graduate studies leading to
careers in biomedical research
Related career paths:
• Environmental impact reduction
• Reduced water usage
• Yield improvement
• Energy efficiency improvement
Elective streams include the Nanoscale Engineering, Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy, and
Polymer Materials.
OPTIONS AND ELECTIVE STREAMS IN MATERIALS ENGINEERING
Materials engineers use physics, chemistry, and mechanics to design, process, apply, and produce materials –
from metals and alloys to polymers, ceramics, composites, and semiconductors.
1
Materials Engineering
This discipline enables you to develop, modify, and use processes to
convert raw materials into useful engineerin g materials with
specified desirable properties.
The program deals with mineral processing, extractive and physical
metallurgy, ceramics, polymers, composites, and aspects of the
behaviour of materials in service, including corrosion, wear, and
failure.
The undergraduate Materials Engineering program is the only one of
its kind in the Prairie Provinces and includes lectures and hands-on
laboratory sessions emphasizin g underlying principles and their
engineerin g applications. Technical electives enable students to
explore particular areas of materials with more depth.
2
Biomedical Option
Learn how to contribute to health care by developing or integrating
innovative materials specifically engineered for medical performance. Metallic alloys, molecularly designed polymers, and tailored
composites are gateways to significant progress in medical diagnostics and treatment.
3
Nano and Functional Materials Option
Students entering this option will be exposed to the exciting and
emerging field of nano and functional materials. Subject areas
covered include electronic, optical and magneti c materials,
nanomaterials and their applications, nanostructured molecular
sieves, nano and functional materials processing and fabrication.
Related career paths:
• Mineral processing and primary
metal production
• Materials diagnostics and failure
analysis
• Oil and gas
• Automotive industry
• Utilization of secondary resources
Related career paths:
• Prosthetics design
• Implant manufacturing
• Disease monitoring devices
• Drug delivery
• Graduate studies leading to
careers in biomedical research
Related career paths:
• Microelectronic and optoelectronic materials
• Nanoscale medical devices
• Next generation computers
Current elective streams include Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy, Polymer Materials, and
Structural Materials.
For detailed information, please consult our calendar or
visit our website at www.cme.engineering.ualberta.ca
Chemical and materials engineers are always in
demand, but the best aspect of your degree is that
you choose your career and control your future.
Enjoy the academic realm? Research and teaching
are major academic pursuits that will need people in
years to come.
Focus on research and you can be a bridge between
science and real-life applications for years to come,
in virtually any type of laboratory in the world.
Drawn to the business world? Work as a consultant,
project engineer, manager, or company-building
entrepreneur in design, testing, production ,
maintenance or performance analysis in your
desired industry.
The world of engineering is constantly expanding
and graduates are finding positions in areas that did
not exist a decade ago. Wherever your education
takes you, we know that you will be glad you chose
Chemical and Materials Engineering.
Chemical & Materials Engineering
University of Alberta
9107 - 116 Street, ECERF Building
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2V4
Telephone: 1.780.492.3321
Facsimile: 1.780.492.2881
Email: cmeinfo@ualberta.ca
Website: www.cme.engineering.ualberta.ca
About the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering
With over 500 undergraduate students, over 300 graduate students, and 50 professors, the University of
Alberta has one of the largest chemical and materials engineering departments in North America. Class
sizes are small and faculty members are friendly and approachable. Numerous teaching awards and a high
level of external funding underscore our value.
Teaching and research are priorities, along with developing industry partnerships and innovative programs
that position our graduates as sought-after professionals – and eventually, leaders of tomorrow’s chemical
and materials engineering initiatives.