Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of Illinois University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
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Undergraduate Research Program


Guidelines for Undergraduate Research Credit

All Courses

  1. A maximum of 10 hrs of undergraduate research credits may be employed to satisfy Chemical Engineering degree requirements. This includes credits in all courses including CHBE 297, 397, 497, 499 and research credits in other departments.
  2. A maximum of 3 hrs of undergraduate research credits may be employed as Chemical Engineering electives.
  3. A maximum of 6 hrs of undergraduate research credits may be employed as other technical electives.
  4. As a general guideline, students are expected to spend 4-5 hrs/week in the laboratory for each 1 semester-hr credit in undergraduate research.
  5. An Undergraduate Research Project summary form must be approved by the Head Advisor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering prior to the start of each semester.

CHBE 499

  1. CHBE 499 Senior Thesis research must be conducted under the supervision of a professor in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering. There are no exceptions.
  2. CHBE 499 projects must include a minimum of 5 hrs and a maximum of 10 hrs of undergraduate research credit. A formal thesis is required upon completion of the project. The total credits may be spread over two or more semesters. While it is possible to complete a 5 hr ChBE 499 project in a single semester, this represents an exceptional case. Under no circumstances, will more than 5 hrs of research credit be approved in one semester.
  3. To graduate with Distinction, you must complete 6 credit hours of ChBE 499 and earn a 3.0 or higher overall University of Illinois, UC GPA.

CHBE 297, 397, 497

  1. CHBE 297, 397, 497 Independent Research must be conducted under the supervision of a professor in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering. There are no exceptions.
  2. CHBE 297, 397, 497 research credits earned during the freshman and sophomore years may be counted for non-ChBE technical electives.
  3. With the approval of the Head Advisor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, ChBE 297, 397, 497 research credits earned during the junior and senior years might be satisfactory for 400 level or chemical engineering technical electives.

Other Courses

  1. Undergraduate research credits in other departments may be used to satisfy technical elective credits for the chemical engineering degree. As noted in point (5) above, the project must be approved prior to the beginning of each semester. In the absence of this approval, any credits earned will not count toward the completion of degree requirements in chemical and biomolecular engineering.
  2. Under no circumstances will research credits earned in other departments count as Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering electives.
  3. Research credits will not be awarded to individuals doing research off-campus, such as at companies.

Click on faculty member links in the left navigation menu to determine the faculty members' interests and what qualifications are required of prospective students.

05/2008