Chemical engineering department rethinks curriculum to reverse drop in student interest

Faced with difficult material and a long list of required classes, fewer students are opting to major in chemical engineering – a trend that has prompted faculty to begin reevaluating the department's curriculum.

Since the Class of 1999, the number of chemical engineering majors has shown a steady decrease. That year the department graduated a high of 34 students.

This spring, 21 seniors will graduate with degrees in chemical engineering and 17 juniors are currently enrolled in the department. In the Class of 2004, 13 students have indicated they would major in chemical engineering.

The decrease has caused concern among the faculty and led them to reconsider the department's requirements.

"We're looking at this very seriously," said Department Chair Pablo Debenedetti, who is currently on leave.

A faculty committee has been meeting to determine ways of reducing the number of required classes and giving students more options. The changes should be "pretty profound," said Bill Russel, the acting department chair.

Students in the department cite different reasons for its declining popularity. Chemical engineering major Brian Mickus '03 pointed to the rigorous course of study.

"We're taking already five classes a semester and none of them or one of them is easy," he said. "Three of my classes I have basically no decision on; all chemical engineers are taking them," he added.

Another reason for the decline may be poor marketing, said Joel Moxley '02, president of the University's chapter of the American Society of Chemical Engineers.

"We didn't market the department to students," he said. "Nobody really understands what chemical engineering is until it's too late to drop out or join."

Moxley said the creation of the Operations Research and Financial Engineering department drew many students away from chemical engineering as well.

Nonetheless, students speak positively of their experiences as chemical engineering majors.

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"We love our department. It's very tight-knit. None of the students think there's a huge flaw," Moxley said.

"What it comes down to is that we've always had a very strong department with good classes and good professors."

While the professors would not specify which courses are being affected, Moxley said the two semesters of organic chemistry might be reduced to one to allow for a biology class.

Any changes to the curriculum must first be approved by the department faculty and then referred to the University's Course of Study Committee.

The department must also overcome student perception that the curriculum is excessively difficult.

Ron Weissbard '05 has encountered the same sentiment. He is currently taking CHE 246: Thermodynamics I and said he will join the department. "When I tell people I'm 'Chem. E,' they're surprised," he said. "They ask why I'm putting myself through that," he said.

Debenedetti said the popularity of certain majors fluctuates over time depending on political and economic factors.

"Many years ago with the oil crisis and energy crisis, there was a big surge in chemical engineering enrollment," he said.

In addition, advances in the field of bioengineering have dramatically expanded the applications of chemical engineering, Debenedetti said. However, "some of the most exciting developments in the interface between chemical engineering and life sciences were not adequately represented in our curriculum," he said.

The increased diversity may reflect the greater opportunities facing chemical engineers after graduation. Majors often attend law or medical school, Mickus said.

"I think it's also [a major] that's really rewarding in terms of giving you a lot of flexibility with what you want to do with your career later on," he said.