Location:

Rapid City, United States

Program Type:

Full Degree

Degree Level:

Doctorate

Specialty:

Chemical Engineering

Program Overview

Program Description:

Founded in concert with our new PhD program was the Center for Bioprocessing Research and Development (CBRD), a 2010 Research Center of the State of South Dakota. CBRD's focus is on research that leads to new technologies for processing plant-derived lignocellulose materials into biomaterials such as ethanol and key building-block chemicals. In 2008, the department was awarded status as the lead site for a National Science Foundation Industrial/University Cooperative Research Center (NSF I/UCRC), formally titled the Center for BioEnergy Research and Development (CBERD). Furthermore, the biological-research component of our department has received a significant boost from another NSF/DOE funded center – the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) – in Lead, South Dakota, approximately 50 miles from campus. In the area of polymers and materials, department researchers take advantage of the school’s Composite and Polymer Engineering Laboratory (CAPE), a 9,500-plus-square-foot facility for advanced research and development of polymer and composite processing, prototyping, and tooling. Current research activity covers a range of areas, including bioenergy, biofuels, polymers/nanocomposites, combustion synthesis of ceramic and intermetallic powders, biochemical engineering and bioseparations, bioremediation and extremophiles, nano-structured materials, catalysis and reaction engineering, and molecular modeling. Current funding in the department exceeds $1M per year, with an average level of support of more than $200K/faculty. For more information on this degree, please see the catalog on the program website.

Additional Program Information

Accreditation:

We are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) North Central Association.

Financial Aid:

No

Requirements:

Complete the application format on our Graduate Education website. • Pay the $35.00 application fee. • Official transcripts from all U.S. institutions attended, including evidence of your bachelor’s degree if applicable. Transcripts must be mailed directly to SDSM&T by the issuing institution. Email copies are not accepted. A GPA of 3.0 is recommended; students with exceptional ability may apply with less than 3.0 GPA. • One page statement of purpose/personal statement of goals and research interests. • GRE score report: required . The SDSM&T school code is 6652. Scores of 50% or higher are recommended; strong quantitative scores are expected. • Three letters of recommendation. Should be submitted at the time of the online application. However can be submitted via email or postal mail.

International Requirements:

Third party foreign transcript evaluation for all foreign institutions attended, including evidence of your bachelor’s degree if applicable. Effective August 15, 2012, SDSM&T requires a course-by-course evaluation report sent directly to us from the evaluating institution. We will only accept evaluation reports from Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) or World Education Services (WES). If you use ECE, order a catalog match report. If you use WES, order a course by course report. • Evidence of English proficiency, with the exception of applicants from countries where English is the native language. Applicants who have a prior degree from a university in the U.S. may be considered for exemption. Note that Engineering Management will only consider applications meeting the upper level score criteria.