ChemE graduate school without engineering major?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the challenges of pursuing a Chemical Engineering (ChemE) graduate program without an undergraduate engineering degree. The individual is currently majoring in math and chemistry but is considering transferring to a ChemE school to align with their interests in nonlinear dynamics and transport phenomena. It is noted that students from non-engineering backgrounds, such as chemistry, can gain admission to ChemE master's programs, but they typically need to complete additional prerequisite courses, extending their study time by about 1.5 years. The consensus is that a strong foundational knowledge in engineering topics is essential for success in graduate-level ChemE studies. Transferring could be beneficial, but it requires careful consideration of the additional coursework needed.
cytochrome
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It just so happens that my school does not offer an engineering major or even a physics major (I have to take physics classes at a nearby school).

I'm currently majoring in math and chemistry. I have wondered whether or not I should transfer to a great ChemE school so I could pursue my interests.

I'm particularly interested in nonlinear dynamics and transport phenomena, which were the subjects of my research experience the past two summers. I've only taken an intro to chaos class which covered nonlinear dynamics, but I got a good taste of both fields while doing research so I'm sure that's I'd like to pursue (broad I know). Materials science is also an interest.

Do you guys think transferring is a good idea? I'm not sure how easy it is to get into a good ChemE graduate program for research without the degree
 
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How far along are you?

Math and chemistry are both pretty applicable, so you're doing well there.

At my school, there are three students in the process of getting a ChemE masters who were not undergraduate engineers (all three studied chemistry). For them, it's basically added about 1.5 years of "prep" time to take the prerequisite classes to get prepared for taking graduate level classes. They are taking the essential ChemE classes that are not covered in the chemistry curriculum.

I don't think it's really possible to do graduate study without some form of catch-up, because you really need the background in the topics to start studying in greater depth.
 

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