Master of Applied Science, Chemical Engineering

Course work, seminar, and thesis

1.5-2 years

Funding available

Our graduate students and their work are an important part of an ongoing research process that provides the community with ways of understanding natural, cultural, imaginative, social and technological phenomena. As a master’s student in chemical engineering, you will have the opportunity to work under the mentorship of a leading engineering researcher to strengthen your problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

The Department of Chemical Engineering is based in Dupuis Hall and the Biosciences Complex, which are multipurpose facilities with extensive research laboratories. The department has links to a number of multi-disciplinary centres at Queen’s, including the Centre for Health Innovation, Innovation Park, the Queen’s Centre for Energy and Power Electronics Research (ePOWER), Beaty Water Research Centre (BWRC) and the Dunin-Deshpande Queen's Innovation Centre (DDQIC).

The objectives of the program are to educate students in advanced concepts and techniques, conduct research inquiry at the forefront of discipline knowledge, and foster independent and critical thought. Independent and critical thought comprise the critical and scholarly skills necessary to conduct research. These objectives are achieved through a combination of coursework, thesis and project work, and research seminars.

This is a thesis-based master’s. Time-to-completion is typically 18-24 months.

The minimum requirements to be fulfilled are 4 term courses and a thesis. Two graduate courses must be from within the Department of Chemical Engineering unless otherwise approved by the research supervisor and departmental graduate coordinator. One course may be selected from 400-level courses in other departments. A maximum of one 400-level course OR one double-numbered course is allowed.

Additional Information

All graduate students must take CHEM-801, a non-credit course in laboratory safety, at the first opportunity after their initial registration. The student must attend all department seminars and complete one seminar presentation on the student's thesis work to complete CHEE-897, the mandatory seminar series course.

Note: Applicants for the above programs are accepted under the general regulations of the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. Courses of instruction are provided in term length (3 units in weight) or modular six-week (1.5 units in weight) types. Please see the Academic Calendar for more information.

Admission and Application

Academic Requirements

To be considered for admission to a master's program, you must possess first-class standing in one of the following degrees awarded by a recognized university:

Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Arts or Science
Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Science or Law
Degree of Doctor of Medicine or equivalent

Minimum grade requirements

The Department of Chemical Engineering requires a B+ average or equivalent for admission to all graduate programs.

English Proficiency Requirements

Proficiency in English is a prerequisite for admission. Applicants whose native languages do not include English will be required to obtain satisfactory standing in an English Language Proficiency Test as part of the application process and before final acceptance is granted.

Any applicant who has recently studied for at least one complete year at a university where English is the official language of instruction may be exempt from the English Language Proficiency Test. An applicant requesting a waiver of the English Language Proficiency Test for this reason should do so in writing and submit it with the application. The Registrar of the School of Graduate Studies, in consultation with the department, will make determinations in these cases. It should be noted that in order to maintain a high academic standard, very few waivers are granted. Therefore, it is recommended that all applicants for whom English is not their first language submit an English Language Proficiency Test with their application.

The School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs and Research accepts the following English Language Proficiency Tests: TOEFL, MELAB, and IELTS.

The School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs at Queen's University requires the following minimum scores:

TOEFL Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT):

Writing Test: 24 (out of 30); Speaking Test: 22 (out of 30); Reading Test: 22(out of 30); Listening Test: 20 (out of 30); Overall minimum score: 88 (out of 120). Applicants must have the minimum score in each test, as well as the minimum overall score.

TOEFL Paper-Based and Computer-Based Tests:

Applicants must meet the minimum score requirements of the department to which they wish to apply. These minimum scores are listed on the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs website.

IELTS: 7 (academic module)

MELAB: 80

Fill out the application
Send original, official transcripts to the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (SGS)
Indicate accurate email addresses for your referees. They will be contacted and asked to supply an electronic reference.
Submit payment by credit card online.
Contact professors who work in your area of interest to increase your chance of receiving an offer.

The documents required are dependent on the personal history you indicate on your application.

Generally you need:

Official, sealed transcripts from all educational institutions (no photocopies or certified copies are acceptable) Acceptable methods for submitting transcripts:

Transcripts can be uploaded to the online application, as PDF files. The transcripts must be scanned (black and white recommended) and saved as a PDF file, and uploaded successfully. Complete instructions are available to applicants on the Transcript Upload section of the online application.

If a transcript or transcripts cannot be successfully uploaded to the online application, applicants are responsible for ensuring that an official transcript or transcripts of all current and previous university-level studies are sent to the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs by all universities previously attended. All hard copy transcripts received as part of an application for admission must be received in sealed envelopes.

Two academic references (your referees will be sent an email with the link to fill out their reference)

If English Proficiency Testing is required, an official report from the testing agency is needed

If you are in the process of completing an undergraduate or master’s degree when you apply, you must provide a final copy of your transcript indicating that the degree has been granted before you can start your studies with us.

A GRE is not required or considered.

Before you begin your application, please review the graduate studies application process.

Application deadline: There is a constant intake with no set deadline. It is recommended that the application be completed at least 4 months ahead of the desired admission cycle, especially for international students.

Notification of acceptance: Rolling acceptances for September, January, and May academic cycles.

Finding a Supervisor

We encourage you to identify an area of research interest and contact potential supervisor(s) before applying. Visit research groups and faculty profiles. When you find a faculty member with similar research interests to yours, contact them to let them know about your interest in graduate work, area of research and related experience. Please note, however, that contacting a faculty member does not guarantee acceptance and you will need to submit your full application in order to be considered.

Funding

The Department of Chemical Engineering aims to ensure that every full-time graduate student engaged in research has adequate financial support during his or her graduate program. This support may come from several sources, either individually or in combination: national or provincial scholarships, Queen's University scholarships and awards, research assistantships provided by faculty researchers, and departmental teaching assistantships. The level of financial support consequently varies among graduate students in the department, with a guaranteed minimum level of $27,010 for MASc (subject to change). As part of the minimum funding package, you may serve as a teaching assistant for at least one term per year. When necessary, serving as a teaching assistant for a second term will result in an increase in your funding package equivalent to the full value of the second TAship. Queen's internal awards are part of the minimum funding package and will not result in an increased funding level, whereas external scholarships may result in a significant top-up of funding. For current top-up amounts, please contact the Graduate Assistant at phillipl@queensu.ca.

Research
Areas of Research

Exciting fields of research in the Department of Chemical Engineering include biochemical engineering, polymers and reaction engineering, and process systems engineering. Within these broad areas, we have significant research activity in the following areas:
Our Research

Graduate Supervisors