Undergraduate Programs
Versatility Pays Off for Chemical, Environmental Engineering Majors
Earn your bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering or environmental engineering at one of the best value universities in the United States. Bring your ambition, and get a well-rounded education in the UA Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering.
The world is changing, and it needs dynamic solutions. Chemical engineers discover new methods to produce clean water, air and fuels. They also find techniques to increase food production and manufacture consumer products sustainably and safely.
Environmental engineers develop technologies that protect the planet. They create better methods for water purification, wastewater treatment, air pollution control and recovery of resources, and energy from waste. They develop ways to prevent pollution and rid soil and groundwater of hazardous materials.
Fast Facts
$80K
starting salary, chemical engineering BS
(Investopedia)
Top 10
best college majors for the future
(Best College Reviews)
90%
students doing research
Academics Aimed at Doing Engineering
From the very first day of your introductory courses, you’ll benefit from lively discussions, one-on-one help, hands-on activities and team projects. CHEE faculty are in the vanguard of active learning. Students are engaged, challenged and supported every step of the way. You’ll get a solid grounding in the fundamentals, work with a small cohort of students, and benefit from experts in chemical engineering and environmental engineering – regardless of your major – throughout your academic journey.
CHEE is popular among UA Honors College students and one of the few College of Engineering departments that offers a pre-medical curriculum.
Outside the Classroom
Research is an integral part of the CHEE Wildcat experience – so much so, in fact, that nine out of 10 undergraduates are involved in research and 35 percent go on to grad school. In addition to conducting research, students create valuable products working on engineering design teams, develop leadership skills and STEM outreach efforts in clubs and organizations, and connect with future employers through internships.
Graduates Ready for Jobs and Grad School
Many UA chemical and environmental engineering students continue on to prestigious graduate programs, at institutions such as Cambridge University, Duke University and UC Berkeley. Others go right to work with companies like ASM America, ExxonMobil, Freescale, IBM, Intel and Micron Global Foundries, typically earning a starting salary of $75,000 a year.
Capstone Highlight
Emerging Power in Emergency Situations
Daniel John Hutton, a chemical engineering undergrad, led an Interdisciplinary Capstone team that built an apparatus to turn waste plastic into energy. It could be used in natural disaster recovery efforts or in remote locales, converting available waste to provide emergency power.
"We’re essentially taking the plastics, which have been created from crude oil, and turning them back into something like gasoline or diesel that can power a generator. The main environmental benefit is removing plastics from the environment in a virtually emission-free way, and you have a negative net carbon effect as you’ve removed it from sources that were already contaminating the environment."
Outside of the Classroom
Benjamin McCarthy, an environmental engineering undergrad, spends his time outside of class as club secretary for the University of Arizona chapter of Engineers Without Borders. He began his fall semester helping design a community garden for veterans to grow their own food.
"Communities come to us with projects they want implemented, and we help them plan every step of the way... I wanted to help with this project because it connects me with volunteer opportunities in my community but also connects me with mentors and professionals who are seeking engineers for future jobs."
