EDUCATION in UNITED STATES* FRANK C. VILBRANDTt Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg. Virginia
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laboratory work; and Curtis (6) on local administration of chemical engineering. All teachers of chemical engineering subjects will find this compilation of papers and the attending discussion quite interesting reading. Resulting from this conference were the numerous questions submitted and answered in the 1927 report of the committee (3). The questions dealt mainly with course matter, such as emphasis, specialization, functional us. technical courses, ecouomics, shop courses, foreign languages, etc. In 1928, White (18) presented a paper at Niagara Falls at the meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, discussing much of the early history of chemical engineering education in the United States, the relation of chemical engineering education to other engineering professions and curricula, the activities of the education committee, a distribution of the time devoted to various classes of courses in the chemical engineering curricula in 1925, and a suggested distribution as proposed by the committee (4). A questionnaire was sent out by the author of this paper to obtain more recent data from the 93 colleges and universities teaching chemical eneineerina, -. or granting chemical engineering degrees. As is usual in * Paper read before the S. P. E. E. conference on chemical such cases, the were incomplete and writer engineering, Ithaca, N. Y., June 19-21, 1934. t Chairman S. P. E. E. Committee on Chemical ~n~ineering. had to seek information elsewhere. The college and
MOST searching investigation of chemical engineering education in the United States is being carried on by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers' Committee on Chemical Engineering and the S. P. E. E. Committee on Chemical Engineering. Reports on the activities of the first committee are available since 1910 and can be found in the Transactions of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and in hulletins issued annually by the Institute. An attempt is made to collect together the references relative to the activities of the Committee on Chemical Engineering Education and to supplement the data with those of the school year 1933-34. The first conference on chemical engineering education was called in 1925 (15),at which a number of papers were read and considerable discussion took place. Badger (1) read a paper on the nomenclature and division of time in chemical engineering courses; James (10) on entrance requirements; Lewis (12) on qualifications of the faculty; Jackson (9) on the length of the curricula; Withrow (20) on four-, five-, and sixyear chemical engineering courses; Hixson (8) on
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university catalogs are the official sources of information from which most of the data were obtained. Differences in presentation of subject matter and curricular data required a translation which may still
need some revision. The data in the catalogs are not always complete. The combined questionnaire and catalog data have been compiled in the accompanying table.
TABLE
DATAON CABYICAL ENDINBERIND E D U C A T ~ N SBMBSTBR CREDITHOUBS
Alabama Poly. Inrt. Alabama, Univ. of Arkansan, Univ. of 'Armour Inst. of Teeh. Bucknell University *Calif. Inrt. of Tech. *Camepie Inst. of Tech. *Care School of App. Science Catholic U. of Am. (B) *Ci"., univ. of
Drerel Institute Detroit Dayton University Florida, U. of Georgia Tech. Idaho, Univ. of *Illinois, U. of *Iowa, univ, of *Iowa State College Kanrar State Coll. Kansas, University Lafayettc College *Lehigh Univerrify ~Louirville,U. of Maine. TT"i" "f
of (B)
Mirrouri, U. of Montana State College Newark College of Engineering *New York University Notre Dame North Car. A. 81 M. North car., u n i v of Nebraska. Univ. of North Dakota, U. of 'Ohio State U. (B1 Oklahoma A. 8: M Oregon State Coll. Pen". s t a t e College P e n n , U. of 'Purdue. Univ. of 'Pittsburgh, Uniu. of "Princeton university *Poly lnrt, of Brooklyn P r s t t Institute 'Renrrelaer Poly. Inrt. (B) Rice Institute Roehesfer. U. 01 Rose ~ o l & e ~ h ~ i ~ Syracuse, U. of Tennessee, U. of Texas A. & M. Tulaoe University (B) virpinia, U. of Virginia Polyteeh. Warhiortan U. (St. Louis. Mo.) *Washington. U. of Washington State College west v a . univ. *Wisconsin, U. of Worcester Polyteeh. Wyoming, univ. of 'Yale university
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Amedited Institutions, Amer. Inst. Chem. Engr.
difficult to obtain. since all the auestionnaires were not returned. Using the compilation on American The Committee on Chemical Engineering Education Colleges and Universities gave only small aid, because (5) has accredited twenty-four institutions as having in many instances the chemical engineering instrucfaculty,equipment, and curriculawhich in its opinion are tors were listed with the engineering group, while in adequate for training chemical engineering students. other cases they were grouped with the chemistry inSixty-nine institutions still await accrediting. How structors. Basing the increase in instructors on the many of these institutions should drop the claim that basis of the returns received from the questionnaires they are teaching chemical engineering is a question the ratio increase of 4 to 5.6 to 7 paralleled the enrolnot easily answered, because many of these non- ment increase. A closer study of the data showed that accredited institutions need but little change before this ratio did not apply to the larger institutions, where they, too, are fully qualified. In 1920 Little (14) there existed many cases of retrenchment, while in the reported that 128 institutions gave instruction in smaller institutions the ratio increase was considerably chemical engineering, but that only seventy-eight larger. replied to his questionnaire. FAClLlTIES The degree of Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering is the standard degree granted after the comThere exists considerable ground for dispute as to pletion of four years of study; the following six grant the adequacy of the equipment available for student the degree of Bachelor of Chemical Engineering: use in chemical engineering laboratories. Just what Catholic University of America, University of Kansas, constitutes chemical engineering equipment and what Michigan State College, Ohio State University, Rensse- constitutes chemical equipment is impracticable to laer Polytechnic Institute, Tulane University. Cornell differentiate. However, an arbitrary rating of poor, University grants the professional degree of Chemical fair, good, very good was established; the description Engineer for a fifth year of study, following the Bache- of the equipment as written up in the institutional lor of Chemistry degree. Columbia University grants catalogs and in the questionnaire was used in the rating. the professional degree for six years of course work, In general, where no specific laboratory course in M. I. T. for a fifth year in the School of Engineering chemical engineering operations or processes is to be Practice, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and the found, a rating of poor is given. Nine institutions are University of Kansas for a fifth year in the course. given a very good rating, indicating that they have conWhen Curtis (6) presented his paper on the local siderably more types of equipment and of greater caadministration of chemical engineering in 1925, there pacities than that barely essential for student instrucwere few independent departments of chemical engi- tion. Sixteen institutions are classed as good, or adeneering. Today there are thirty-three institutions with quately equipped. Twenty institutions have a fair independent departments and a possible four more may rating, with equipment little better than the stock be added before next year; there are seven with joint industrial chemistry laboratory set-up. The remainder departments bordering on independence, and all the of the institutions should acquire more laboratory remainder, but two, administered by the department equipment and facilities for adequate instruction purof chemistry. Two institutions administer the chemi- poses. cal engineering work under the mechanical engineering Iowa State College, University of Louisville, and departments. The supervision of the curricula is not Purdue University have separate buildings for housing a measure of the quality of work given, but as import- chemical engineering; The University of Dayton, ant a branch of engineering as chemical engineering University of Arkansas, University of Notre Dame, and should shoulder the responsibility for its own curricula. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are contemplating the erection of new buildings to house their departments ENROLMENT of chemical engineering. Carnegie Institute of TechThe enrolment data showed almost as great a range nology has recently opened its new chemical engineering laboratory. Bucknell University, Georgia School of as other statistics on chemical engineering education. Inadequate returns forced the writer to turn to Technology, and Vanderbilt University are adding new equipment, while the University of Maryland and the other sources of information, among which the most important was that compiled by W. C. John (11). University of Tennessee are strengthening their courses The statistics obtained showed a marked increase and adding new equipment. Engineering experiment station provides laboratory during the last decade; a ratio increase from 4 to 5 to 7 facilities for large scale experimentation a t forty-two is apparent from the enrolment data of 1923 to 1928 of the above institutions. It is difficult to obtain into 1933. Accordingly, the enrolment of 1933 is 6600 formation on the industrial fellowships which are as(19), while that of 1934 should be twenty per cent. signed to chemical engineering departments, but unmore, possibly near 8000. questionably the number is quite high. The most recent compilation on scholarships and fellowships supINSTRUCTORS ported by industry was reported by West and Hull The data on instructors in chemical engineering are (17). INSTITUTIONS AND DEGREES
COURSES
GRADUATE STUDIES
The discrepancy among the institutions in the teaching of chemical engineering students and granting them baccalaureate degrees in Chemical Engineering for the training received is rather marked. There is some marked improvement in the condition today over that reported by Little (14) in 1920. Either because of some misunderstanding of the nature of chemical engineering, or possibly because of some error in the officialbulletins of the institutions, the data show that eleven institutions give no course work, lecture or otherwise, in chemical engineering unit operations, while twenty-nine do not provide for the application of the principles of unit operations by giving laboratory work. Industrial chemistry lectures are given a t all the listed institutions; thirty-two of these provide laboratory instruction in industrial chemistry. Design is taught a t twenty-one institutions, both equipment design and chemical engineering plant design. Special problems and projects, or minor research problems, are provided for in the curricula of thirty-two institutions. Stoichiometry is taught attwenty-three institutions and chemical engineering economics a t twenty-three. Of the eight course subdivisions indicated, five institutions give instruction in all eight, sixteen in six or more subdivisions, and twenty-seven in five or more subdivisions. This last number would seem to be the minimum number of subdivisions of instruction adequate for chemical engineering academic instmction. There are six institutions giving but one course, fourteen giving not over two, twenty not over three courses, while thirty-six give instruction in not more than four course subdivisions in chemical engineering.
Graduate degrees are granted in all but nine of the tabulated institutions. The facilities available a t most of the institutions indicate that very little is lacking for a t least some kind of chemical engineering investigative work. However, the Committee on Graduate Instmction, of the American Council on Education, reported that only ten were adequately equipped with staff and facilities for granting graduate instruction leading to the doctorate. There have been, and will continue to be, seminars and conferences on chemical engineering teaching for quite some time. Badger (2), Curtis (7), and Lewis (13) gave excellent papers a t the Chemical Engineering Summer Session a t Ann Arbor under the auspices of the S. P. E. E. The conference held a t Ithaca on chemical engineering education was an immediate follow-up of the Michigan session. Another conference on chemical engineering education was held May 13-15, 1935, a t Wilmington, under the auspices of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, while the S. P. E. E. Committee on Chemical Engineering sponsored a conference on laboratory instruction in chemical engineering a t Atlanta, June 24-25, 1935. The good that resulted from these conferences will make itself felt in better laboratory facilities, more adequate instmction, and better curricula for chemical engineering students, with a probable increase in accredited institutions by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers' Committee on Chemical Engineering Education. The second phase of the program laid down by the Engineering Council for Professional Development (16) seems to be well taken care of by existing active agencies.
LITERATURE CITED
(1) Bhocsn, W. L., "Nomenclature and division of time in chemical engineering curricula." Trans. Am. Inst. Chem. Eng.. 17, 176 (1925). W. L.,"The place of laboratory in a chemical (2) BADGER, rrlginetrmg curriculu~."DaDCr wad bciore S. P. 1;. 1:. Summer Se$sion,A n n Arbor, hlicll., June 24, 1932. (3) RLPORT. " S I U ~ofVchemirsl tnmnecrins d u r n . . . CODIIILTIFE tion," Trans. ~ mInd. : ~ h e m Eng.~; . i9, i07(%27). (4) COMMITTEE REPORT, "Conference on chemical engineering education." Trans. Am. Ind. Chem. Eng., 23, 116 (1929). EE "Accrediting of institutions teaching (5) C O M M ~ ~REPORT, chemical engineering," Trans. Am. Inst. Chem. Eng., 27, An2 --- 114111 ,-""A,. 1 CURTIS,H. A,, "Local administration of chemical engineering courses." Trans. Am. Inst. Chem. Eng., 17, 243
leaflet," U. S. Office of Education, Lealet 19 (1931). (12) LEWIS, W: K;, "Qualifications for faculty in chemical engmeenng, Trans. Am. Inst. C k m . Eng., 17, 203 (1925). (13) LEWIS, W,.K., "The place of unit operations in a chemical engmeermg curriculum." paper read before S. P. E. E. Summer Session, Ann Arbor, Mich., June 24, 1932. (14) LITTLE,A. D., "Report of Chemical Engineering Education Trans. Am. Inst. Chrm. Eng., 13, 89, 423 %?ittee," ( IYL'L,,.
(13) I'ARHLLI.F. H. C., "Report of Committee on Chemical b:og~nreringijducation," Am. Insl. Clzem. Enp.. Uulletin
I\I U ? F \ . , " ' " I
CURTIS,H. A., "The chemical engineering curriculum," paper read heforc S. P. E. E. Summer Session, Ann ,A""7,. Arbor. Mich.. Tune 24. 1932. (18) WHITE, A. H., "Chemical engineering education in the HIXSON, A. w., "Chemical engineering laboratory," United States," Trans. Am. Inst. Chem. Eng., 21, 210 ,l""O\ Trans. Am. Inst. Chem. Eng., 17, 230 (1925). , ' " " U / . JACKSON. D. D.. "Length of course in chemicalengineering," (19) WHITE,A. H., "Twenty-five years of chemical enaineerina Trans. Am. Inst. Chem. Eng., 17, 213 (1925). progress," Chapter XXV, "Chemical engineerini eduea: JAMES, I. H.. "Entrance recluirements for courses in chemition," D. Van Nostrand Co., New York City. 1933. cal engineering," Trans. ~ m Inrt. . Chem. Eng., 17,~188 (20) Wr~nnow.T. R.. "Four. five. and six "ear chemical enei(lQ2G - - - - ,. neeringc&ricda." ~ r a n sk. m . Inst. ?hem. Eng.. 17, 2i5 (11) JOHN.W. C., "Chemistry and chemical engineering guidance (1925). A"A
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ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION FOR COLLATERAL READING
(a) WHITE.A. H., "Occupations and earnings of chemical engineering graduates." Trans. Am. Ins!. Chem. Eng.. 27, 221 (1931). (b) "REPORTS:COXM~TTEE ON CAEMICAL ENGINEERING ED"-
CAT~ON," Trans. Am. Inst. Chem. Eng.. 3,122, 146 (1910); 4, 218 (1911); 7, 18, 32 (1913); 9, 18, 23, 25, 32, 40, 45, 59 (1916); 10, 13 (1917); 11, 221, 223 (1918); 12, 199. 259 (1919).
