Faculty

Professor

• Nissrine El Hassan, Ph.D., Chemical Engineering

Assistant Professors

• Elie Chalhoub, Ph.D., Chemical Engineering
• Mazen Nakad, Ph.D., Chemical Engineering

Overview

Chemical Engineers, sometimes called “universal engineers”, are needed to solve a wide range of problems in industries. This offers the chemical engineering graduates endless opportunities worldwide.

In addition, and in the current socio-economic situation in Lebanon, the manufacturing of local products such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, and energy systems is being expanded due to their affordability to the consumer. This is leading to a high demand for chemical engineers. Also, the extraction of Lebanon’s oil and gas reserves in the near future will require chemical engineers to design and maintain the refining and purification operations required for the processing of the extracted oil and gas.

The chemical engineering program at the Lebanese American University offers a strong theoretical and experiential background in chemical engineering with a variety of concentrations that offer a large choice to students for specialization and work in areas like Energy, Environmental Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, and Separation and Process Control. With hands-on experience in both experimental and simulation, LAU graduates will be able to design sustainable, competitive, and environmentally friendly processes starting from the molecular level up to the full industrial one.

Mission

The mission of the Chemical Engineering Program is to equip the graduates with all skills and knowledge necessary to design and analyze chemical processes to efficiently convert raw materials into useful products such as chemicals, fuels, foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, advanced materials, plastics, and others.

Program Educational Objectives

The students will acquire in their matriculation through the program, the following skills, knowledge, and behaviors:

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal context.
5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Admission Requirements

The application process is the same as for all undergraduate programs (see Admissions). Applicants will be evaluated by the School of Engineering Admissions Council and final acceptance will be based on each applicant’s qualifications and the availability of places.

Curriculum

The total number of credits required for graduation is 150 credits, distributed as follows:

• Chemical Engineering Major Requirements (79 credits)
• Mathematics and Science Requirements (15 credits)
• General Engineering Requirements (38 credits)
• LAS Requirements (18 credits)

These include:

• 6 Technical Elective courses for emphasis, depending on students’ interests and current market needs
• 8 courses with a separate industry standard software laboratory or physical laboratory sessions to enhance the learning experience and improve employment opportunity
• ​A minimum residency of four years, including three summer terms

Petroleum Engineering Major Requirements ( 80 credits)

• CHE200 Chemical Engineering Fundamentals (3 cr.)
• CHE212 Programming for Chemical Engineering (3 cr.)
• CHE301 Transport Phenomena (3 cr.)
• CHE313 Organic Chemistry I (3 cr.)
• CHE314 Organic Chemistry I Lab (1 cr.)
• CHE320 Chemical Reactions and Chemical Reactors (3 cr.)
• CHE323 Organic Chemistry II (3 cr.)
• CHE324 Organic Chemistry II LAB (1 cr.)
• CHE340 Physical Chemistry (3 cr.)
• CHE341 Physical Chemistry Lab (1 cr.)
• CHE402 Separation Processes I (3 cr.)
• CHE403 Separation Processes II (3 cr.)
• CHE411 Fundamentals of Catalysis (3 cr.)
• CHE421 Advanced Reactor Design (3 cr.)
• CHE434 Chemical Engineering Profession (2 cr.)
• CHE450 Introduction to Process Control (3 cr.)
• CHE451 Chemical Engineering Lab (1 cr.)
• CHE460 HSE for Chemical Engineering (3 cr.)
• CHE498 Professional Experience (6 cr.)
• CHE541 Carbon Capture, Storage, and Utilization (3 cr.)
• CHE552 Chemical Process Design (3 cr.)
• CHE553 Chemical Process Design Lab (1 cr.)
• CHE591 Capstone Design I (3 cr.)
• CHE592 Capstone Design II (3 cr.)
• Technical Elective Courses (15cr) ¹

¹ Technical Elective Courses (15 credits)

• CHE500 Applied Mathematics for Chemical Engineers
• CHE501 Advanced Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
• CHE502 Bioprocess Engineering
• CHE542 Chemical Reactor Design
• CHE544 Mass Transfer Operations
• CHE546 Corrosion Engineering
• CHE548 Chemical Process Design
• CHE549 Industrial Catalytic Processes
• CHE554 Process Control Strategies
• CHE555 Microprocessors in Process Control
• CHE556 Advanced Process Control
• CHE557 Bioseparation Engineering
• CHE560 Petroleum Engineering Fundamentals
• CHE561 Drilling Engineering
• CHE562 Production Engineering
• CHE563 Well Testing
• CHE564 Reservoir Engineering
• CHE565 Gas Engineering
• CHE566 Reservoir Simulation
• CHE570 Sustainable Energy
• CHE571 Fundamentals of Advanced Energy Conversion
• CHE572 Biofuels Engineering Technology
• CHE573 Electrochemical Energy Systems

• or any other Technical Elective course approved by the Program Steering Committee

Note that all Technical Elective courses require at least senior standing in addition to their relevant prerequisites.

Mathematics and Science Requirements (15 credits)

• CHM201 Chemical Principles (3 cr.)
• CHM005 Preparatory Chemistry (0cr.)
• GNE331 Probability & Statistics (3 cr.)
• MTH201 Calculus III (3 cr.)
• MTH206 Calculus IV (3 cr.)
• MTH304 Differential Equations (3 cr.)

General Engineering Requirements (37 credits)

• MEE403 Heat Transfer (3 cr.)
• MEE404 Heat Transfer Lab (1 cr.)
• CIE320   Fluid Mechanics (3 cr.)
• CIE321   Fluid Mechanics - Lab (1 cr.)
• COE201 Computer Proficiency (1 cr.)
• GNE212 Engineering Mechanics (3 cr.)
• GNE301 Professional Communication (2 cr.)
• GNE303 Engineering Ethics (2 cr.)
• GNE333 Engineering Analysis I (3 cr.)
• INE320   Engineering Economy (3 cr.)
• MEE211 Engineering Graphics(1 cr.)
• MEE301 Thermodynamics (3 cr.)
• MEE321 Material Properties and Processes (3 cr.)
• CIE594 Life Cycle Assessment (2 cr.)
• CIE595 Life Cycle Assessment – SOFT (1 cr.)
• SOE Signature Course 1/2 (3cr.)
• SOE Signature Course 2/2 (3cr.)

LAS Requirements (18 credits)

Core Courses (6 credits)

• ENG202  Advanced Academic English (3 cr.)
• COM203 Art of Public Communication (3 cr.)

Elective Courses (12 credits)

• The additional 12 credits of Liberal Arts Electives should be taken as described here.

Recommended Study Plan

Year One

Fall (17 credits)

• LAS Elective (3 cr.)
• MTH201 Calculus III (3 cr.)
• CHM005 Preparatory Chemistry (0 cr.)
• CHM201 Chemical Principles (3 cr.)
• COE201 Computer Proficiency (1 cr.)
• GNE212 Engineering Mechanics (3 cr.)
• ENG202 Advanced Academic English (3 cr.)
• MEE211 Engineering Graphics (1 cr.)

Spring (15 credits)

• CHE200 Chemical Engineering Fundamentals (3 cr.)
• CHE212 Programming for Chemical Engineering (3 cr.)
• MTH206 Calculus IV (3 cr.)
• MTH304 Differential Equations 7(3 cr.)
• LAS Elective (3 cr.)

Summer (9 credits)

• GNE331 Probability & Statistics (3 cr.)
• GNE333 Engineering Analysis I (3 cr.)
• LAS Elective (3 cr.)

Year Two

Fall (16 credits)

• INE320 Engineering Economy (3 cr.)
• CHE313 Organic Chemistry I (3 cr.)
• CHE314 Organic Chemistry I Lab (1 cr.)
• CIE320 Fluid Mechanics (3 cr.)
• CIE321 Fluid Mechanics - Lab (1 cr.)
• GNE303 Engineering Ethics (2 cr.)
• MEE301 Thermodynamics (3 cr.)

Spring (17 credits)

• CHE301 Transport Phenomena (3 cr.)
• CHE320 Chemical Reactions and Chemical Reactors (3 cr.)
• CHE323 Organic Chemistry II (3 cr.)
• CHE324 Organic Chemistry II LAB (1 cr.)
• CHE340 Physical Chemistry (3 cr.)
• CHE341 Physical Chemistry Lab (1 cr.)
• MEE321 Material Properties and Processes (3 cr.)

Summer (8 credits)

• COM203 Art of Public Communication (3 cr.)
• GNE301 Professional Communication (2 cr.)
• LAS Elective (3 cr.)

Year Three

Fall (15 credits)

• CHE402 Separation Processes I (3 cr.)
• CHE421 Advanced Reactor Design (3 cr.)
• CHE450 Introduction to Process Control (3 cr.)
• CHE460 HSE for Chemical Engineering (3 cr.)
• GNE—- Engineering Signature Course (3 cr.)

Spring (15 credits)

• CHE403 Separation Processes II (3 cr.)
• CHE411 Fundamentals of Catalysis (2 cr.)
• CHE434 Chemical Engineering Profession (2 cr.)
• CHE451 Chemical Engineering Lab (1 cr.)
• MEE403 Heat Transfer (3 cr.)
• MEE404 Heat Transfer Lab (1 cr.)
• CIE594 Life Cycle Assessment (2 cr.)
• CIE595 Life Cycle Assessment – SOFT (1 cr.)

Summer (6 credits)

• CHE498 Professional Experience (6 cr.)

Year Four

Fall (16 credits)

• CHE541 Carbon Capture, Storage, and Utilization (3 cr.)
• CHE552  Chemical Process Design (3 cr.)
• CHE553  Chemical Process Design Lab (1 cr.)
• CHE591  Capstone Design I (3 cr.)
• CHEXXX Technical Elective (3 cr.)
• CHEXXX Technical Elective (3 cr.)

Spring (15 credits)

• CHE592 Capstone Design II (3 cr.)
• CHEXXX Technical Elective (3 cr.)
• CHEXXX Technical Elective (3 cr.)
• CHEXXX Technical Elective (3 cr.)
• GNEXXX SOE Signature Course (3 cr.)