American University of Beirut

Baha and Walid Bassatne Department of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Energy

​​​​​​​​​Chairperson:
Ahmad, Mohammad
Professor:Ahmad, Mohammad
Associate Professors:Al-Hindi, Mahmoud; Azizi, Fouad; Saad, Walid; Zeaiter, Joseph
Assistant Professors:Ghorayeb, Kassem; Maalouf, Elsa
Instructor: Itani, Adnan
Assistant Instructor:El Berjawi, Mohammad

The Baha and Walid Bassatne Department of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Energy offers two undergraduate degree programs, Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering (BE ChE) and Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (BS ChE), a minor in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Petroleum Engineering.​

Bachelor of Engineering (BE)

Major: Chemical Engineering

Mis​​sion

The mission of Chemical Engineering in MSFEA is to provide a stimulating and supportive environment for quality education to prepare graduates for career opportunities in a rapidly changing world by fostering the development of professionalism, leadership qualities and ethical behavior, and to contribute to expanding knowledge in chemical engineering and its related fields.

Program Educ​​ational Objectives

Our graduates will be able to:

  • advance successfully in their careers as reflected in continued employment, job satisfaction, leadership responsibilities and professional recognition while always maintaining ties with the university;
  • apply their scientific knowledge and engineering skills in graduate studies and/or industry; and
  • be professionals who recognize the broader aspects of engineering practice including economic, environmental, social, political, safety and sustainability constraints. ​

Bachelor of Engineering P​​rogram Requirements

The undergraduate curriculum for the degree of Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Chemical Engineering is a five-year program. It consists of 173 term credit hours of coursework, of which 30 credits are completed in the freshman year while the student is enrolled in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and of which 143 credits are completed in four years while the student is enrolled in the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture. Students who are admitted at the sophomore level will be required to complete 143 credits in four years to earn the degree as outlined here:​​​

​General Engineering Fundamentals (16 credits) ​ ​
​FEAA 200
​Introduction to Engineering and Architecture
​3 cr.
CIVE 210Statics​3 cr.
EECE 210Electric Circuits​3 cr.
EECE 231Introduction to Programming Using C++ and MATLAB​3 cr.
MECH 220Engineering Graphics​1 cr.
INDE 302Operations Research I​3 cr.
Mathematics (15 credits) ​ ​
​MATH 201
​Calculus and Analytic Geometry III
​3 cr.
MATH 202Differential Equations​3 cr.
STAT 230Introduction to Probability and Random Variables​3 cr.
MATH 218Elementary Linear Algebra with Applications​3 cr.
MATH 251Numerical Computing​3 cr.
Sciences (15 credits) ​ ​
​CHEM 204
​Physical Chemistry for Chemical Engineers
​2 cr.
CHEM 207Survey of Organic Chemistry and Petrochemicals4 cr.
CHEM 219Analytical and Instrumental Chemistry for Chemical Engineers3 cr.
Science Elective(From approved list)3 cr.
Science Elective(From approved list)3 cr.
General Education (27 credits) beyond Freshman at 200 Level ​ ​
Given the current AUB General Education requirements, as stipulated in the Undergraduate Catalogue, students are required to complete 9 credits in Cultures and Histories (including one History of Ideas), 3 credits in Human Values, 6 credits in Societies and Individuals, one is ECON 212, and the second should reflect Social inequalities, 6 credits in Understanding Communication - English: ENGL 203 and ENGL 206, and 3 credits in Understanding Communication - Arabic. As for the community engaged learning requirement, student should register HEHI 201 “Foundations of Humanitarian Engineering and Public Health Innovations” which is also considered as a Technical elective from outside major.
Core Chemical Engineering Courses (58 credits) ​ ​
​CHEN 201
​Chemical Process Principles
​3 cr.
CHEN 214Thermodynamics I3 cr.
CHEN 310Transport Phenomena Lab​2 cr.
CHEN 311Introduction to Fluids Engineering​3 cr.
CHEN 312Separation Processes​3 cr.
CHEN 314Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics​3 cr.
CHEN 351Process Instrumentation and Measurements3 cr.​
CHEN 410Unit Operations Lab​2 cr.
​CHEN 411
​Heat and Mass Transfer Operations
​3 cr.
CHEN 417Reaction Engineering and Reactor Design3 cr.​
CHEN 415Mechanical Unit Operations3 cr.​
CHEN 431Materials Engineering and Corrosion3 cr.​
CHEN 451Process Control3 cr.​
CHEN 470Chemical Process Design3 cr.​
CHEN 480Safety and Loss Prevention3 cr.​
CHEN 500Approved Experience0 cr.​
CHEN 501Final Year Project I​3 cr.
CHEN 502Final Year Project II3 cr.​
CHEN 541Biochemical and Bioprocess Engineering​3 cr.
CHEN 570Process Synthesis and Optimization​3 cr.
CHEN 571Chemical Product Design​3 cr.
Chemical Engineering Electives (12 credits) ​ ​
Students can choose courses from the following list and any new (CHEN -600 level course or above)
CHEN 413
​Water and Wastewater Treatment
​3 cr.
CHEN 490Fundamentals of Petroleum Engineering​3 cr.
CHEN 499​Undergraduate Research​
​3 cr.
CHEN 590Petroleum Refining​3 cr.
CHEN 591Natural Gas​3 cr.
CHEN 593​Reservoir Petrophysics​
​3 cr.
CHEN 592Production Engineering​3 cr.
CHEN 595Drilling Engineering​3 cr.
CHEN 594​Reservoir Engineering​3 cr.
CHEN 6XX
​(CHEN 600-Level and above)​
​3 cr.
CHEN 610Materials Design and Characterization​3 cr.
CHEN 611Transport Phenomena​3 cr.
CHEN 612Desalination​3 cr.
​CHEN 613
Membrane Separation Processes​3 cr.
CHEN 614Environmental Engineering Separation Processes​3 cr.
CHEN 615Advanced Mass Transfer​3 cr.
CHEN 617Chemical Reactor Analysis and Design​3 cr.
CHEN 618Colloid and Interface Science​3 cr.
CHEN 619Sustainability Science: Human and Environment Interaction​3 cr.
CHEN 620Reaction Engineering and Reactor Design II​3 cr.
CHEN 630Sustainable Biorefinery Processes
​3 cr.
​CHEN 632
​Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage
​3 cr.
CHEN 651 Advanced Process Control
​3 cr.
CHEN 670 Advanced Process Flow-Sheeting
​3 cr.
CHEN 672 Polymer Science
​3 cr.
CHEN 673 Engineering of Drug Delivery Systems
​3 cr.
CHEN 674 Process Operations and Diagnosis
​3 cr.
CHEN 675 Tissue Engineering
​3 cr.
CHEN 690 Reservoir Engineering
​3 cr.
CHEN 691 Reservoir Characterization: Carbonate Rocks
​3 cr.
CHEN 696 Reservoir Modeling
​3 cr.
CHEN 697 Reservoir Economics and Risk Management
​3 cr.
CHEN 798AWaste Minimization in the Process Industry​3 cr.

BE in Chemical Engineering: Curriculum Plan

First Year (31 credits)

​Term I (Fall)
Credits
FEAA200​Introduction to Engineering and Architecture
​3
CIVE 210Statics3
EECE 210Electric Circuits​3
MECH 220Engineering Graphics​1
MATH 201Calculus and Analytic Geometry III​3
ENGL 203Academic English (Understanding Communication)​​3
​ ​ ​Total 16
​ ​ ​
​Term II (Spring)
Credits
CHEN 201​Chemical Process Principles
​3
CHEN 214Thermodynamics I​3
STAT 230Introduction to Probability and Random Variables​3
ENGL 206English Technical Writing  (Understanding Communication)​​3
MATH 202Differential Equations​3
​ ​ ​Total 15

Second Year (42 credits)

​Term III (Summer)
Credits
Arabic Elective
​Understanding Communication - Arabic​
​3
CHEM 204​Physical Chemistry for Chemical Engineers
​2
CHEM 207Survey of Organic Chemistry and Petrochemicals​4
​ ​ ​Total 9
​ ​ ​
​Term IV (Fall)
Credits
CHEN 311​Introduction to Fluids Engineering
3​
CHEN 314Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics​3
CHEN 351Process Instrumentation and Measurements​3
ECON 212Elementary Macroeconomics Theory​3
MATH 218Elementary Linear Algebra with Applications​3
EECE 231Introduction to Programming Using C++ and MATLAB​3
​ ​ ​Total 18
​ ​ ​
​Term V (Spring)
Credits
CHEM 219​Analytical and Instrumental Chemistry for Chemical Engineers
​3
CHEN 312Separation Processes​3
CHEN 415Mechanical Unit Operations​3
MATH 251Numerical Computing​3
Societies and Individuals Elective​
​3
​ ​ ​Total 15
Third Year (40 credits)

​Term VI (Summer)
​Credits
​Cultures and Histories (History of Ideas)
​3
​Understanding the World (approved list)
​3
​ ​ ​Total 6
​ ​ ​
​Term VII (Fall)
​Credits
CHEN 310​Transport Phenomena Lab
​2
CHEN 411Heat and Mass Transfer Operations​3
CHEN 417Reaction Engineering and Reactor Design​3
CHEN 470Chemical Process Design​3
CHEN 480Safety and Loss Prevention​3
​Human Values Elective
​3
​ ​ Total 17​
​ ​ ​
​Term VIII (Spring)
Credits
CHEN 410​Unit Operations Lab
​2
CHEN 431Materials Engineering & Corrosion​3
CHEN 451Process Control​3
CHEN 541Biochemical and Bioprocess Engineering​3
​Community Engaged Learning Technical Elective I​​​
​3
Cultures and Histories ​​3
​ ​ ​Total 17

Fourth Year (30 credits)

​Term IX (Summer)
Credits
CHEN 500​Approved Experience​0
​ ​ ​Total 0
​ ​ ​
​Term X (Fall)
Credits
CHEN 501​Final Year Project I
​3
CHEN 570Process Synthesis and Optimization​3
​​Cultures and Histories Elective
​3
CHEN 571Chemical Product Design​3
INDE 302Operations Research I​3
​ ​ ​Total 15
​ ​ ​
​Term XI (Spring)
Credits
CHEN xxx​Technical Elective II
​3
CHEN xxxTechnical Elective III​3
CHEN xxxTechnical Elective IV​3
CHEN 502Final Year Project II​3
​Understanding the World Elective (approved list)​3
​ ​ ​Total 15

Bachelor of Science (BS)

Major: Chemical Engineering

Miss​​ion

The mission of Chemical Engineering in MSFEA is to provide a stimulating and supportive environment for quality education to prepare graduates for career opportunities in a rapidly changing world by fostering the development of professionalism, leadership qualities and ethical behavior, and to contribute to expanding knowledge in chemical engineering and its related fields.

Program Educatio​​​nal Objectives

Our graduates will be able to:

  • advance successfully in their careers as reflected in continued employment, job satisfaction, leadership responsibilities and professional recognition while always maintaining ties with the University;
  • apply their scientific knowledge and engineering skills in graduate studies and/or industry; and
  • be professionals who recognize the broader aspects of engineering practice including economic, environmental, social, political, safety and sustainability constraints.​

Bachelor of Scienc​​e Program Requirements

The undergraduate curriculum for the degree of Bachelor of Science (BS) in Chemical Engineering is a four-year program. It consists of 140 term credit hours of coursework, of which 30 credits are completed in the freshman year while the student is enrolled in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and of which 110 credits are completed in three years while the student is enrolled in the Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture. Students who are admitted at the sophomore level will be required to complete 110 credits in three years to earn the degree as outlined here:​

​General Engineering Fundamentals (13 credits) ​ ​
​FEAA ​200
​Introduction to Engineering and Architecture
3 cr.​
CIVE 210Statics3 cr.​
EECE 210
Electric Circuits​3 cr.
EECE 231
Introduction to Programming Using C++ and MATLAB3 cr.​
MECH 220
Engineering Graphics​1 cr.
Mathematics (15 credits)
​MATH 201
​Calculus and Analytic Geometry III
3 cr.​
MATH 202Differential Equations3 cr.​
STAT 230Introduction to Probability and Random Variables​3 cr.
MATH 218Elementary Linear Algebra with Applications​3 cr.
MATH 251Numerical Computing​3 cr.
Sciences (9 credits) ​ ​
​CHEM 204
​Physical Chemistry for Chemical Engineers
2 cr.​
CHEM 207Survey of Organic Chemistry and Petrochemicals4 cr.​
CHEM 219Analytical and Instrumental Chemistry for Chemical Engineers3 cr.​
General Education (27 credits) beyond Freshman at 200 Level ​ ​
Given the current AUB General Education requirements, as stipulated in the Undergraduate Catalogue, students are required to complete 9 credits in Cultures and Histories (including one History of Ideas), 3 credits in Human Values, 6 credits in Societies and Individuals, one is ECON 212, and the second should reflect Social inequalities, 6 credits in Understanding Communication - English: ENGL 203 and ENGL 206, and 3 credits in Understanding Communication - Arabic. The course CHEN 401 will cover the community engaged learning requirement.​
Core Chemical Engineering Courses (46 credits) ​ ​
​CHEN 201
​Chemical Process Principles
3 cr.​
CHEN 214Thermodynamics I3 cr.​
CHEN 310Transport Phenomena Lab​2 cr.
CHEN 311Introduction to Fluids Engineering​3 cr.
CHEN 312Separation Processes​3 cr.
CHEN 314Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics​3 cr.
CHEN 351Process Instrumentation and Measurements​3 cr.
CHEN 400Approved Experience​0 cr.
CHEN 401Final Year Project​3 cr.
CHEN 410Unit Operation Lab2 cr.​
CHEN 411Heat and Mass Transfer Operations3 cr.​
CHEN 415Mechanical Unit Operations3 cr.​
CHEN 417Reaction Engineering and Reactor Design​3 cr.
CHEN 451Process Control​3 cr.
CHEN 470Chemical Process Design3 cr.​
CHEN 480Safety and Loss Prevention​3 cr.
CHEN 541Biochemical and Bioprocess Engineering3 cr.​

​BS in Chemical Engineering: Curriculum Plan

First Year (31 credits)

Term I (Fall)
Credits
MATH 201​Calculus and Analytic Geometry III
3​
CIVE 210Statics​3
EECE 210Electric Circuits​3
MECH 220Engineering Graphics​1
ENGL 203Academic Writing (Understanding Communication)3​
FEAA 200Introduction to Engineering and Architecture​3
​ ​ ​Total 16
​ ​ ​
​Term II (Spring)
Credits
CHEN 201​Chemical Process Principles
​3
MATH 202Differential Equations​3
STAT 230Introduction to Probability and Random Variables​3
CHEN 214Thermodynamics I​3
ENGL 206English Technical Writing (Understanding Communication) ​3
​ ​ ​Total 15

Second Year (45 credits)

​Term III (Summer)
Credits
​Arabic Elective
​(Understanding Communication-Arabic)
​3
CHEM 204​Physical Chemistry for Chemical Engineers
​2
CHEM 207Survey of Organic Chemistry and Petrochemicals​4
​ ​ ​Total 9
​ ​ ​
​Term IV (Fall)
Credits
ECON 212​Elementary Macroeconomics Theory
​3
CHEN 311Introduction to Fluids Engineering​3
CHEN 314Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics​3
CHEN 351Process Instrumentation and Measurements​3
EECE 231Introduction to Programming Using C++ MATLAB​3
MATH 218Elementary Linear Algebra with Applications​3
​ ​ Total 18
​ ​ ​
​Term V (Spring)
Credits​
CHEM 219​Analytical and Instrumental Chemistry for Chemical
Engineers
​3
CHEN 312Separation Processes​3
CHEN 415Mechanical Unit Operations​3
MATH 251Numerical Computing​3
​​Societies and Individuals Elective​​
​3
Cultures and Histories (History of Ideas)​
​3
​ ​ Total 18​

Third Year (34 credits)

​Term VI (Summer)
​Credits
CHEN 400​Approved Experience0
​ ​ Total 0​
​ ​ ​
​Term VII (Fall)
​Credits
CHEN 310​Transport Phenomena Lab
​2
CHEN 411Heat and Mass Transfer Operations​3
CHEN 417Reaction Engineering and Reactor Design​3
CHEN 470Chemical Process Design​3
CHEN 480Safety and Loss Prevention​3
Human Values Elective
​3
​ ​Total 17
​ ​ ​
​Term VIII (Spring)
Credits
CHEN 401​Final Year Project
​3
CHEN 410Unit Operations Lab​2
CHEN 451Process Control​3
CHEN 541Biochemical and Bioprocess Engineering​3
Cultures and Histories Elective
​3
Cultures and Histories Elective​
​3
​ ​ ​Total 17

​Minor in Chemical Engineering

The minor in Chemical Engineering is open to Engineering students in majors other than chemical engineering who have finished their first two academic years in Engineering. Only students who have a GPA of 2.3 or more are eligible to apply for the minor.

Minor Program Requirements (21 credits)

Students taking the minor are required to complete 21 credits from the list given below. The student has to complete 15 credits of core courses and 6 credits of elective courses. 

Please refer to the General University Academic Information section of the catalogue for more information regarding Minors.​

​​Required Core Courses (15 credits)​​ ​
CHEN 214
​Thermodynamics I​​
​3 cr.
​CHEN 311
​Introduction to Fluids Engineering
​3 cr.
​CHEN 312 
​Separation Processes
​3 cr.
​CHEN 411 
​Heat and Mass Transfer Operations 
​3 cr.
​CHEN 417 
Reaction Engineering and Reactor Design​​​3 cr.
​​​Elective Courses (6 credits)​​ ​
CHEN 314
​Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
​3 cr.
CHEN 415
​Mechanical Unit Operations
​3 cr.
CHEN 451​
​Process Control
​3 cr.
CHEN 470
​Chemical Process Design 
​3 cr.
CHEN 480
​Safety and Loss Prevention 
​3 cr.
CHEN 490
​Fundamentals of Petroleum Engineering
​3 cr.
CHEN 570
​Process Synthesis and Optimization
​3 cr.
CHEN 571
​Chemical Product Design
​3 cr.
CHEN 612
​Desalination
​3 cr.
​CHEN 672​
​Polymer Science
​3 cr.
CHEN 673 
​Engineering of Drug Delivery Systems 
​3 cr.

​​​Minor in Petroleum Engineering

Minor Program Requirements (18 Credits)

The minor in Petroleum Engineering is open to AUB students from all majors who have finished their first academic year (non-engineering students) or their first two academic years (engineering students) and who have attained a GPA of 2.3.

Please refer to the General University Academic Information section of the catalogue for more information regarding Minors. 

​​Required Core Courses (9 Credits)​​ ​
​PETR 200/
CHEN 490
​Introduction to Petroleum Engineering​3 cr.
​Two courses from the following list: ​ ​
​PETR 322/
CHEN 595
​Drilling Engineering I


​3 cr.
PETR 421/
CHEN 690
Reservoir Engineering​3 cr.
PETR 432/
CHEN 592
Production Engineering​3 cr.
PETR 312/
CHEN 593
Reservoir Petrophysics​3 cr.
​​Elective Courses (9 Credits)
Selected from the following courses:​​ ​
​PETR 300
​Petroleum Exploration
3 cr.
​PETR 321/
CHEN 594
​Reservoir Fluids
3 cr.
​PETR 520/
CHEN 696
​Reservoir Modeling
3 cr.
​PETR 514/
CHEN 697
​Reservoir Economics and Risk Management
3 cr.
​CHEN 480
​Safety and Loss Prevention
3 cr.
​CHEN 590
​Petroleum Refining
3 cr.
​CHEN 591
​Natural Gas Processing
3 cr.
​MECH 768
​Transport Through Porous Media
3 cr.
​GEOL 225
​Petroleum Geology
3 cr.
​GEOL 226
​Introduction to Geophysics
3 cr.
​​​​​​​​ ​​​

Note: Other courses m​ay be approved as minor equivalents at consent of the B. & W. Bassatne Department of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Energy. Students cannot receive more than 6 credits for both PETR/CHEN cross-listed courses as technical electives in the chemical engineering major. When students take 2 out of the 4 core courses from the core courses list, the other 2 courses can be taken as electives for the minor.

Course Descriptions

Chemical Engineering Te​​chnical Electives

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