Prospective Undergraduate FAQ

Chemical Engineering is a strong choice for students who want to use chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology, and computing to design processes and products at useful scale.

At NJIT, students prepare for work in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, energy, food and consumer products, environmental systems, advanced manufacturing, and polymers. The major combines versatile technical training with undergraduate research, internships, co-op options, and close faculty interaction.

Materials Engineering is a strong choice for students who want to understand and control how a material's structure determines its properties and performance.

At NJIT, students study metals, ceramics, polymers, biomaterials, electronic and photonic materials, nanomaterials, coatings, and materials for energy storage. The program emphasizes hands-on laboratories, undergraduate research, design, and applications across manufacturing, aerospace, electronics, healthcare, and energy.

Chemical Engineering focuses on transforming raw materials into useful products through chemical, physical, and biological processes. Students learn to design and operate processes used in fields such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, energy, food, consumer products, and environmental technology.

Materials Engineering focuses on how a material's structure, processing, properties, and performance are connected. Students study and develop metals, ceramics, polymers, electronic materials, biomaterials, nanomaterials, coatings, and energy materials.

Both programs share a strong foundation in chemistry, physics, mathematics, computing, laboratories, design, and problem solving. Students should choose based on whether they are more interested in designing processes and products or in developing and improving the materials themselves.

Yes. Scholarship opportunities are available through the department and NJIT; availability and eligibility may vary by program and year.

Students should review CME Scholarships and NJIT's merit- and need-based scholarship information. Completing the FAFSA is important for consideration for many forms of aid.

NJIT Chemical Engineering graduates pursue roles such as chemical engineer, process engineer, manufacturing engineer, product engineer, and research-and-development engineer.

They work in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, chemicals, energy, food and consumer products, environmental technology, and advanced manufacturing. NJIT Chemical Engineering graduates have gone on to work for employers such as Colgate-Palmolive, FM Global, L'Oréal USA, Phillips 66, and Teva Pharmaceuticals.

See NJIT's Chemical Engineering program and career information.

NJIT Materials Engineering graduates pursue roles such as materials engineer, quality engineer, metallurgist, process and materials engineer, and research-and-development professional.

They work in industries including advanced manufacturing, aerospace, electronics and semiconductors, biomaterials, energy storage, metals, ceramics, polymers, and coatings. NJIT Materials Engineering graduates have gone on to work for employers such as TTX Company, Owens Corning, and Croda.

See NJIT's Materials Engineering program and career information.

Yes. Internships are strongly encouraged, and students can also participate in the paid, full-time Newark College of Engineering Co-op Program.

Internships are typically shorter experiences, often completed during a summer, while co-op placements are full-time work semesters. Students should discuss timing and degree planning with their academic advisor.

The department's Industrial Advisory Board mentoring program and NJIT Career Development Services also help students prepare résumés, practice interviews, explore career paths, and connect with employers.

Yes. Undergraduate students can work with faculty on research in areas such as pharmaceuticals, biomaterials, polymers, nanotechnology, energy, environmental systems, process design, advanced manufacturing, and computational modeling.

Opportunities may be available during the academic year or summer through faculty laboratories, department programs, and university research initiatives. Students are encouraged to review faculty research interests and contact professors whose work matches their goals.

Explore CME research and undergraduate and graduate student research opportunities.

NJIT's accelerated BS/MS option allows qualified undergraduates to begin graduate-level coursework while completing the bachelor's degree. Eligible courses can count toward the master's degree, reducing the time and cost needed to complete both degrees.

Students choose the program to gain deeper technical expertise, prepare for research or advanced engineering roles, and strengthen preparation for doctoral study. Interested students should discuss eligibility, timing, and course selection with an academic advisor.

Learn more about CME BS/MS programs.

NJIT combines the resources of a public research university with hands-on learning and close interaction with faculty. Students learn through laboratories, design projects, research, internships, co-op experiences, professional organizations, and industry mentoring.

The department's location in the New Jersey-New York region provides access to a major concentration of pharmaceutical, chemical, materials, energy, and manufacturing employers. Students can also participate in nationally recognized competitions and present research at professional conferences.

Students have regular access to professors through classes, laboratories, office hours, advising, research groups, and student organizations. Introductory university courses may be larger, but many major courses and laboratories are smaller and provide direct interaction with faculty.

Students who want additional support can also use peer tutoring, department activities, academic advising, and NJIT learning resources.

Chemical and Materials Engineering students at NJIT are encouraged to participate in professional organizations, outreach, research, design competitions, and leadership activities. These experiences help students build friendships, professional networks, teamwork skills, and career readiness.

The department currently sponsors these student organizations:

• AIChE - the American Institute of Chemical Engineers student chapter
• Omega Chi Epsilon (OXE) - the chemical engineering honor society
• SAMPE - the Society for the Advancement of Materials and Process Engineering student chapter
• MRS - the Materials Research Society student chapter

AIChE also supports teams and conference activities such as Chem-E-Car, ChemE Cube, ChemE Sports, Chem-E Jeopardy, and student research presentations. Students in the materials organizations take part in technical meetings, professional development, outreach, networking, contests, and conferences.

Learn more on the CME Student Organizations page. For campus-wide clubs and events, visit Activities and Organizations at NJIT.

Chemical and Materials Engineering students receive career preparation through coursework, faculty advising, research, professional organizations, industry mentoring, conferences, and campus career services.

• Coursework: Required professional-development and communication coursework develops résumé, interview, workplace-writing, teamwork, ethics, safety, and presentation skills.
• Faculty and industry mentoring: Advisors and the Industrial Advisory Board mentoring program help students explore careers and prepare for internships.
• Research and student organizations: Research projects and AIChE, OXE, SAMPE, and MRS activities build technical, leadership, and communication experience.
• Career Development Services: Career fairs, coaching, résumé reviews, mock interviews, and employer events connect students with opportunities.

It may be possible to switch between the programs, especially early in a student's studies because the majors share foundational courses in mathematics, chemistry, physics, and engineering.

A change can affect prerequisites, graduation timing, scholarships, and the sequence of major courses, so students should meet with an academic advisor before making the decision. The earlier the conversation occurs, the easier it is to evaluate a path that stays on schedule.

Chemistry studies substances, their structures, properties, and reactions, often at the molecular level. Chemical Engineering applies chemistry together with mathematics, physics, biology, and engineering principles to design, scale up, control, and improve processes that make useful products safely and efficiently.

Students who are most interested in discovering and characterizing molecules may prefer Chemistry. Students who want to design processes, equipment, and production systems for industries such as pharmaceuticals, energy, food, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing may prefer Chemical Engineering.

Yes. Students in either Chemical Engineering or Materials Engineering may apply to medical school or other health-professions programs. Medical schools generally do not favor one undergraduate major over another, so students should choose the major that best fits their interests and complete the required pre-health courses alongside the degree requirements.

Planning should begin early with both the student's major advisor and NJIT's university pre-health advisor. See NJIT's Premedical and Health Education FAQs for prerequisites, advising, and application guidance.

High school students interested in research should explore NJIT's current pre-college programs. Availability, eligibility, and program formats change by year.

Individual CME faculty members may not be able to accept high school students outside an approved program; applicants should follow the current program's application and contact instructions.

NJIT currently reports an average starting salary of $75,900 for Chemical Engineering graduates and $73,000 for Materials Engineering graduates. Salary outcomes vary by role, industry, location, experience, and reporting year.

See NJIT's current program pages for the latest figures: Chemical Engineering and Materials Engineering.

NJIT offers an active campus community with a broad range of student organizations, programs, and events. Students can join professional societies, cultural and identity-based organizations, student government, service groups, performing arts, athletics, recreation, fraternities and sororities, and many other interest-based clubs.

Explore Get Involved at NJIT and Activities and Organizations.

NJIT supports both residential and commuter students. Residential students can live in campus residence halls, while commuter students have access to resources designed to support travel, study, dining, and campus involvement.

Learn more through Housing and Dining and Commuter Life and Student Resources.

NJIT awards credit for qualifying scores on many Advanced Placement examinations. The required score and NJIT course equivalency depend on the subject.

For current score-submission instructions, accepted examinations, required scores, and course equivalencies, see AP, IB, and College Transfer Credit.