Core CHE Concepts: I and II

Core ChE Concepts: I and II is a two-semester online chemical engineering sequence offered in both the Fall/Spring and Spring/Summer sessions through the Engineering Online program at NC State.

Explore the topics for the first semester, Core CHE Concepts I

Drag the dial counterclockwise to preview different topics, or see the full list of course topics in the Core CHE Concepts Roadmap

  • Designed to prepare students with backgrounds in chemistry, biology or other engineering degrees for successful graduate study in chemical engineering.
  • Individual modules feature short video lectures, worked examples, conceptual quizzes, and interactive features for student support.
  • Courses count as two electives (6 credit hours) towards NC State’s MS in Chemical Engineering.
  • Excellent continuing education option for engineers and scientists who want an overview of core chemical engineering concepts.
  • Certificate of Completion awarded to students who successfully complete the two-course sequence.
  • Course I is offered in the fall semester and Course II in the spring by award-winning instructors Dr. Lisa Bullard and Dr. Matthew Cooper.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

Course 1

  • Solve steady state and transient material and energy balance problems for single and multiple unit processes, with and without reaction, involving components in both vapor and liquid phases.
  • Describe and analyze transport processes for flows of Newtonian fluids.
  • Perform thermodynamic analyses of closed and open systems based on first and second laws. Relate thermodynamic properties of interest to measurable physical parameters and calculate the thermodynamic properties for a specified change of state.

Course 2

  • Describe and analyze energy and heat transport through single and multiple phases as well as steady-state and transient mass transfer processes.
  • Apply first and second laws to multicomponent systems to calculate thermodynamic properties.
  • Develop rate equations from known elementary reactions or available kinetic data, size a reactor given reaction kinetics, and evaluate reactor design options for multiple reactions.

Prerequisite Preparation / Background

There are no formal (i.e. no course number) prerequisites for Core ChE Concepts courses. However, in order for students to succeed it is recommended that they have taken general chemistry as well as math courses up to and including differential equations prior to enrolling in the courses.