Thank you for your interest in pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Kentucky. The Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering offers two distinct degree programs:
Ph.D. (or M.S.) in Chemical Engineering
Ph.D. (or M.S.) in Materials Science and Engineering
In both programs, the emphasis is on the Ph.D. degree. Students with strong academic credentials can apply directly for Ph.D. study upon receipt of their bachelor’s degree (B.S.). A prior Master’s degree is not required to study for the Ph.D. directly. For students with a prior M.S. degree, coursework credits completed at the graduate level are usually applicable to some portion of the requirements for the Ph.D.
Students with non-traditional educational backgrounds
The Chemical Engineering and Material Science graduate programs encourage students with B.S. degrees in chemistry or physics to apply. Depending upon the background of the student, direct admission to either the M.S. or Ph.D. degree program is possible. Minimum requirements for consideration include mathematics preparation through differential equations, and two semesters of university-level physics. Upon enrollment, a series of undergraduate courses are required to provide the necessary engineering fundamentals.
Financial Assistance
The department offers full financial support packages for all students who are admitted to our Ph.D. programs; admission is competitive and is based on academic credentials, test scores, letters of recommendation, and research performance potential. Since the emphasis in our Department is on doctoral study, the priority for financial support is students admitted directly to the Ph.D. program. Our typical support package is comprised of a research stipend, a full tuition scholarship, and student health insurance. For students making good academic progress in the doctoral program, financial support is guaranteed for a minimum of four years. Outstanding applicants may be eligible for additional stipend supplements, and these are awarded on a competitive basis during the application cycle. All applicants are automatically considered for financial support as part of the application process; no additional financial application forms are required.
As part of the financial support package, all students admitted to our graduate programs are required to provide service as a part-time teaching assistant (TA) during their first academic year. A typical assignment would be ten hours per week assisting with an undergraduate course in the Department for both the Fall and Spring semesters. For most students, no additional teaching duties are required beyond the first year.
Student Visits
All domestic applicants to our graduate programs are strongly encouraged to visit the Department and meet with the faculty. We would be happy to assist you with scheduling a visit and arranging meetings with faculty and current graduate students, as well as tours of our research facilities.
For detailed information on our graduate application process, please click here.
For Questions on the Application Process:
Erin Pyrek
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering
University of Kentucky
162 F. Paul Anderson Tower
Lexington, KY 40506-0046
Co-Director of Graduate Studies (CME):
Stephen Rankin, Ph.D.
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering
University of Kentucky
159 F. Paul Anderson Tower
Lexington, KY 40506-0046
Co-Director of Graduate Studies (MSE):
Fuqian Yang, Ph.D.
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering
University of Kentucky
161 F. Paul Anderson Tower
Lexington, KY 40506-0046