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Fall 2025 Graduate Catalog
Chemical and Molecular Engineering, PhD
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 Return to: Doctoral Programs
Degrees Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical and Molecular Engineering
Department Administrator: Chandrani Roy, (631) 632-4174
Department Staff Assistant: Elaine Soto (631) 632-8483
Graduate Program Coordinator: Vacant
Department Office: Engineering Building 314
Email: ESMandCME_GradInfo@stonybrook.edu
The Chemical and Molecular Engineering program, in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, offers graduate work leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
The main mission of the graduate program is to train the next generation of chemical engineers that will make important discoveries, develop new technologies, and apply innovative approaches to solve problems related to the production or use of drugs, food, chemicals, fuel and other products. Our programs in Chemical and Molecular Engineering offer students an extensive curriculum with the opportunity to pursue advanced studies and gain knowledge of chemical engineering theory and its relationship to related engineering processes, including catalysis, nanotechnology, computational modeling, environmental science, fluid mechanics, rheology, materials processing, polymers, thin films, biochemical, biomedical, biotechnology, separations, transport phenomena, and thermodynamics. The motivating philosophy of the graduate program is to provide the student with a broad knowledge in theoretical and experimental techniques to ensure that students graduate with the skills necessary for professional research and teaching in the chemical engineering field.
The faculty in the Chemical and Molecular Engineering program are actively involved in research in different areas and work with graduate students on projects that have both applied and fundamental aspects.
Research Areas
Research areas for the graduate program include Catalysis, Environmental Engineering, Nanotechnology, Nanotoxicology, Drug Delivery, Polymers, Energy Science and Computational Modelling.
Chemical and Molecular Engineering, PhD
The PhD degree in Chemical and Molecular Engineering provides a thorough grounding in the fundamental principles of chemical engineering, as well as an intensive research experience. This degree is mainly designed to prepare students for a research career in academia, government or private laboratories, R&D in industry, or elsewhere.
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Admission Requirements
Application Website Application Deadlines We are excited that you are considering our Graduate Program. Chemical and Molecular Engineering program offers admission to M.S. and Ph.D. programs. Admission to the M.S. and Ph.D. Programs are handled separately by the departmental Admissions Minimum requirements for admission to graduate study in Chemical and Molecular Engineering (CME) are as follows: - A bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering (or a closely related field).
- A grade point average of at least B (i.e., 3.0/4.0) in all mathematics, engineering, and science courses.
- Results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test (Waived for Spring or Fall 2025);
- For non-native speakers of English, results of the TOEFL exam with a score is required. Please reference for minimum score Official scores sent directly to the graduate school via ETS-Institutional code: 2548; Departmental code 69.
- Masters students that have completed a degree program from a U.S. institution may be eligible for a TOEFL waiver and need to request the waiver, please email Graduate Admissions at gradadmissions@stonybrook.edu .
- All PhD applicants with a TA stipend whose native language is not English must demonstrate a sufficient level of English-speaking proficiency (TOEFL Speaking score) and may be required to take OAE courses based on these measures.
- Acceptance by both the Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering and the Graduate School.
Transfer of Credits Students may transfer up to 9 credits of graduate courses obtained from another US accredited university. The following conditions and procedure are required to transfer any credits. In order to be counted towards graduation, the credits must be evaluated by Chemical Engineering Program committee and faculty. The evaluation must establish equivalence between a course being transferred from another institution and a CME course in Stony Brook, which is accepted as part of the graduation requirements. The GPD typically evaluates the course materials/contents, student transcripts, etc. The approval is not automatic and we generally take a very careful look at such transfer requests. Graduate courses that do not meet the previous requirement can be transferred without being counted towards graduation. This can sometimes be useful because students who have earned 24 graduate credits of any kind need to be registered for only 9 credits in order to have full time status. Therefore, gaining this status early might reduce tuition liability. MS to PhD A student in the M.S. program from CME or any related field at Stony Brook can subsequently apply for admission into the Ph.D. program, only if the student can be supported by an advisor to complete the PhD program in CME at Stony Brook. The students will require to complete a change of level/program form to enter the PhD program as a G-4 student. The CME Ph.D. program also recognizes M.S. degree from other accredited US institutions, student who have M.S. degree in CME will still require to complete courses totaling 24 credits. The student will be accepted as G4 level student and expected to complete all requirements towards the Ph.D. degree. Financial Support Admitted Ph.D. students are typically offered financial support in the form of teaching or research assistantships, which include full tuition and broad- based fees. Admission into this program is very competitive. M.S. students are typically admitted with no financial support; however, full time MS students in the thesis track may be appointed as Research Project Assistants with an opportunity to enter the PhD program at the discretion of a faculty member upon availability of funds. Information regarding tuition and other costs can be found here. Plan of Work
Before completion of one year of full-time residency, the student must have selected a research advisor who agrees to serve in that capacity. The student will then prepare a plan of further coursework. This must receive the approval of the student’s advisor and of the Graduate Program Committee. Coursework
- An average grade of B or higher is required for all courses.
- A minimum of 24 graduate course credits is required to graduate (excluding CME 555, CME 599 , CME 697 , CME 698 , and CME 699 ).
- All courses taken outside the Department require permission from the Graduate Program Director.
- All PhD students must act as teaching assistants for five semesters (regardless of support), and they must register for CME 698 - Practicum in Teaching - in all five semesters for a total of 3 credits and 0 credits for the rest.
The 24 course credits must include the following four core courses:
Preliminary Examination
The preliminary examination must be taken before the beginning of the student’s fifth semester. This is an oral examination designed to test the student’s ability to utilize his or her chemical engineering background to carry out research in a chosen field of study, and to make clear written and oral presentations of research. At least ten days prior to the examination, the candidate should submit a research proposal (10-15 pages) to the examiners that places the research in context of other work in the area, demonstrates original thought , clearly outlines its broader impact, and provides a sustainable timeline for its completion. The examination committee will consist of three Chemical and Molecular Engineering faculty members, and one member from another department or institution. If a second examination is required, it must be completed by the tenth week of the fifth semester. Once the student has advanced to candidacy, the student must report to the committee at least once a year before the end of the spring semester on progress towards his/her dissertation. Advancement to Candidacy
After the prelims, the department processes the Advancement to Candidacy once the student’s preliminary examination committee has signed to confirm that the student has passed the prelims. It is important to note, that a student must have no “I” or “U” grades for courses that count towards the degree to advance to candidacy. He/she must have completed all coursework requirements to advance to candidacy. Dissertation
The most important requirement of the Ph.D. degree is the completion of a dissertation, which must be an original scholarly investigation. The dissertation shall represent a significant contribution to the scientific literature, and its quality shall be compatible with the publication standards of appropriate and reputable scholarly journals. At least two semesters should elapse between the preliminary exam and submission of the dissertation. Defense
The candidate shall defend the dissertation before an examining committee consisting of four members, including the research advisor, two members of the Materials Science and Chemical Engineering Department, and one member from outside the Department. Time Limit
All requirements for the Ph.D. degree must be completed within seven years after completing 24 credit hours of graduate courses in the program. |
Return to: Doctoral Programs
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