Choosing the Right Class: A Chemical Engineering Student's Dilemma

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In summary, the speaker is a second year chemical engineering student who has finished all their general education requirements and is deciding between courses for the fall semester. They are interested in doing an REU in drug delivery systems and working in a lab during the fall. The classes they have considered are Experimental Methods in Civil Engineering, Circuits 1, Transport Phenomena in Materials Processing, Energetics and Kinetics in Materials Science, and One-Semester Organic Chemistry. The speaker's other classes are Calculus 3, Analytical Chemistry and Lab, and Materials and Energy Balances. They are leaning towards taking Organic Chemistry because it is essential for their future career goals and will likely be a prerequisite for other upper level courses. They also
  • #1
omagdon7
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I was going to take Differential Equations in the coming fall but decided to take it over the summer. I now need to take something else in the fall and I can't make a decision.
I am a chemical engineering student it will be my 2nd year this coming fall but I have already finished all my Gen-eds the classes I am choosing between are as follows. I included course descriptions from the registrar homepage

CGN3710 Experimental Methods in Civil Engineering
Fundamentals and applications of measuring systems commonly used in civil engineering. Topics include recording techniques, strain, force, displacement, flow, temperature, humidity and PH measurements.

EEL3111C Circuits 1
Basic analysis of DC and AC electric circuits. Laboratory.

EMA4125 Transport Phenomena in Materials Processing
Science and application of momentum, heat and mass transport in materials and materials processing.

EMA4314 Energetics and Kinetics in Materials Science
Foundations of energetics and kinetic theory with applications to processes in materials science

CHM3217 One-Semester Organic Chemistry
A rigorous, one semester overview of the structure, properties and reactions of organic compounds. This is the first half of a two-semester sequence in biochemistry. Students are expected to take CHM 3218 after completing CHM 3217.

Those are the only classes I had considered so if anyone could tell me which would be msot useful for me as I am interested in doing an REU this coming summer and I will be working in a lab this coming Fall doing work in drug delivery mechanism development. All suggestions welcome.

One last thing my other classes are as follows:
Calculus 3
Analytical Chemistry and Lab
Materials and Energy Balances (5 credit ChemE class)
 
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  • #2
Everybody will have their own biased opinion. So here's mine: organic chemistry! I loved it, especially the lab portion. My choice of this could mainly be due to my hate in physics and anything to do with it, and the rest of the courses you listed are physics-related.
Organic chemistry will require you to memorize or "learn" a lot of reactions, but then I'm sure your pretty good at that if you're in engineering :)

K.
 
  • #3
If you're doing chemical engineering and want an REU in drug delivery systems, then the Organic Chemistry course is going to be essential. 2nd year is the appropriate time to take organic chem. Those upper level materials science classes sound like something you'd want to take after you get that other materials class out of the way. I would expect organic chem is going to be a pre-requisite for upper level classes you're going to need to take as well, so better to get that out of the way early. Analytical chem and organic chem aren't sequence dependent, so you can take them together and not worry that you need information in one to understand the other, but both of them are important for advanced chem classes.
 

Q: What factors should I consider when choosing a chemical engineering class?

When choosing a chemical engineering class, you should consider your interests, career goals, the difficulty level of the class, the professor's teaching style, and the availability of resources such as textbooks and study materials.

Q: How do I know if a chemical engineering class is the right fit for me?

The best way to determine if a chemical engineering class is the right fit for you is to research the course content, talk to students who have taken the class before, and attend a class session or lecture to get a feel for the teaching style and atmosphere.

Q: Is it better to take a challenging chemical engineering class or one that is easier?

It ultimately depends on your personal learning style and goals. While a challenging class may push you to excel and learn more, an easier class may allow you to focus on other courses or extracurricular activities. Consider your workload and priorities before making a decision.

Q: How important is the professor when choosing a chemical engineering class?

The professor can greatly impact your learning experience, so it is important to research their teaching style, availability for questions and help, and their reputation among students. If possible, try to take a class with a highly recommended professor.

Q: What resources can I use to help me choose the right chemical engineering class?

You can use resources such as course syllabi, department websites, student reviews, and academic advisors to help you choose the right chemical engineering class. You can also reach out to current students or alumni for their insights and recommendations.

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