Program SELF-STUDY Report
Department of Chemical Engineering
June 2000
Table of Contents
SubjectPage
A.Background Information
Degree Titles
Program Modes
Actions to Correct Previous Deficiencies
B.Accreditation Summary 1. Students
2. Program Educational Objectives
3. Program Outcomes and Assessment
4. Professional Component
5. Faculty
6. Facilities
7. Institutional Support and Financial Resources
8. Program Criteria
Appendix I - Addition Program Information
A.Table 1 - Basic Level Curriculum
Table 2 - Course and Section Size Summary
Table 3 - Faculty Workload Summary
Table 4 - Faculty Analysis
Table 5 - Support Expenditures
B.Course Syllabi
C.Faculty Curriculum Vitae
Appendix II - Guide to Course Selection (Chemical Engineering)
A. Background Information
A.1. Degree Titles
The official degree title is “Bachelor of Science in Engineering.” Chemical Engineering is further identified as the major on the transcript. Double majors are similarly identified, e.g. “Chemical Engineering/Materials Engineering” is used to indicate a double major in Chemical Engineering and Materials Engineering. A double major is earned by meeting the requirements of both majors. A double major in Materials Engineering may be earned by choosing at least fifteen credits of materials courses among the elective courses that a student takes. This particular form of the double major ends with the class that entered in Fall 1999.
A.2. Program Modes
The Chemical Engineering program is offered as a day program at the basic level. Students can do most lower division (freshman and sophomore) years at one of the Regional campuses of the University.
The Chemical Engineering program does not have a required co-op experience. Students may participate in a co-op experience through the Cooperative Education Program of the Career Services Department. This is an individual decision by the student. Students in their sophomore, junior, and senior years may participate. During the academic year 1999-2000, threechemical engineering students pursued this option.
Students also have the opportunity to participate in the EUROTECH program. This program leads to two degrees, one in engineering and the other in German. It includes a year in Germany that includes work with a German company. There are currently two chemical engineering students in the program.
A.3. Actions to Correct Previous Deficiencies
School Wide
“There seems to be great variation in the thoroughness and quality of feedback provided to the students on writing {in W courses}.”
ACTION: All departments in the School of Engineering have reviewed their W requirements and have come up with department specific actions to correct the deficiency. In the CHEG department, W courses are CHEG 237W and 239W, the senior laboratories. Following the last visit, the CHEG department now schedules individual student/faculty "report writing" consultation sessions in these courses. During these sessions, students receive individual advice on report structure, grammar, style, technical content, data analysis, data presentation, and statistics. Two full-time faculty members instruct the laboratory classes and grade all reports. Attendance at the faculty/student meetings is mandatory and factored into the student's overall grade. In addition, a "model report" is provided to the students at the beginning of semester in Cheg 237W as a common basis for students to judge their own reports. Generally, our students and alumni comment favorably on the writing and presentation skills that they acquire in CHEG 237 and 239.
“The public may have difficulty in discerning from catalog statements, and other documents the goals, logic of selection, and in particular how the design experience is developed and integrated throughout the curriculum.”
ACTION: While information in the printed catalogs (p-catalog) identifies graduation requirements only, as mandated by the university, the web-based electronic documentation (e-catalog) addresses the above issues by presenting a more comprehensive description of the logic of course selection and integration of design. Also included in the e-catalog are clearly stated program goals and objectives. In addition, each department produces a "Guide to Course Selection" which contains an even higher level of detail regarding the content and purpose of required courses toward fulfillment of program objectives. The guide to course selection is published on the Chemical Engineering Department Web page and is reference from both the p-catalog and the e-catalog. This guide is updated at necessary.
Departmental
No departmental deficiencies were cited during our last review
B. Accreditation Summary
B1. Students
Students
Students are admitted to the School of Engineering with superior high-school records on a competitive basis. They are required to have taken 4 years of English, 3.5 years (4 recommended) of math, 2 years of a foreign language (3 years of a single language is recommended to meet the University’s graduation requirements without additional foreign language courses), 2 years of a laboratory science (chemistry or physics required), 2.5 years of social science, and 2.5 years of other coursework for a total of 16 units. The average SAT score for the engineering class admitted in 2000 was 1265 and the average high school class standing of those admitted in 2000 was the top 20%. At the time of admission, students may receive advanced standing (including credit for certain freshmen courses) based on their performance in Advanced Placement Examinations.
Student Advising:
All students accepted into the School of Engineering attend an orientation meeting during the summer, where they register for their fall semester courses. They meet with the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education to discuss what to expect during their first semester, what services are available in the School and University, and what types of courses they will be taking throughout their college careers. Individual departmental advisors are also present at the orientation meeting to help with the registration and answer questions regarding their particular disciplines.
The Associate Dean also discusses the advising system for the School and encourages students to meet with their advisor early in the semester, especially if they experience any difficulties with their beginning courses. All advisors are faculty in the School. Students who have designated chemical engineering as their field of study are assigned an advisor from the chemical engineering department. The Director of Student Advising handles undeclared student advising until the student selects a major and can be assigned an advisor in the appropriate department. Once a student is assigned an advisor in their department, they usually keep that advisor for the duration of their college career.
The advisor provides direction and guidance to the student about career choices and how the engineering program fits into these choices. The advisor provides help in the selection of courses and the meeting of School and University requirements. Registration for courses is handled electronically. Before students can register, the advisor must release an electronic bar to registration. Although the advisor is responsible for making appropriate academic recommendations, students are responsible for their own academic progress.
Advising records for each student are kept by the faculty advisor, with a separate copy maintained by the Director of Advising. Advisors are kept informed of the students' progress by transcripts sent out at the end of each semester. Students with low semester GPAs or other deficiencies are sent notices, with copies forwarded to the advisor, to schedule a meeting with their advisor. During the meeting, the student and advisor design a plan to correct the deficiency.
Student graduation is dependent on meeting all curricular and GPA requirements set out by the department, school and university. The degree program requires that each student to complete a total of 134 applicable credit hours and earn at least a 2.0 (on a 4.0 basis) for all calculable Upper Division work (work in excess of the first 60 credits earned). Students are on academic probation for the next semester if their performance is such that they are included in any of the following groups:
- Students who have completed their first Lower Division semester and have earned less than a 1.6 semester grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
- Students who have completed their second Lower Division semester and have earned less than a 1.8 semester grade point average for that semester.
- Students who have completed their third Lower Division semester and have earned less than a 1.9 semester grade point average for that semester.
- Students who have completed their fourth Lower Division semester and have earned less than a 2.0 semester grade point average for that semester.
- Students who have completed their first Upper Division semester (earned more than sixty credits) or more and who have earned less than a 2.0 semester grade point average or Upper Division cumulative GPA.
The Dean of Students informs the student and the student’s advisor that a marked academic improvement in future semesters is necessary to obtain the minimum scholastic standards. Students who fail to meet the minimum scholastic standards for two consecutively registered semesters, or for three in the same division, or for a total of four in their academic career, are subject to dismissal.
The School of Engineering requires a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and engineering applicable toward the degree in order for the student to be admitted to the junior year in his/her selected major. The Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Affairs of the School of Engineering must approve all exceptions to this.
Our advising system is designed so that advisors and students can contact each other regularly. Normally, a student must meet with the advisor twice a year to discuss coursework and the program requirements and to register for the next semester. To assist them in planning their program, each student is given the "Chemical Engineering Department Guide to Course Selection" (see Appendix II). This document spells out details of the many requirements of the academic program, provides information regarding choice of technical courses to meet program objectives and outcomes, and shows how to fill out the plan of study. It also provides a brief overview of the chemical engineering profession. In addition, each student receives a computer analysis of degree requirements that have been met and that are still to be met (see PACE below).
Student Monitoring:
Two mechanisms are used to insure that students meet all ABET, Department, School, and University requirements: a Plan of Study and a computerized degree audit system, PACE. Students must submit for approval a Plan ofStudy during their Junior year, with the help and guidance of the advisor. This document lays out the details of the student's academic program, and carefully indicates how all of the degree requirements, including ABET criteria, will be satisfied.
Upon approval by the advisor, the initial Plan of Study is reviewed and approved by the Plan of Study Reviewer or by the Department Head, and the Director of Advising. Care is taken at all levels to ensure that any accepted program meets all requirements. Any plan revisions require the same approvals. In our Department, a faculty member designated as Plan of Study Reviewer (Prof. Emeritus G.M. Howard), verifies all plans of study. Before graduation, the final Plan of Study is used by the University Degree Auditor in the Registrar's Office to certify that all the graduation requirements have been met. A copy of the plan of study form is shown on the next page.
The University has fully implemented a computer degree audit system called PACE (Programmed Academic Curriculum Evaluation). PACE monitors the semester by semester progress a student makes towards his/her degree requirements. A PACE audit is sent to both the faculty advisor and the student every semester. The report indicates which requirements have been met and how they have been met and which requirements have not been met. For the student, this helps eliminate last semester surprises. It gives both the advisors and students more time for meaningful one-on-one program and career planning. Because credit restrictions are programmed into PACE, it effectively provides an accurate report of students' degree credits.
Student evaluation:
In addition to monitoring credit hours, student learning outcomes are evaluated using "end of course" surveys. These surveys are administered in every undergraduate course to both the students and the faculty. The purpose of the survey is to determine "student level of attainment" of learning objectives from both the student's and the faculty's perspectives. These are used in program outcome assessment. An example of this survey is included in section B part 3 (Program Outcomes and Assessment). Evaluation of "student level of attainment" is based on sets of well defined criteria to insure consistent and objective results. Faculty assessments are based on test results, homework, quizzes, design projects, written and oral reports, and other means.
Sample Plan of Study Form
B2. Program Educational Objectives
The Chemical Engineering Department is committed to excellence in its undergraduate program and to maintaining its accreditation status. In the Spring 2000, the Department implemented a formal process which continually reviews and revises program objectives, outcomes and curriculum to meet current needs in chemical engineering education, to meet the needs of our constituents, and to satisfy University and School missions and ABET/AIChE criteria. Recommendations resulting from this process as well as other aspects of the undergraduate program are regularly discussed at Departmental faculty meetings. The Mission, Approach, and Program Objectives of the Chemical Engineering Department, determined using the process described later in this section are as follows.
Program Mission Statement, Approach and Objectives:
Mission
The Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Connecticut prepares students for productive careers in this versatile, dynamic, evolving discipline. Upon graduation, students will have learned skills in critical thinking, problem solving, and communication necessary for success as practicing chemical engineers or in graduate studies. Particular strengths of the department lie in the areas of biotechnology, advanced materials, computer applications and environmental protection.
Approach
To achieve its mission, the Department of Chemical Engineering provides an intensive educational program with faculty dedicated to developing the framework for and stimulating the desire to pursue ongoing active learning. A thorough base in mathematics; physical science; engineering science; and laboratory, design, and communication skills is given through course activities, individual and group-based projects, and independent research. The curriculum also exposes students to relevant safety, environmental, social, and economic issues facing the engineer in modern society. A low student to faculty ratio permits one-on-one contact with members of the faculty, creating opportunities for independent research, active advising, and mentoring. The department also provides a student experience that fosters leadership development, encourages creativity and intellectual curiosity, and demands responsible behavior and high quality performance. Flexibility in the curriculum provides opportunities to pursue a double major or minor, study abroad, or gain practical job experience through voluntary participation in an industrial co-op program.
Program Objectives
- Produce graduates who are able to adapt to and become successful, lifelong contributors to the ever-changing discipline of chemical engineering.
- Promote a sense of commitment, professional ethics and responsibility in students and forge life-long mutually supportive relationships among graduates, academia, and industry.
The program mission statement and program objectives have been "published" on our web page and in our undergraduate recruiting brochure. They are consistent with School of Engineering (SoE) and University missions in that they strive to
1)..."build a challenging intellectual environment for all students...and examine all we do with a global perspective"
2)..."ensure that the student experience fosters the transmission of knowledge and inspires intellectual curiosity"
3)..."serve the state and its citizens in a manner that enhances the social and economic well-being of its communities"
The University of Connecticut Vision, Mission, Values and Goals statement, approved by the Board of Trustees on February 10, 1995, can be found at and the School of Engineering's Mission statement can be found at
Constituencies:
Program constituencies, as determined by the department and SoE ABET Assessment Committee, are faculty, alumni, employers (as represented by our Advisory Board), school and university mission statements, and ABET/AIChE criteria. The following table contains a list of our Advisory Board industrial affiliations along with a list of the top ten employers of our graduates. The department has sought to choose advisory board members from among these top employers.
Advisory Board Industrial AffiliationTop 10 Employers
Pfizer Central ResearchPfizer Inc. (1)
ExxonExxon (2)
Uniroyal Chemical Company, Inc.Uniroyal (3)
United Technologies (4)
Pratt & Whitney (5)
Cytech IndustriesCytech Industries (6)
ABB Power Plant LaboratoriesABB Combustion Engineering (7)
Olin Research CenterOlin Chemicals (8)
IBM (9)
Andersen Consulting (10)
Procter & Gamble
Union Carbide Corp.
Boelringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Rogers Corporation
Advanced Fuel Research
Saint-Gobain Abrasives
Northeast Utilities System
Processes to Establish and Review Program Objectives:
The program objective process consists of two steps: 1. establish/review departmental objectives using input from our constituents and results from our assessment process (every 5 years); and 2. Achieving those objectivesvia curricular and extracurricular activities defined, reviewed and updated (yearly).
Establishing Program Objectives:
The process of establishing the departmental objectives begins with a critique of the old objectives, performed by theProgram Objective ReviewCommittee (3 faculty within the department) during the summer a full year prior to the desired deadline. This group develops a rough draft of new objectives, which are circulated to the faculty for review and comment. Modifications are discussed and changes made in several iterations (5-6 drafts produced during the fall semester). Following faculty approval, new objectives are sent via survey to the alumni for critique and comment (at the beginning of spring semester). The objectives are also the topic of an Advisory Board meeting in which board members are asked to develop "program objectives" in line with their needs. Results from these two exercises, along with information from ABET workshops and input from SoE ABET committee members, consultants from various academic institutes, school and university mission statements, and informal conversations with local employers will be combined to shape the final draft of departmental objectives.