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Master's Program

The CEE department offers a M.S. degree in Chemical and Environmental Engineering.

Plan I Thesis Requirements

  • Completion of a minimum of 36 units of approved course work including core courses and submission of an acceptable M.S. thesis
  • At least 24 of these units must be in regular lecture graduate courses (200 series courses)
  • No more than 4 units of CEE 290 or CEE 297 combined and 6 units of CEE 286 or special topic courses (CEE 250 or CEE 260 series) may apply toward the 36 units

Plan II Comprehensive Examination Requirements

  • Completion of a minimum of 36 units of approved course work including core courses and successful passage of a comprehensive examination
  • At least 28 of these units must be in regular lecture graduate courses (200-series courses) and none may be in courses numbered CEE 286, CEE 290, CEE 297, CEE 299 or CEE 302
  • The exam is a six-hour written, closed-book examination emphasizing fundamental knowledge and breadth of the study area rather than specifics covered in individual courses. An oral follow-up session may be requested by the examination committee following its evaluation of the written exam. No more than two attempts to pass the exam are allowed. Students who fail the exam once and then want to switch to the thesis plan should contact the graduate advisor. Students who fail the exam twice may not switch to the thesis plan.

About the Thesis Committee

The committee consists of three members. The student and advisor nominate the committee before the end of the first year with the concurrence of the graduate committee. After review of the nomination, the dean of the Graduate Division appoints the committee on behalf of the Graduate Council. The committee, once approved by the graduate dean, rather than the department, becomes responsible for the student’s academic guidance and evaluation. The chairman of the committee is the director of the candidate’s research and is normally a faculty member of the CEE department or a cooperating faculty member. A member may be appointed who is a researcher on campus, from off-campus, or a visiting lecturer within the department; however, a memo indicating the academic degree and affiliation of the nominated member, as well as a curriculum vitae, must accompany such a request. (Memos need not accompany the nomination of an adjunct faculty member.) After being formed, the committee must approve the subject of the thesis. A joint meeting of the committee members and the student should be held before work on the thesis is begun to ensure the topic is clear and acceptable to all. Once the thesis is completed, all three members of the committee must approve the thesis and sign the title page. Students must give a seminar presentation of their thesis work to the department and members of the academic community before completing the thesis.

For the M.S. Degree

  • Students must complete a minimum of three quarters in residence in the UC with a GPA of 3.00 or better in all 100-200-level course work related to the degree
  • Normative Time to Degree: Six quarters