South Dakota - School of Mines and Technology
PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering
Rapid City, USA
PhD
DURATION
4 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2026
TUITION FEES
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
About: The PhD in Chemical and Biological Engineering at South Dakota Mines requires core chemical engineering coursework plus at least two graduate biological engineering courses such as biochemical engineering, industrial microbiology, metabolic engineering, biocatalysis, bioseparations, or molecular biology. Research includes bioenergy, polymers, catalysis, bioremediation, nano‑materials, and composites; NSF centers CBERD and SURF support research.
Career Outcomes: Graduates can work in industry, national labs, government, or academia as process engineers, biochemical engineers, materials scientists, research scientists, biotech leads, environmental consultants, or faculty. They move into energy, polymers, biotech, materials development, catalysis, environmental remediation, and R&D management. career opportunities include R&D leadership.
Our department's research environment is vibrant and growing, and holds more promise with the recently-formed PhD program in chemical and biological engineering. This program is different from the majority of chemical and biological/biomolecular engineering (i.e., CBE) departments across the country. Generally, CBE departments require PhD students to take the core chemical engineering graduate courses for their degree, and provide elective courses in biology, microbiology, biotechnology, etc., to supplement the training of students focusing on biological-related dissertations.
In our program, students are required to take both chemical engineering and biology/biological engineering graduate courses to fulfill their degree requirement. At a minimum, students will take two courses from the following biological engineering topics: biochemical engineering, industrial microbiology and biotechnology, metabolic engineering, biocatalysis, bioseparations, and molecular biology. This structure ensures that graduates have the foundation and skill set to be proficient as both a chemical and biological engineers.
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.
Financial assistance is dependent on the department and funding that is available in a given year.
Financial assistance is available for graduate teaching assistants (GTA) and for graduate research assistants (GRA). A GTA handles laboratory sections, grades papers, or performs other assigned instructional duties. A GRA is compensated to conduct supervised research, which generally relates to the student’s thesis or dissertation research.
A full-time GTA or GRA is equivalent to approximately twenty (20) hours per week of assigned duties during the academic year. Part-time service is compensated in accordance with expected hourly effort. Completion of coursework and other degree requirements requires additional effort beyond compensated hours. Graduate assistants must be degree-seeking students and registered full-time (9 or 10 credits each fall and spring semester, and 2 credits each summer session) during the period of appointment.
Approximately 50% of all graduate students receive assistantships. Graduate assistants who hold a teaching or research assistantship are eligible for a tuition reduction that covers 100% of tuition and program fees for campus courses. The general activity fee and other miscellaneous fees as applicable are assessed at the regular rate. Specialty courses such as field camp and remedial courses are not eligible fore reduced tuition. For an out of state Master's student, the value of a 20-hour per week assistantship with tuition reduction is at least $25,000 for the academic year. Ph.D. stipends are typically higher. Additional summer support may also be available.
Admitted students will be automatically considered for research assistantship support based on the information provided in the admissions application. No further application materials are required. Financial awards are primarily granted to research students who begin enrollment in the fall. Graduate students wishing to be considered for financial assistance should submit their application and all required admission documents by February 15.