College of Engineering 2011-2012

14. College of Engineering


Departments: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering

Jack R. Hopper, Dean 2016 Cherry Engineering Building, 409.880.8741
Victor Zaloom, Associate Dean, Chair -Industrial Engineering, 2014 Cherry Building, 409.880.8804
Ronald Peevy, Director, Recruiting and Cooperative Education, 2612 Cherry Engineering Building, 409.880.7870
Katrina Brent, Director, Engineering Marketing, 2616 Cherry Engineering Building, 409.880.7797
Becky Caddy, Director, Advisement and Retention Center, 2612 Cherry Engineering Building, 409.880.8810
Debbie Graves, Executive Assistant

Engineering Endowed Chair Professors: Michael E. and Patricia P. Aldredge Chair of Industrial Infrastructure: T.C. Ho, Jack Gill Chair of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry: David Cocke, Andrew and Joyce Green Chair of Composites and Structural Engineering: Robert L. Yuan, William B. and Mary G. Mitchell Chair of Telecommunications: Harley Myler

Degrees Offered

B.S., Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Technology 

Graduate Degrees: M.E.S., Master of Engineering Science M.S., Master of Science in Environmental Engineering M.S., Master of Science in Environmental Studies M.E., Master of Engineering M.E.M., Master of Engineering Management D.E., Doctor of Engineering Ph.D., Chemical Engineering

College of Engineering Mission

The mission of the College of Engineering is to provide an environment and infrastructure to support the educational objectives of its programs. The College establishes an interface to the University and entities external to the University to provide and prepare engineering students to be leaders and problem-solvers. The College supports a foundation of strong theoretical emphasis, the development of practical engineering skills, experience in interpersonal communication and teamwork, and an emphasis on ethics, professional conduct and critical thinking. We offer strong and varied academic programs to a diverse student population that prepares our graduates for the challenges of lifelong learning.

The departments in the College of Engineering are associated with their respective national honor societies which include: Alpha Pi Mu, Chi Epsilon, Eta Kappa Nu, Omega Chi Epsilon, Pi Tau Sigma and Tau Beta Pi.

Cooperative Education Program

A Cooperative (Co-op) Education Program, in which the student spends alternate terms at work and at study, is offered to qualified students in the College of Engineering. Internships for work periods in summer terms only are also offered. Programs are available for engineering and industrial technology students.

To meet the minimum qualifications for the Co-op program a student must

  1. Complete all the work in the first two semesters of the degree program.
  2. Maintain a 2.5 over-all grade point average.

To remain in the program, the student must maintain a grade point average above a 2.5 and perform in a manner satisfactory to the employer and Lamar University. A co-op is considered to be a full-time student during any work term in which the co-op is registered for Career Development. By participating in the Co-op program throughout the sophomore and junior years, a student extends the time required to obtain a degree to five years. However, in doing so, he gains the equivalent of almost two years experience in industry. A student may apply for admission to the Co-op program through the Engineering Cooperative Education Office.

Engineering Programs

The five undergraduate curricula in engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET www.abet.org

Undergraduate Entrance Requirements

Entering freshmen and new transfer students are considered provisional majors. The College of Engineering Advisement Center is responsible for the academic advisement of provisional engineering majors.

The entrance requirements from high school for engineering degree programs are

  1. English - 4 units
  2. Mathematics Algebra - 2 units Geometry - 1 unit Pre-calculus or Equivalent - 1 unit
  3. Natural Sciences Chemistry - 1 unit Physics - 1 unit
  4. Foreign Language - 1 unit

Students who meet the general entrance requirements of the University, but lack in specific requirements for the engineering curricula may, upon approval of the dean, be permitted to enroll in the College of Engineering; however, all deficiencies must be removed before the end of the second academic year. Students having entrance deficiencies or weaknesses are urged to use the summer terms proceeding the Freshman year in college to remove them. Students attaining a sufficiently high grade in the CEEB Mathematics Level I exam may be eligible for advanced placement in the Calculus and Analytic Geometry sequence. These tests are administered during the freshmen orientation periods and during the regular registration periods.

Transfer students are required to have a minimum 2.0 GPA on all work attempted before entering the College of Engineering. Normally transfer credit is considered for course work with a grade of “C” or better.

In addition to the University requirements, the College of Engineering enforces the following standards:

  1. Students are required to take courses in the sequence shown in the University Bulletin for each degree program.
  2. Engineering students are expected to maintain a GPA of 2.25 to remain in a program. Students who drop below 2.25 GPA will be placed on probation (maximum load of 13 semester hours). Students who drop below a 2.0 GPA will be suspended from the College of Engineering for one long term. Students returning from suspension must prepare a performance contract in consultation with their academic advisor. A minimum term of the contract requires the student,to remove deficiencies every semester of enrollment. Students who fail to meet the terms of their contract will be permanently suspended.
  3. Engineering students are expected to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in their major courses (Any course with an Engineering prefix.) A performance contract with the student’s department head is required for continued enrollment.
  4. Degree credit is normally allowed only for courses in which a grade of “C” or better is earned. A course may be repeated for additional credit toward a degree only as specified by the official course description in the University Bulletin. Excluding courses that may be taken for additional credit toward a degree, a student may not register for any course more than four times. Any student who wishes to repeat a course must do so before completing a more advanced course in the same subject matter field.
  5. Upon the completion of at least 51 semester hours of the Common Program with a GPA of 2.25 or more on all required courses, a student will be considered for admission to an engineering program. For all engineering programs, it is required that 45 semester hours (at least 25 semester hours in engineering at the 3000 and 4000 level) be earned after admission to the professional program.
  6. The student’s advisor must approve all electives.

The Dean of Engineering may require students to meet the current degree requirements or program standards.

Please see each department’s four-year suggested program of study.

Graduate Program College of Engineering

The objectives of the graduate programs in Engineering, Environmental Science and Studies, and Engineering Management are to:

  1. Advance the state of art of the practice of engineering.
  2. Advance the state of art of the teaching/learning process in engineering.
  3. Contribute to the economic well being of the residents of Southeast Texas, the entire state and nation.
  4. Improve the safety, health and environment of Southeast Texas, the entire state and nation.

The requirements of the various graduate programs in the College of Engineering are described below.

The College of Engineering offers graduate degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels. At the master’s level, both non-thesis and thesis degrees are available from each of five engineering departments. Non-thesis degrees offered are the Master of Engineering (M.E.) and the Master of Engineering Management (M.E.M.). The Master of Engineering Science (M.E.S.) offered by each engineering department; the Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and the Master of Science in Environmental Studies requires a thesis.

The Doctor of Engineering (D.E.) degree is offered through each of the five engineering departments. This degree requires a written field study documenting the findings of an advanced engineering design completed by the degree candidate.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering, emphasizing methodology and technology development for sustainability of chemical and allied industry, environment, and economics, is offered through the Chemical Engineering Department in the College of Engineering.

Graduate degree programs are offered as follows:

Master of Engineering Management (M.E.M.)

Master of Engineering Science (M.E.S.)

Master of Engineering (M.E.)

Doctor of Engineering (D.E.)

Master of Science in Environmental Engineering (M.S.)

Master of Science in Environmental Studies (M.S.)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Chemical Engineering

Admission Requirements

In addition to the General Requirement in the Graduate School, the College of Engineering sets the following admission criteria for Master of Engineering, Master of Engineering Science and Doctor of Engineering.

For Domestic Students: We accept the most qualified students with

1) Bachelor degree in Engineering or equivalent, or permission of the Graduate Advisor.

2) Official transcripts from:

a. Institution where highest degree was earned

b. Most recently attended institution

c. If a and b are the same, only one copy is needed

3) GRE score

4) Two to three reference letters (optional but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships)

5) Resume (optional but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships)

6) Personal Statement (optional but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships)

7) Students with a Bachelor degree other than Engineering need to submit all the undergraduate transcript(s) for detailed evaluation to determine the eligibility and pre-requisites if provisional admission is granted. The Graduate admission committee will conduct the evaluation.

8) In addition, for Doctor of Engineering:

a. Applicants need to have Master degree in Engineering or equivalent, or completed at least 18 credit hours of graduate courses in Engineering

b. Students with a Master degree other than Engineering need to submit the past undergraduate and graduate transcripts for detailed evaluation to determine the eligibility and pre-requisites if provisional admission is granted. The Graduate admission committee will conduct the evaluation.

Application deadline: while the graduate school has an earlier deadline, the department will continue to accept and process applications, if time permits the visa application. The application material should still be sent to the Graduate School, who will check the completeness before forwarding the application to the department.

For International Students: We accept the most qualified students with

1) Bachelor degree in Engineering or equivalent, or permission of the Graduate Advisor.

2) Official transcripts from:

a. Institution where highest degree was earned, or

b. Most recently attended institution

c. If a and b are the same, only one copy is needed

3) GRE score

4) TOEFL or IELTS score

5) Two to three reference letters (optional but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships)

6) Resume (optional but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships)

7) Personal Statement (optional but encouraged for assistantships/scholarships)

8) Students with a Bachelor degree other than Engineering need to submit all the undergraduate transcript(s) for detailed evaluation to determine the eligibility and pre-requisites if provisional admission is granted. The Graduate admission committee will conduct the evaluation.

9) International students must prove that they have the financial resources to attend Lamar University. As part of the application process, international students must submit an original Confirmation of Financial Resources form that asks for personal, family, and/or sponsor financial information and a bank verification of financial holdings. All international students are required to have health and accident insurance for themselves and all their dependent family members in the United States. Insurance may be purchased at the University during the registration period.

Application deadline: while the graduate school has an earlier deadline, the department will continue to accept and process applications, if time permits the visa application. The application material should still be sent to the Graduate School, who will check the completeness before forwarding the application to the department.

Master of Engineering Management (M.E.M)

The Master of Engineering Management is a non-thesis degree program with all required courses offered after 4 p.m. Course work is designed to build onto the education received while completing an accredited bachelor’s degree in engineering and the individual’s professional experience. Hence, practicing engineers generally will not require undergraduate prerequisites.

A total of 36 credit hours are required at the graduate level. Included among these 36 credit hours are 15 hours of core courses required of all M.E.M. students. Course work in addition to the required core courses is tailored specifically to the needs of the student, but generally has approximately one-third of the courses in the general area of technical management, one-third in Business Administration, and one-third in the student’s technical discipline such as Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.

Admission standards are designed to ensure that all enrolled students are qualified professionals serving in a leadership role in their engineering discipline. The four primary requirements are as follows:

  1. B.S. in Engineering or Equivalent.
  2. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores (Verbal + Quantitative) = 1000 or more.
  3. Two-to-five years of engineering experience in a leadership role.
  4. Letter of recommendation for the program from someone in direct supervision over the applicant in his/her primary employment.

Degree Requirements for M.E.M.

  1. All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements.
  2. Completion of a core program of 15 semester hours of specified courses.
  3. Completion of a minimum of at least 36 semester hours from an approved list of courses. (See typical programs)

Step-by-Step Procedure

1. Obtain a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering.

2. Complete two-to-five years of professional practice in a position of leadership.

1. Apply for Admission to the Graduate College of Lamar University

1. Complete Graduate application, obtainable by calling 409.880.8356 or online at https://www.lamar.edu

2. Take GRE and have scores sent to: Graduate Admissions, Lamar University, Box 10078, Beaumont, Texas 77710.

3. Have all undergraduate transcripts sent to Graduate Admissions.

4. Have letter of recommendation from supervisor sent to: Coordinator of Engineering Graduate Programs, Box 10032, Beaumont, Texas 77710.

3. In consultation with Coordinator of Engineering Graduate Programs, select graduate committee.

4. Complete 12 hours of course work including at least three core courses and apply for admission to candidacy.

1. Complete remaining course work specified in candidacy application

1. Apply for Graduation

2. Obtain copy of Comprehensive Examination policy from Industrial Engineering Department.

3. Request and schedule Comprehensive Examination.

4. Pass Comprehensive Examination

7. Graduate Core Courses

1. INEN 5369 Engineering Management

1. INEN 5320 Statistical Decision-Making for Engineers

2. or INEN 5370 Operations Research

3. INEN 5316 Industrial Management

4. or INEN 5376 Occupational Ergonomics

2. INEN 5366 Advanced Engineering Economics

Typical Program Options

Each student in consultation with an advisor should design a program tailored to meet his or her own specific educational objectives. The following typical program options are suggested. Substitutions and/or modifications to these programs can be accomplished with the approval of the student’s advisor.

I. M.E.M. for Industrial Engineering

Technical Discipline INEN 5370 Operations Research INEN 5350 Production and Inventory Control INEN 5345 Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) INEN 5376 Occupational Ergonomics

Technical Management INEN 5369 Engineering Management INEN 5366 Advanced Engineering Economics INEN 5320 Statistical Decision Making INEN 5315 Industrial Management

Business Administration ECON 5200 Foundations of Economics ACCT 5200 Financial Accounting ACCT 5370 Managerial Accounting MKTG 5200 Marketing Concepts

II. M.E.M. for Quality Management

Technical Discipline INEN 5303 Regression Analysis INEN 5312 Quality Improvement INEN 5319 Design of Experiments INEN 5363 Six Sigma

Technical Management Same as Option I

Business Administration Same as Option I

III. M.E.M. for Construction Project Management

Technical Discipline CVEN 5308 Cost Optimization & Scheduling Engineering CVEN 5320 Engineering Project Management CVEN 5340 Foundation Engineering CVEN 5381 Building Design/Construction CVEN 6388 Computer Methods ENGR 5301 Professional Engineering Practice ENGR 5110 Construction Seminar ENGR 5201 Construction Project Design

Technical Management Same as Option I

Business Administration Same as Option I

IV. M.E.M. for Environmental Management

Technical Discipline CVEN 5317 Material Engineering Systems CVEN 5331 Biological Wastewater Treatment CVEN 5325 Fundamentals of Air Pollution CVEN 5329 Water Supply and Treatment

Technical Management Same as Option I

Business Administration Same as Option I

V. M.E.M. for Chemical Engineers

Technical Discipline CHEN 5302 Transportation Phenomena CHEN 5347 Material Science CHEN 5357 Process Simulation CHEN 5358 Advanced Process Simulation CHEN 5360 Thermodynamic Process Industry CHEN 5361 Process Optimization CHEN 6340 Distillation CHEN 6345 Fundamentals of Sustainability

Technical Management Same as Option I Business Administration Same as Option I

VI. M.E.M. for Electrical Engineer

Technical Discipline ELEN 5346 Digital Signal Processing ELEN 5365 Image Processing ELEN 5301-30 Computer Networks I ELEN 5301-30 Computer Networks II ELEN 5301-32 CMOS Digital IC DSN ELEN 5301-32 VLSI Interconnects

Technical Management Same as Option I

Business Administration Same as Option I

VII. M.E.M. for Industrial Project Management

Technical Discipline INEN 5323 IE Systems Design INEN 5349 Production and Inventory Control INEN 5354 Lean Manufacturing INEN 5363 Six Sigma INEN 5385 IE Design INEN 5386 Industrial and Product Safety

Technical Management Same as Option I

Business Administration Same as Option I

VIII. M.E.M. for Mechanical Engineers

Technical Discipline MEEN 5304 Advanced Engineering Analysis MEEN 5389 CAD MEEN 5309 Problems in Design and Finite Analysis MEEN 5315 Theory of Elasticity ENGR 5301-67 Turbomachinery ENGR 5301-65 Optimization of Thermal Systems ENGR 5301-64 Manufacturing Analysis ENGR 5301-66 Materials Selection ENGR 5301-69 Modeling and Simulation

Technical Management Same as Option I

Business Administration Same as Option I

Master of Engineering Science (M.E.S.), Master of Engineering (M.E.), and Doctor of Engineering (D.E.)

The Master of Engineering Science, Master of Engineering and Doctor of Engineering programs are administered by the Graduate Steering Committee. Students entering these programs are responsible to this committee until a permanent graduate committee including a chairman is selected and approved. The student should select an advisor and a permanent graduate committee must be formed before the student has completed 15 semester hours of graduate work. No credit toward a graduate degree will be granted unless approved by either the Graduate Steering Committee or the student’s permanent graduate committee.

Core Course Categories for the M.E.S., M.E. and D.E. Programs:

Category Course Number and Title

  1. Mathematics/Statistics ENGR 5301-07 Sp. Topics: Process Modeling – Neural Networks ENGR 5388 Special Topics: Engineering Systems Analysis INEN 5320 Statistical Decision Making for Engineers INEN 5303 Regression Analysis MEEN 5304 Advanced Engineering Analysis INEN 5305 Reliability INEN 5319 Design of Experiments ELEN 6314 Computer Control and Instrumentation
  2. Optimization/Management ENGR 5301-05 Sp. Topics: Optimization of Chemical Processes ENGR 6349 Engineering Applications of AI and Expert Systems CVEN 6388 Comp. Mtds. of Engr. Project Management INEN 5370 Operations Research ENGR 5301-64 Sp. Topics: Optimization of Thermal/Mechanical Systems
  3. Simulation/Control CHEN 5357 Process Simulation CVEN 5324 Models in Hydrological Systems ELEN 6358 Industrial Automation and Process Control INEN 5375 Simulation of Industrial Systems ENGR 5301-62 Special Topics: Control of Mechanical Systems

Master of Engineering Science (M.E.S.)

The Master of Engineering Science Degree requires the completion of 30 semester hours of graduate course work, including a thesis.

Admission Requirements For admission to the program, the student must meet the following requirements:

  1. The general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies.
  2. Hold a bachelor’s degree in a field of engineering or related discipline with credit substantially equivalent to that required for bachelor’s degrees at Lamar University.
  3. These are minimum admission requirements. Individual departments may be more selective.

Degree Requirements

  1. All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements.
  2. A minimum of 3 semester hours (one course) from those courses listed above as core courses.
  3. A minimum of 21 semester hours (seven courses) of electives. Additional core courses may satisfy part of this requirement.
  4. Satisfactory completion and defense of thesis (ENGR 5390 and ENGR 5391).

Master of Engineering (M.E.)

The Master of Engineering Degree is a non-thesis 36 semester hour* program designed to suit the needs of the practicing engineer.

Admission Requirements For admission to the program, the student must meet the following requirements:

  1. The general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies.
  2. Hold a bachelor’s degree in a field of engineering or related discipline with credit substantially equivalent to that required for bachelor’s degrees at Lamar University.
  3. These are minimum admission requirements and may be more selective for individual departments.

Degree Requirements

  1. All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements.
  2. Completion of one course from each of the three categories of core courses for a total of 9 semester hours of core course work. The core course categories and core courses are listed above.
  3. A minimum of 27 semester hours* (nine courses) of electives. Additional core courses may satisfy part of this requirement.
  4. Satisfactory completion of a final comprehensive examination.

*A graduate student who has passed the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination or a graduate student who is a Professional Engineer registered in the State of Texas (or registered in another state where requirements do not conflict with the provisions of the Texas Engineering Practice Act and are of a standard not lower than those specified in Section 12 of that Act) may satisfy course requirements by completing 24 semester hours of electives toward a total of 33 semester hours provided ENGR 6310 (Design Project) is included.

Doctor of Engineering (D.E.)

The Doctor of Engineering Degree is designed to permit the practicing engineer to study practical engineering problems of a complex nature.

Admission Requirements For admission to the program, the following requirements must be met:

  1. The general requirements of the College of Graduate Studies.
    1. The applicant must hold a Bachelor of Science degree in a field of engineering. The applicant must have an overall GPA and quantitative section of the GRE score which meets the following criteria: (50*GPA + GRE) must equal or exceed
    2. 800. International students must have a minimum TOEFL score of 530.
  2. The applicant must hold a Master’s degree or have completed at least 30 semester hours of course work at the graduate level in a field of engineering or a closely related discipline.
  3. These are minimum admission requirements. Individual departments may be more selective.

Degree Requirements

  1. All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements.
  2. The student shall complete a residency of one year.
  3. The student shall register for ENGR 6110, Professional Seminar, each semester in which the student is registered for more than six hours or in which the student is registered for field study. A minimum of 4 hours is required.
  4. Completion of one course from each of the three categories of core courses for a total of 9 semester hours of core course work. The core course categories and core courses are listed above. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by the Director of Engineering Graduate Studies.
  5. Completion of the diagnostic examination. This examination has the objectives of determining the student’s qualifications for a doctoral program and to provide guidance for the selection of a study program. This examination must be completed before the student has earned 15 semester hours of course credit after admission to the program.
  6. Completion of a minimum of 18 credit hours of field study preparatory courses in a concentration designed to form a cohesive degree plan and must be approved by the student’s advisory committee. The field study preparation includes completion of one semester of ENGR 6320, Justification of Engineering Project
  7. Completion of candidacy examination. The purposes of this examination are to test the ability of the student to comprehensively relate the subjects of the study program and to ascertain the student’s qualifications to perform the field study.
  8. Completion of the field study. After the student is admitted to candidacy a formal engineering proposal must be presented to the doctoral committee. Upon committee approval of the proposed field study the work is initiated. Normally, 30 semester hours of field study is required.
  9. Defense of field study. Upon completion of the field study a formal report with a standard thesis format shall be submitted to the committee and defended in an oral examination.

Master of Science in Environmental Engineering

Until recently, environmental engineers were primarily concerned with municipal water systems and sewage treatment facilities. The bulk of the course work dealt with the application of engineering solutions to human health problems. Today, the field includes the study of water quality, air quality and methods for disposing of toxic/hazardous wastes. Overall, environmental engineers are engaged in solving the large and complex environmental problems threatening the natural ecosystem.

The Master of Science in Environmental Engineering program is designed to provide engineers with the highly specialized chemical/civil engineering background needed by industry and by regulatory agencies on the federal, state and municipal levels.

Admission Requirements For admission to the program, the student must meet the following requirements:

  1. The general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies.
  2. Hold a bachelor’s degree in a field of engineering which is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree at Lamar University.
  3. Because of the diversity of the scientific disciplines which are admitted to the environmental studies program, some students may be lacking in certain fundamental subject areas, usually undergraduate level courses in engineering, microbiology, basic chemistry, geology, and/or mathematics. These courses must be taken in addition to the curriculum required for the master’s degree program.

Degree Requirements

  1. All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements.
  2. A minimum of 12 semester hours (4 core courses) from those listed below: CHEM 5301 Special Topics in Environmental Chemistry1 CVEN 5325 Fundamentals of Air Pollution CVEN 5329 Water Supply and Treatment CVEN 5331 Biological Wastewater Treatment CHEN 6344 Multimedia Transport of Pollutants CVEN 6387 Hydraulics of Environmental Systems2 1 with committee approval, an equivalent chemistry course may be substituted. 2 with committee approval, Hazardous Waste Management (ENGR 6339) may be substituted.
  3. A minimum of 15 semester hours (five courses) of designated electives from the list below or other approved electives: BIOL 5301 Special Topic: Microbiology BIOL 5430 Limnology BIOL 5470 Ecology of Polluted Waters CHEM 5411 Biochemistry I CVEN 5324 Models in Hydrological Systems (HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS) CVEN 5326 Hydrologic and Hydrodynamic Processes CVEN 5338 Solid Waste Management CHEN 5342 Reactor Design for Environmental Systems CVEN 5343 Industrial Waste Treatment CVEN 5351 Unit Operation in Environmental Engineering GEOL 5301 Special Topic: Hydrogeology CVEN 6339 Hazardous Waste Management ENGR 6389 Computer-Aided Software Engineering (Geographic Information System)
  4. Satisfactory completion and defense of thesis

Master of Science in Environmental Studies

The environmental studies program is designed for students who wish to continue to work in their scientific specialty but as it relates to environmental affairs. The degree is especially intended for individuals who wish to work in the evaluation, operations and/or regulatory aspects of the field as opposed to the design or engineering areas. Consequently, the program will provide an understanding of environmental problems and processes from the point of view of the chemist, biologist or geologist and provide the interdisciplinary perspective needed to cope with various environmental issues.

Admission Requirements

For admission to the program, the student must meet the following requirements:

  1. The general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies.
  2. Hold a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biology, geology, the subdivisions of those fields e.g. microbiology, organic chemistry, hydrogeology, etc. or other closely related fields with credit substantially equivalent to that required for bachelors’ degrees at Lamar University.
  3. Some applicants to this program may be required to take undergraduate level courses in engineering, geology, microbiology, basic chemistry and/or mathematics. These courses must be taken in addition to those required for the masters program and will be selected in consultation with the advisor early in a student’s graduate career.

Degree Requirements

  1. All of the College of Graduate Studies general degree requirements.
  2. A minimum of 6 semester hours (two graduate courses) in the student’s science specialty.
  3. A minimum of 12 semester hours (four core courses) from those listed below: CHEM 5301 Special Topics in Environmental Chemistry1 CVEN 5325 Fundamentals of Air Pollution CVEN 5329 Water Supply and Treatment CVEN 5331 Biological Wastewater Treatment CHEN 6344 Multimedia Transport of Pollutants CVEN 6387 Hydraulics of Environmental Systems2 1 with committee approval, an equivalent chemistry course may be substituted. 2 with committee approval, Hazardous Waste Management (ENGR 6339) may be substituted.
  4. A minimum of 9 semester hours (three courses) of designated electives from the list below or other approved electives: BIOL 5301 Special Topic: Microbiology BIOL 5430 Limnology BIOL 5470 Ecology of Polluted Waters CHEM 5411 Biochemistry I CVEN 5324 Models in Hydrological Systems (HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS) CVEN 5326 Hydrologic and Hydrodynamic Processes CVEN 5338 Solid Waste Management CHEN 5342 Reactor Design for Environmental Systems CVEN 5343 Industrial Waste Treatment CVEN 5351 Unit Operation in Environmental Engineering GEOL 5301 Special Topic: Hydrogeology CVEN 6339 Hazardous Waste Management ENGR 6389 Computer-Aided Software Engineering (Geographic Information System)
  5. Satisfactory completion and defense of thesis

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Chemical Engineering

Admission Standards

A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a graduate GPA of 3.5/4.0, a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) minimum score (verbal + quantitative) of 1200, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement of educational goals are required to be considered for admission into the Ph.D. program. For international students, a TOEFL score of at least 550 is also required. For applicants without a chemical engineering degree, the Department Graduate Coordinator will determine a plan of study that will facilitate successful completion of all requirements for the Ph.D. degree. This may include additional coursework, independent study, or other means to enhance the student’s knowledge of key elements in this field.

Degree Requirements

  1. Credit Hour Requirements Ph.D. candidates must complete a minimum of 70 credit hours of coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree. The Lamar University Chemical Engineering Ph.D. program requires a coherent program of (1) 15 credit hours selected from the specified core courses, (2) 21 credit hours of elective courses in chemical engineering or related fields (electives from other colleges must be approved on a case-by-case basis), (3) 4 hours of Professional Seminar (ENGR 6110), (4) a research project of at least 12 hours of research courses (CHEN 6680 for regular semester; CHEN 6380 for summer) prior to admission to candidacy, and (5) 18 hours of Ph.D. dissertation courses (CHEN 6690 and CHEN 6691 for regular semester; CHEN 6390 and CHEN 6391 for summer) after admission to candidacy.
    1. Direct Action Items
      • Ph.D. Advisor and Advisory Committee The Ph.D. advisor is mutually selected by the student and the faculty member. The Ph.D. advisor must be a Lamar University graduate faculty member in the Department of Chemical Engineering. The Ph.D. Advisory Committee will consist of a minimum of three Lamar University graduate faculty members in the Department of Chemical Engineering and one graduate faculty member from another department or one qualified expert from other institutions, organizations, or industry with the invitation of the advisor and the approval of the Department Chair, the Dean of Engineering, and the Dean of Graduate Studies. In addition, the Dean of Graduate Studies will appoint a graduate faculty member from another college as the Graduate Council Representative at both the defense of the dissertation proposal and the oral defense of the dissertation.
        • Written Qualifying Examination Each student desiring the Ph.D. degree is required to pass a written qualifying examination. The purpose of the written qualifying examination is to test the student’s understanding of basic scientific and engineering principles and their
        • application to the student’s research interests. Students must attempt the written qualifying examination during either their second or third long semester in the program. The written qualifying examination is administered once each long semester. The student’s cumulative graduate GPA must be at least 3.0 at the time of the examination. The written qualifying examination is an eight-hour written examination with a selection of problems from Transport Phenomena, Thermodynamics, Kinetics and Engineering Mathematics designed to test understanding of basic concepts and principles. Based on the results of the written qualifying examination, the Ph.D. qualifying examination committee will recommend the student (1) be allowed to prepare a dissertation proposal, (2) be granted a second and final attempt at one or more parts of the examination, or (3) be withdrawn from the Ph.D. program.
      • Degree Plan Students must select their Ph.D. advisor within one semester after passing the Ph.D. written qualifying examination. Students must submit their degree plans within one year of passing the Ph.D. written qualifying examination. The degree plan must be approved by the Ph.D. advisor, the Department Graduate Coordinator, the Department Chair, the Dean of Engineering, and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
      • Dissertation Proposal The general field of dissertation research should be agreed upon by the student and the Ph.D. Advisory Committee. As soon thereafter as the research project can be outlined in reasonable detail, the student should complete the dissertation proposal. The dissertation proposal must be approved at a meeting of the student’s Advisory Committee. The committee will also review the feasibility of the proposed research and the adequacy of available facilities. The approved proposal must be signed by all members of the student’s Advisory Committee (with the exception of the Graduate Council Representative), the Department Chair, and the Dean of Engineering. It must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies at least 14 weeks prior to the scheduling of the final examination. Students performing research involving human subjects, animals, infectious biohazards or recombinant DNA must receive approval from the College of Graduate Studies prior to conducting their research. The student is admitted to candidacy only after the defense and the approval of the dissertation proposal and the completion of a minimum of 12 graduate credit hours.
        • Dissertation Preparation After the dissertation proposal is approved, the candidate may begin to prepare the dissertation under the guidance of the Ph.D. advisor and the Advisory Committee. The dissertation must be an original work of the candidate that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform independent research. Acceptance
        • of the dissertation is based primarily on its scholarly merit, but it must also exhibit credible literary workmanship. The format of the dissertation must be acceptable to the College of Graduate Studies. The candidate must submit a single, unbound copy of the dissertation in final form to the College of Graduate Studies at least 10 days before the oral dissertation defense (final exam).
      • Dissertation Defense The candidate for the Ph.D. degree must pass a dissertation defense by deadline dates announced in the Academic Calendar each semester or summer term. No student may defend a dissertation without having current official cumulative and degree plan GPAs of 3.0 or better and without having been admitted to candidacy. There must be no grades of D, F, I, or U for any course listed on the degree plan. To absolve a deficient grade, a student must repeat the course and achieve a grade of C (or S) or better. Students must be registered during the semester in which the dissertation defense takes place and must have completed all course work on their degree plans with the exception of remaining dissertation courses. The qualifying examination results and the dissertation proposal must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies at least 14 weeks prior to the date of the defense. The request for permission to hold and announce the dissertation defense must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies a minimum of 10 working days in advance of the scheduled defense date. The dissertation defense for the Ph.D. degree must be administered on campus unless otherwise authorized by the College of Graduate Studies. The student’s Ph.D. Advisory Committee, as finally constituted, will evaluate this dissertation defense. A positive vote by members of the Ph.D. Advisory Committee (with the exception of the Graduate Council Representative) with no more than one dissension is required to pass the defense. The candidate and all visitors must excuse themselves from the proceedings before the vote.

The Advisory Committee will submit its recommendations on the appropriate form to the College of Graduate Studies regarding acceptability of the candidate for the Ph.D. degree. Defenses that are not completed and reported as satisfactory to the College of Graduate Studies within 2 working days of the scheduled defense date will be recorded as failures.

By dates announced each semester in the Academic Calendar, the candidate must submit to the College of Graduate Studies three official copies of the dissertation in final form on rag content paper with two extra copies of the abstract. The dissertation must include all suggestions and corrections of the members of the student’s Advisory Committee and must bear the signatures of the advisor, the Department Chair, the Dean of Engineering, and the members of the student’s Advisory Committee, with the exception of the Graduate Council Representative.

3. Special Conditions

  • Transfer of Credits Courses for which transfer credits are sought must have been completed with a grade of A, B, or S (Satisfactory) and have been accepted as graduate credits by an accredited institution where the work was taken. Transfer credits must be approved by the student’s advisor, the Department Graduate Coordinator, the Department Chair, and the College of Graduate Studies. For students with a master’s degree from another accredited institution, only the graduate level courses taken during their study for a master’s degree and pertaining to the field of current study can be transferred. For students without a master’s degree, a maximum of 6 hours may be transferred. Students may transfer a maximum of 6 hours of Ph.D. courses beyond the credits used for the master’s degree.
  • Residence Students who enter the Ph.D. degree program with only a baccalaureate degree must spend at least two academic years in resident study. Students holding master’s degrees upon entering the Ph.D. degree program must spend at least one academic year in resident study. One academic year may include two adjacent long semesters or one long semester and two adjacent six-week summer semesters.
  • Continuous Enrollment Requirement From the time they advance to candidacy until the defense of their dissertation, Ph.D. students must maintain continuous enrollment by registering for at least six credit hours each long semester until the dissertation is approved and accepted. Special cases must be approved by the advisor, the Department Graduate Coordinator, the Department Chair, the Dean of Engineering, and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
  • Time Limit All requirements for the Ph.D. degree must be completed within a period of ten consecutive calendar years for the degree to be granted. A course will be considered valid until 10 years after the end of the semester in which it is taken. Graduate credit for course work more than ten calendar years old at the time of the final oral examination may not be used to satisfy degree requirements.

Final corrected copies of the dissertation and record of study must be accepted by the College of Graduate Studies no later than one year after the dissertation defense or within the 10-year time limit, whichever occurs first. Failure to do so will result in the degree not being awarded.

Core Courses CHEN 5302 Transport Phenomena CHEN 5352 Advanced Process Control CHEN 6343 Kinetics and Reactor Design CHEN 6345 Fundamentals of Sustainability CHEN 6347 Advanced Thermodynamics CHEN 6348 Advanced Chemical Engineering Mathematics