Introduction
This handbook is a guide to the Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) program in the R.F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE) at Cornell University.
The following sections outline the program’s expectations and requirements, various policies and procedures, and support resources available to students. We look forward to getting to know you and are confident you will have a challenging and rewarding educational experience at Cornell University.
Organization
The CBE M.Eng. program requires 30 credit hours of courses spread between the R.F. Smith School of Chemical Engineering and other campus departments, including an intensive and immersive process/design project. The objective of the CBE M.Eng. program is to advance the breadth and depth of our students’ technical, professional, and leadership knowledge through advanced coursework and real-world projects. All students in the CBE M.Eng. program must fulfill a set of general curriculum requirements, including a minimum number of credit hours in various course categories. Students can choose to focus their degree in a particular technical area by selecting coursework in that area. In addition to the coursework requirements, each student in the program must complete an M.Eng. project. The M.Eng. project is an industrially inspired team design project that all M.Eng. students complete with the guidance of a Cornell faculty advisor. The M.Eng. project provides an intense learning experience intended to prepare students for the professional arena. The Program is organized into Fundamentals (cohort core), Focus (path required), and Free (elective options).
Fundamentals (Cohort Core – Required for all students)
Students must complete two semesters of immersive cohort-based courses/studio work. Courses build a solid basis for DS/AI/Process Modeling, Innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership fundamentals: >12 credit hours of concentration fundamentals coursework.
Immersive Team Experience
Structured across two semesters, a cohort and team course/project experience focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, and applying DA/AI principles to projects.
Cohort Bootcamp
A one-week orientation program is required to foster cohort team and leadership skills.
Cohort Immersion Course
Fall term, CHEME 5020 (three credits – Immersive Professional Development for Chemical Engineering M. Eng.) is designed to provide CBE M.Eng. students with Innovation/Professional Development, studio style learning in leadership fundamentals emphasizing career management, teaming skills, practical technical communication, project management, finance tools, and innovative thinking. The required spring term design project will also be selected, assigned, and initiated in this course.
Data and ML Literacy
Fall term, CHEME 5800 (four credits – Principles of Computational Thinking for Engineers) and spring term, CHEME 5820 (four Credits – ML in industries) are required courses for all students.
Immersive Studio Design Project
Spring term, CHEME 5650 and CHEME 5651 (three credits and one credit, respectively) is a team-based immersive design project inspired by industrial, CBE research groups, entrepreneurial, or government needs focused on DS/AI/Process, Energy, and Biotechnology.
Focus Area (Path Required – Select from a set of courses)
Students must complete coursework within the focus path of interest: >6 credit hours of concentration path required coursework. The focus paths available are Data/Process, Energy Economics, and Biotechnology.
Free (Elective Options)
Electives can be any business, public policy, or societal elective offered anywhere on campus: up to eight credit hours. A minimum of three credits is required for each of: 1) Business practice elective and 2) Societal/Environmental elective areas.
Overview of the Master of Engineering Program
M.Eng. Program in Chemical Engineering
General Curriculum Requirements
This section describes the credit hours, course, and project requirements each student must fulfill to receive the Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) degree in CBE. As part of the degree, M.Eng. students will complete an M.Eng. graduation checklist at the start of each semester that academic advisors will check against degree requirements. However, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to plan their course of study and to ensure that all degree requirements are satisfied. Every CBE M.Eng. student must:
- Register as a full-time M.Eng. student for two or more semesters. Federal rules stipulate that a student must be enrolled in at least 12 credit-bearing hours to be considered full-time.
- Complete at least 30 credit hours of approved coursework (5xxx or above). All courses must be taken for letter grades (see c)—the exception is the CHEME 7900 CBE graduate seminar, which must be taken as S/U.
- A maximum of two credit hours of S/U courses may be applied towards the 30-credit-hour requirement.
- Courses taught in Cornell Engineering or throughout the University numbered 5000 or above qualify as acceptable for the degree. However, only courses with direct professional relevance can be counted toward the 30-credit-hour requirement.
- Complete a minimum of 12 letter-graded CHEME credit hours, not including the M.Eng project (CHEME 5650/51)
- Complete at least 10 credit hours that count toward the M.Eng. degree in each of the first two semesters the student is enrolled, and no more than 21 credit hours in any semester. The maximum number of credits is dictated Cornell Engineering policy. CBE M.Eng. students may not remain enrolled in more than 21 credit hours beyond the fourth full week of classes without a petition approved by the Graduate Field Administrator (GFA) and the M.Eng. Program Director.
- Complete an M.Eng. project between 3-6 credit hours (CHEME 5650/51). Students wishing to increase the project credit hour limit (>3) must petition the M.Eng. Program Director, where all other degree requirements remain in place.
- Complete a 3-credit hour environmental and social impact elective (a ≥ 5xxx course from any department with a societal or environmental theme).
Complete a 3- credit hour business practice elective (a ≥ 5xxx course from any department with a business theme).
M.Eng. Graduation Checklist
Every M.Eng. student must complete an M.Eng. graduation checklist each semester. The checklist is a study plan outlining the classes you expect to take each semester. The GFA collects and reviews the graduation checklists with the M.Eng. Program Director to ensure students are on track for graduation.
You will be given access to a BOX folder (online secure folder) with a blank M.Eng. checklist. Each semester:
- Go to your M.Eng. BOX folder, which contains a blank M.Eng. checklist;
- Download the blank checklist and fill in the courses that you plan to take;
- Once all your information has been filled out, please upload your M.Eng. checklist back into your BOX folder.
Business Practice and Environmental Societal Impact Electives
In their careers, M.Eng. graduates benefit from knowledge of business practices and environmental and societal impact. All M.Eng. students must complete at least three × credits (by taking one course worth three credits or a combination of courses for a total of three credits) in each of these areas. This requirement may be waived if the student can demonstrate relevant academic or industrial experience in one or both areas obtained before Cornell.
Refer to the Cornell Courses of Study guide, as some classes may only be offered in alternate semesters or years or may no longer be offered. Business practice electives that are not on this list can be taken with permission of the M.Eng. Program Director.
M.Eng. Design Project Requirements
A vital part of the M.Eng. program is an immersive sponsored project that demonstrates knowledge acquired in the M.Eng. Program. Projects are sponsored by Cornell faculty or CBE partner companies or can be self-defined (see below). The project (CHEME 5650) is conducted under the mentorship of a faculty member. Students usually earn from three to six credits for their work on the project and require a co-course of CHEME 5651, intended to be team immersion project time. The project will span both semesters, starting mid-fall term in CHEME 5020 and then culminating at CHEME 5650/51 in the spring term. Students receive credit for the project by enrolling in CHEME 5650/51 for the appropriate number of credit hours during the spring semester. The timing of the project and the number of credits for the project work should be decided in consultation with the project mentor.
Most students will earn three credits for the M.Eng project. These three credits can be applied to the M.Eng project degree requirements; however, they cannot be used toward the 12-credit CHEME requirement. Students interested in earning more than three credits for their project should carefully examine the course requirements and then contact the Director of the M.Eng. Program. Students and their project advisors must agree on the number of credits allocated for the project.
During the fall term, a set of sponsored projects will be presented to all students. Students will then have time to select their project preference’s first, second, and third choices. The program will then assign students to one of their project choices in teams of 2-4 students per team. Project teams will meet in the spring term as necessary, along with a schedule that is once per week as part of CHEME 5651. Each team will have a faculty advisor and meet with that advisor at least every two weeks. During those meetings, the teams will work from pre-planned agendas and have working sessions or formal presentations of project milestones defined in the project assignment document. At the end of the spring term, the teams will have a 40-minute final project presentation to the faculty advisor and the company sponsor(s). In addition, a final project report will be submitted to the faculty advisor and project sponsor as part of the grade assignment for the project work.
Good Academic Standing
CBE M.Eng. students must maintain good academic standing throughout their degree program. To attain good standing, a student must:
- Carry a course load that enables them to complete the M.Eng. Program without unnecessary delay;
- Achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or better across all courses satisfying the requirements of the M.Eng. degree and
- Attain a C- or better in every graded course taken.
Cornell uses a grading system with (+) and (-) and assigns decimal grade points to grades as follows:
| GRADE | Point Value |
| A+ | 4.3 |
| A | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 |
| B | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 |
| C | 2.0 |
| C- | 1.7 |
| D+ | 1.3 |
| D | 1.0 |
| D- | 0.7 |
| F | 0 |
A grade lower than C- in any course will result in no credit being granted for that course toward the M.Eng. degree, although the grade will still be factored into the student’s GPA. Cornell Engineering requires a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or better for graduation from the Master of Engineering program. Students who fail to maintain good academic standing during a term will be notified of their status in writing and invited to meet with appropriate CBE faculty and the M.Eng. Program Director to discuss the situation. Extremely poor performance, for instance, failing to meet two or more of the criteria required for good standing, may lead to a student’s immediate termination from the M.Eng. program at the discretion of the M.Eng. Program Director. Students who fail to attain good academic standing for two consecutive semesters will be asked to leave the M.Eng. program.
Other Requirements
This section outlines other requirements for each student to receive the Master of Engineering degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.
M.Eng. Exit Survey
Every M.Eng. student nearing the completion of their degree must complete the mandatory M.Eng. Exit Survey administered by Cornell Engineering. This survey must be completed before a student can receive their M.Eng. degree. CBE M.Eng. students can also meet with the M.Eng. Program Director for a brief voluntary exit interview. Interviews will be scheduled towards the end of each semester, and students will be notified of available time slots ahead of time.
Policies and Procedure
Registration and Add/Drop Deadlines
Upon arriving on campus, students should officially check in with Cornell Engineering and pick up registration materials. Most courses will be available for online enrollment for six weeks starting in mid-August. Courses may be dropped online through mid-October. Students will be notified of the add-and-drop deadlines each semester. Pre-enrollment information for the following semester will be sent to students during the semester.
Petitioning
Cornell University has a long-standing tradition of considering student petitions if special situations or circumstances justify exceptions to the standard rules or requirements. These petitions may include possible course substitutions, exemptions from required courses, or academic actions. Any petition from a student should first be presented to their academic advisor and the M.Eng. Director. If the issue is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, they may appeal to the College’s M.Eng. Board of Directors.
Extramural and Transfer Credits
Before enrolling into the CBE M.Eng. program and after the bachelor’s degree is awarded, a maximum of nine Cornell credit hours can be applied toward the CBE M.Eng. degree, provided they satisfy CBE M.Eng. degree requirements and have not used toward another degree. CBE accepts no other transfer credits. After matriculation into the CBE M.Eng. program, any extramural Cornell credit hours that satisfy M.Eng. degree requirements and have not been applied toward another degree may also be counted up to nine credit hours.
Conduct
Cornell University is committed to providing its students, faculty, and staff with a safe, inclusive, and respectful learning, living, and working environment. If you have any questions or concerns about incidents involving potential sexual harassment, assault, gender discrimination, or other related forms of violence, please visit the Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Education (SHARE) website. This site offers information about SHARE partners who provide services, support, reporting options, education, and advocacy.
Every CBE M.Eng. student must exhibit courteous, professional, and honest behavior in all dealings with faculty, staff, and other students. M.Eng. students are also expected to complete all required administrative tasks promptly. Per Cornell University policy, discourteous, negligent, or deceitful behavior may result in action being taken against the student. In severe cases, a student may be terminated from the M.Eng. program at the discretion of the M.Eng. Program Director.
Academic Integrity
The R.F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering adheres to the university’s policies and procedures regarding academic integrity, as stated in the Policy Notebook for Cornell Community. Below, we fully repeat the Principle of Academic Integrity and the Guidelines for Students. General procedure to be followed in cases of academic integrity violations
Absolute integrity is expected of every Cornell student in all academic undertakings. Integrity entails a firm adherence to a set of values, and the values most essential to an academic community are grounded on the concept of honesty with respect to the intellectual efforts of oneself and others. Academic integrity is expected not only in formal coursework situations but also in all university relationships and interactions connected to the educational process, including using university resources. While both students and faculty of Cornell assume the responsibility of maintaining and furthering these values, this document is explicitly concerned with the conduct of students. A Cornell student’s submission of work for academic credit indicates that the work is the student’s own. All outside assistance should be acknowledged, and the student’s academic position should always be truthfully reported. In addition, Cornell students have a right to expect academic integrity from each of their peers.
Early Admission for Cornell Undergraduates
For Cornell University undergraduates, there is a provision for earning credit toward the Master of Engineering degree during the final semester of the bachelor’s degree. This is called early admission.
To qualify for early admission during the final undergraduate semester, a student must need eight or fewer credit hours to complete their bachelor’s degree, including any special designations, and they must complete the bachelor’s degree by the end of that term (i.e., the early admit semester). Students must apply for early admission to the M.Eng. program for at least one semester before the early admit semester. If an eligible early-admit student expects to complete the remaining undergraduate credits during the spring semester, that student must apply for the M.Eng. program by September 15 of the previous fall. If the student expects to complete the remaining undergraduate credits during the fall semester, then the student must apply for the M.Eng. program by December 1 of the previous fall.
If the application for early admission is approved, the student registers as an undergraduate during the early admit semester but may count credits as appropriate toward the M.Eng. degree. Each course taken during the early admit semester may count towards either the bachelor’s degree or the master’s degree, but not both. Early admit students must register as M.Eng. students in the term(s) following the early admit semester. Most Cornell undergraduate financial aid automatically terminates upon completing the baccalaureate degree. If applicable, please discuss this with your undergraduate financial aid counselor. The College of Arts and Sciences enforces additional restrictions on Arts and Sciences undergraduates who are seeking early admission into the M.Eng. program. Please contact the College of Arts and Sciences for more information.
Financial Aid
The decision to attend graduate school is an investment in your future that is expected to pay off financially and with enhanced career opportunities. Over the past several years, not only has the CBE M.Eng. starting salary been $5,000-$10,000 higher on average than the starting salary for CHEME undergraduates, but M.Eng. students often enter the professional arena with a higher status or an advanced trajectory because of their additional training and experience.
Current tuition and fees for the CBE M.Eng. program may be found at the Office of the Bursar: Tuition and Fees. See the Professional Degrees (Tier 1) entry. Cornell offers a convenient installment plan to pay tuition and other bursar-billed items. For more information, contact the Bursar’s office, 260 Day Hall, +1 607-255-6413. Cornell University Office of the Bursar
Three types of financial assistance are available to M.Eng. students: need-based aid, merit-based aid, and instructional support positions. Only merit-based aid is awarded within the R.F. Smith School and Cornell Engineering. Need-based aid for graduate students comes primarily from federally or privately funded loan programs. Instructional support positions are also available depending upon the instructional needs of the faculty of the R.F. Smith School, Cornell Engineering, or other colleges at the University. For information regarding instructional support positions, contact the M.Eng. Program Director.
Lastly, any student who can prove their identity and eligibility to work in the United States may earn extra money by taking one of the 3,500 non-work study jobs available on or off campus. The Office of Student Employment, 203 Day Hall, lists non-work study positions at Cornell Student Employment. We recommend that Master of Engineering students work no more than 10 hours per week, on average, while enrolled.
Need-Based Financial Aid
Need-based aid for graduate students comes primarily from several federally or privately funded loan programs (which are not administered through the R.F. Smith School of CBE). Federal Direct Loans and Federal Direct Graduate Plus Loans provide this form of support. With these loan sources, U.S. citizens and permanent residents can usually cover all legitimate educational expenses.
Cornell participates in the Federal Direct Loans, Supplemental Loans, and other loan programs. Applications and more detailed information can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office, 143 Caldwell Hall, Cornell University, or Cornell University Graduate School: Loans.
GEM Engineering Fellowships provide opportunities for underrepresented ethnic minority students to obtain a master’s degree in engineering through a paid summer internship program and financial assistance. GEM fellowships pay tuition, fees, and a stipend per graduate academic year. U.S. citizenship is required. The application is obtainable from the Office of Inclusive Excellence, 146 Olin Hall, Cornell. Note that some online GEM-related materials neglect to mention M.Eng., but M.Eng. degree candidates are eligible for GEM Fellowships.
Merit-Based Financial Aid and Other Employment Opportunities
In the R.F. Smith School of CBE, merit-based aid for M.Eng. students comes in the form of hourly instructional support positions (ISPs). Graduate research assistantships (GRA) are not available for M.Eng. students.
Instructional support positions are awarded on a discretionary basis, with many positions for spring classes determined late in the fall semester. Instructional support position award decisions consider a student’s academic background, accomplishments, maturity, communication skills, and other factors. Suppose a student demonstrates outstanding performance during the fall semester. In that case, they should notify the Graduate Student Services Coordinator (Tara Woodard) that they wish to be considered for an instructional support position in the spring; students typically contact the coordinator at the beginning of November. Each semester-long instructional support position generally is 8-10 hours per week, with an hourly wage set by the R.F. Smith School.
If you were (or are) an undergraduate student at Cornell, please be aware that most Cornell undergraduate student financial aid automatically terminates upon completion of the baccalaureate degree. We recommend you discuss this with your undergraduate financial aid counselor.
For information on the Knight Scholarship, a Cornell Engineering Scholarship program for students who are also interested in pursuing both the M.Eng. and MBA degrees, see Cornell Engineering: Knight Scholarship Program.
University and R.F. Smith School Resources
Career Services
The Cornell Engineering Career Center offers M.Eng. specific professional development advising and resources in 201 Carpenter Hall. Resources and career advising appointments are available at Cornell Engineering: M.Eng. Career Resources. You should access the resources listed on this site and schedule an individual advising session during your first week on campus. It would be best if you made recruiting preparations early since interview sign-ups usually begin during the second or third week of the semester. Visit this office often and take advantage of its extensive opportunities to enhance your job search skills and contact employers. Both the Cornell Engineering Career Center and the University Career Services Office (103 Barnes Hall) offer workshops, video recordings, templates, and advice geared to assist you with your job search strategies, connecting to alums, attending the career fair, participating in employer visits, leveraging your M.Eng. degree, improving your resume and interviewing techniques and more. Announcements on employer recruiting and info sessions are communicated through Cornell’s Handshake – a vital tool for your career search. With all the career resources available on campus, the primary responsibility for managing your career preparation and job search remains with you. An M.Eng. specific professional development course (ENGRG 5350/5351) is also available to you. With a bit of self-determination, we are confident that you will succeed!
Health and Counseling Services
The demands of the CBE M.Eng. program can make it difficult for students to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Nevertheless, getting sufficient sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, and exercising can significantly impact your graduate school experience. For more information about available resources to maintain a healthy work-life balance, please see the Graduate Student Services Coordinator in 201 Rhodes Hall, or visit:
- Cornell Health Center, 110 Ho Plaza, +1 607-255-5155.
- Cornell Fitness Centers, 319 Helen Newman Hall, +1 607-254-5232
- Counseling and Psychological Services, +1 607-255-5155
Student Organizations
There are hundreds of student clubs and organizations at Cornell for individuals with special professional or social interests. Cornell Student Organizations Office has group listings and information.
M.Eng. Representatives
Each year, nominations are solicited (you can nominate yourself) from the CBE M.Eng. class for candidates to serve as M.Eng. representatives. Typically, two members of this committee help organize social events and cultural outings and collectively act as spokesperson(s) for the CBE M.Eng. student body. If you are interested in being a committee member, please contact the M.Eng. Program Director.
CBE Graduate Student Association (ChEGSA)
Two graduate student organizations that often work together are CBE Women and the CBE Graduate Student Association (ChEGSA). These organizations work toward bettering the student experience and serving local communities, national organizations, and, more broadly, the chemical engineering industry. The CBE Graduate Student Association has a strong tradition of leading fellowship events, promoting professional development, hosting the annual Graduate Research Symposium, and interfacing with Cornell’s Graduate and Professional Student Assembly. The group also plays an essential role in choosing the Austin Hooey Graduate Research Excellence Awards winners. Each year, the ChEGSA board members assist with new student orientation and recruitment events and serve as peer mentors for new CBE students.
ChEGSA programming has included:
- A community-wide board game mixer and bake-off
- Annual food drive for the Ithaca area
- Organizing the Graduate Research Symposium and dinner
- Thanksgiving and Halloween mixers
- Weekly coffee hours
- Leadership of intramural sports teams
- A visit to a manufacturing facility and other professional development trips
- A buddy program for new Ph.D. students
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Graduate Women’s Group
The Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Graduate Women’s Group (CBE Women) develops and hosts programming that encourages women to enter and remain in STEM fields while thriving professionally. Since 2008, it has been a major organizer of outreach and professional development opportunities for postdocs and graduate students.
CBE Women’s mission comprises three parts:
- To find solutions to issues pertinent to female members of CBE
- To provide leadership, networking, and personal growth opportunities to all students and postdocs in chemical engineering through targeted professional development events
- To encourage younger female students to consider STEM fields, with an emphasis on the merits of chemical and biomolecular engineering
CBE Women organizes various professional development and social activities yearly, from salary negotiation workshops to their annual dessert social. Several times a year, CBE Women invites female alumnae working in industry and high-profile research academics to visit and speak about their career paths and experiences. Recent workshops and activities have included:
- How to make an effective LinkedIn profile
- How to navigate the workplace and everyday negotiations
- How to project confidence through body language
- A professional development journal club
- Eat with an Academic with female faculty around campus
- Special Lisa Walker seminar on how to craft short, clear, conversational statements intelligible to non-scientists about what you do and why it matters.
WOMEN Event
The annual outreach event, the WOMEN Event, brings female high school students and their parents from rural areas around Cornell to experience what scientists and engineers do through hands-on experiments. The event encourages young women to consider majoring in a STEM field. In 2017, the Women in Engineering ProActive Network recognized the CBE’s WOMEN Event nationally with the Women in Engineering Initiative Award.
Lisa Walker Travel Grant: In 2016, CBE alumna Lisa Walker ‘86 gave a gift of $25,000 to CBE Women to enhance women’s professional development. CBE Women used the gift to create the Lisa Walker Travel Grant to fund travel opportunities for networking events and conferences. Recipients have recently traveled to:
- Barga, Italy, for the Gordon Research Conference on Physical Virology
- UC Davis and UC Berkeley to test a newly developed water stress sensor with collaborators
- Florence, Arizona, to observe a pilot copper mining operation
- Oxford, UK, for the Perovskite Solar Cells and Optoelectronics Conference