Besides providing technical leadership for the industries, chemical engineers are a major source of management personnel. Chemical engineering also offers many opportunities for independent enterprise. The chemical engineering curriculum at LSU provides sound preparation for work in industry or government, as well as for graduate study. The undergraduate curriculum includes basic studies in physics and mathematics, a major concentration in chemistry, and a strong core of chemical engineering subjects. Computer usage is integrated throughout the curriculum.
Elective courses permit in-depth study in a particular area of chemical engineering.
Therefore, in addition to work in science and engineering, there are required courses in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. The Department of Chemical Engineering has a long history of stressing excellence in both instructional and research efforts. Graduate studies began in 1908 as a part of the sugar engineering program. The first PhD awarded by LSU was presented in 1935 to Mr. Gipson Carter, by the Department of Chemical Engineering. As early as 1938, a departmental report prepared for an AIChE accreditation visit stressed the importance of high quality research.