DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING Biopharmaceutical Engineering Certificate

The explosive growth of knowledge in life sciences and the accelerated growth of research and development in the pharmaceutical industry became the driving force for our Biopharmaceutical Engineering Program. The objective of this program is to diversify the knowledge base and the marketability of our chemical engineering graduates so that they can make significant contributions to the pharmaceutical industries.

The biopharmaceutical field is a rapidly developing area separated into upstream (drug formulation and development process) and downstream (process and manufacturing) components, with chemical engineering playing a critical role in both of these areas. The future of this field will depend upon innovative new engineers who are able to easily communicate with people on either side. The goal of this program is to provide students a cohesive view of basic biopharmaceutical principles so that they can more readily apply their engineering skills to this diverse discipline.

How does the program work?

Students enrolled in this track will complete the chemical engineering core curriculum with additional courses important in the biopharmaceutical area.

They will receive a Bachelor of Sciences in Chemical Engineering with a Certificate in Biopharmaceutical Engineering. Hence, they will be ready for jobs in both the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Additional courses include:

Required:

• PGY 206 - Physiology (3)
• PHS 522 - Fundamentals of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Development (3)
• CME 599 – Biochemical Engineering (3)

Electives (9h total):

• CME 573 - Drug Delivery: Advanced Pharmaceutics (3)
• CME 570 - Biotechnology: Interfaces and Devices (3)
• CME 599 – Intersections of Chemical Engineering and Health Equity (3)
• PHA 421G – Pharmacology: Principles of Drug Action (3)
• CHE 550 – Biological Chemistry (3)
• BCH 401G – Biochemistry (3)
• CME 395 - Undergraduate Research (research must be on a related topic and can be counted twice. Students must submit a brief description of the project for approval) (3)
• Other electives if applicable – Must receive approval from the Director.

Admission Requirements

Students will apply to the program in the fall semester of their sophomore year. Due to the demanding nature of this Certificate program, students applying must have a 3.3 GPA and receive a B or better in Process Principles (CME 200). Students must also go through a selective interview process.

Facilities

Our department offers this track in collaboration with the UK College of Pharmacy. The UK College of Pharmacy is one of the top 10 pharmacy schools in the country. As part of the track, students will be taking courses in the UK College of Pharmacy, finishing with a laboratory practical course including a section on Good Manufacturing Practices, the regulatory methods used to ensure patient safety and product quality.

Applications for this academic year are due November 17, 2024.
Interviews will be scheduled for the weeks of November 25 (Monday and Tuesday) and December 2.