Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

What is Chemical Engineering?

Chemical engineering deals with the design and development of procedures to create products – products essential to sustaining modern life such as food and fuel. It is the application and combination of chemistry, biology, physics, and math to solve today's most pressing problems.

What does a chemical engineer do?

Chemical engineers take raw materials and create everyday, usable products crucial to modern society. They do this by applying the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and math to solve the problems that occur during the production of chemicals, fuel, drugs, food, and a myriad of other products.

With a degree in chemical engineering from South Dakota Mines, you can work in jobs that increase crop yields to combat world hunger, create new materials, reduce pollution, and meet energy demands. Chemical engineers (as well as biological engineers) are instrumental in creating pharmaceuticals and lifesaving devices such as the artificial kidney, but they also produce products like cosmetics, biofuels, and sandwich bags.

South Dakota School of Mines & Technology was founded in 1885 to provide instruction in the region’s primary industry, which was mining. And now it includes so much more.

Over the years, South Dakota Mines evolved into a leading science and engineering university and is committed to excellence in science and engineering academics and research. We are working to develop the next generation of leaders and problem-solvers through STEM bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees. We are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and all undergraduate engineering programs are also accredited through ABET.

We offer a rigorous academic experience at a reasonable cost, with small class sizes, dedicated faculty, cutting-edge research, and many student programs and organizations. By the time they graduate, 75-80% of our students have had hands-on, real-world experiences through internships, cooperative education, or research projects. Our graduate and undergraduate students have research opportunities in areas such as energy and environmental systems, underground science and engineering, and materials and manufacturing. A few research examples include energy storage, cold spray technology, biomedical applications, and even disrupting criminal networks.

You are always welcome to visit our beautiful campus, but in case you can’t make it in person, we offer a virtual tour on our website. We are nestled in the eastern slope of the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Whether you prefer exploring the city or pursuing outdoor adventures, Rapid City and the Black Hills offer many options for you.

South Dakota Mines has been named one of the best engineering schools in the country for return on investment by College Factual for several years. In addition to rankings, there are many reasons to attend South Dakota Mines – great location, maximum value, personal attention and so much more.