B.S. in Petroleum Engineering Program
Petroleum engineering is the branch of engineering concerned with the drilling, recovery, production, and distribution of petroleum and natural gas. It includes knowledge of the properties of fluids and rocks in surface and subsurface environments as well as methods of exploiting the economic production of oil and gas from petroleum reservoirs. A major subdivision at KU is reservoir engineering, or the development of processes to improve production from oil and gas reservoirs. Reservoir engineers use sophisticated mathematical techniques and computer technology to obtain optimum production. Through such techniques, petroleum engineers continue to extract oil and gas from reservoirs that only a few years ago would have been considered uneconomical. This branch of engineering is somewhat different from the other in that production is far removed from physical observation.
The curriculum develops fundamental concepts that describe the properties of fluids and rocks in surface and subsurface environments. These are integrated with courses covering fluid flow in reservoirs along with drilling and production equipment to develop a broad understanding of how fundamental concepts are used to solve technical problems. The development of engineering design concepts begins with the application of fundamental principles and concepts to solve engineering problems in these courses and culminates in a series of senior-level design courses that require comprehensive integration of technical knowledge as well as consideration of economic, environmental, safety, and societal concerns. This experience is essential in the preparation of graduates for entry-level positions.
Educational Objective
The objective of the program is to prepare graduates for professional practice in industry, government, or post-undergraduate training in petroleum engineering and other related disciplines.
Professional Opportunities
Petroleum engineers search the world for reservoirs containing oil and natural gas. Once these resources are discovered, petroleum engineers work to understand the geologic formation and properties of the rock containing the reservoir, determine the drilling methods to be used, and monitor drilling and production operations. They design equipment and processes to achieve the maximum profitable recovery of oil and gas. Petroleum engineers typically work for major oil companies, independent oil exploration, and production and service companies.
Undergraduate Admission to the School of Engineering
Admission to the KU School of Engineering and its degree programs is selective. Students may be admitted to an engineering or computer science degree program as freshmen (first-year) students, but all admissions, for both in-state and out-of-state students, are selective. Applications are judged on several factors, such as high school record, scores on national tests, academic record at college or university level, and trend of grades and more. High school transcripts are required.
Freshman Admission Standards to the School of Engineering
To be considered for admission to the School of Engineering, beginning freshmen (first-year) students must meet or exceed the following minimum standards:
- Must be admissible to the University of Kansas by assured admissions or individual review, AND
- Have a 3.0+ high school GPA, AND
- Demonstrate mathematics preparedness by:
- Obtaining a mathematics ACT score of 22+ (or math SAT score of 540+), OR
- Achieving a B or better in college algebra or a more advanced mathematics course, OR
- Achieving a C or better in a high school calculus course; OR
- Earning credit via IB or AP credit for the above-mentioned courses in accordance with KU placement credit requirements; OR
- Achieving at minimum a qualifying score for MATH 104 on the ALEKS mathematics placement exam.
Pre-Engineering
Students not admitted directly to the School of Engineering and their department but who are admissible to the university may be admitted to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as an pre-engineering student. They can later re-apply to the School of Engineering during the semester they are completing the admission requirements for transfer students.
Transfer Student Admission Standards to the School of Engineering
Applications from all transfer students, whether from other institutions or from other academic schools at the University of Kansas, are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Transfer students must:
- Be admissible to KU, AND
- Earn a cumulative college transferable grade-point average of 2.5+, AND
- Earn a grade of C or better in MATH 125 (Calculus I, or its direct equivalent), AND
- Earn grades of C or better in math, science, and engineering courses applicable to the engineering degree.
Students must also complete their last 30 hours of credit at KU.
Current Student Admission Standards to the School of Engineering
Students who are currently enrolled at KU, need to meet the following:
- Earn a 2.5+ KU GPA, AND
- Earn a grade of C or better in MATH 125 or its direct equivalent, AND
- Earn a grade of C or better in all math, science, and engineering courses.
Current KU Students admitted to other academic units may apply to the School of Engineering by completing a Change of School form. Contact the engineering recruitment team if you have any questions. Per University Registrar deadlines for processing, Change of School applications for the fall semester will be accepted until the last Friday in October of each school year; Change of School applications for the spring semester will be accepted until the last Friday in March of each school year.
Already Applied to KU, But Not Engineering?
Don't worry. It's not too late to change your mind if you’ve already applied to KU and selected a major outside the School of Engineering. If you think one of the 12 engineering or computer science majors is a better fit for your talents, you can still change your requested major — preferably before May 1 — and be considered for admission to the School of Engineering and all the benefits that go with it.
To update your application, visit Undergraduate Admissions and click on “Change application term, major, mailing address, and/or email address.”
Please contact a member of our recruitment team, 785-864-3881, if you have any difficulty.
Application Deadlines For New Freshman and Transfer Applicants
Graduate Admission Deadlines Semester | Applicants | Deadline |
November 1 | Priority scholarship deadline for incoming freshmen. | |
December 1 | Deadline to apply for the Self Engineering Leadership Fellows Program for incoming freshmen. | |
May 1 | Enrollment Deposit due. | |
Last Friday in October | Deadline to submit Change of School applications for fall semester admission. | |
Last Friday in March | Deadline to submit Change of School applications for spring semester admission. | |
Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering Degree Requirements
- In order to progress to a junior year course (any C&PE course labeled 500 and above), a student must have earned a C‐ or better in the following courses: MATH 125, MATH 126, MATH 127, MATH 220, MATH 290; CHEM 130, CHEM 135 (CHEM 170/175 acceptable alternatives); EPHX 210 (PHSX 211 acceptable alternative), and PHSX 212. Honors versions of the listed courses would also be subject to the rule.
- A student in Petroleum Engineering must complete and earn a cumulative 2.0 grade-point average in C&PE 211, C&PE 325, and C&PE 327 to progress to C&PE 511, C&PE 527, C&PE 528, C&PE 618, or C&PE 619.
- A student in Petroleum Engineering must complete and earn a cumulative 1.8 grade-point average in C&PE 511, C&PE 527, C&PE 528, and C&PE 618 to progress to C&PE 625, C&PE 627, C&PE 617, or C&PE 628.
- A student must attain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.0 in C&PE courses taken at KU for graduation with a B.S. degree in Petroleum Engineering.
A total of 128 hours is required, as follows:
Course List Code | Title | Hours |
C&PE 127 | Introduction to Petroleum Engineering Profession | 1 |
C&PE 211 | Material and Energy Balances | 3 |
C&PE 325 | Numerical Methods and Statistics for Engineers | 3 |
C&PE 327 | Reservoir Engineering | 3 |
C&PE 511 | Momentum Transfer | 3 |
C&PE 519 | Drilling Fluids Laboratory | 1 |
C&PE 527 | Reservoir Engineering II | 3 |
C&PE 528 | Well Logging | 3 |
C&PE 640 | Natural Gas Engineering | 3 |
C&PE 617 | Drilling and Well Completion | 3 |
C&PE 618 | Improved Oil Recovery | 3 |
C&PE 619 | Petroleum Engineering Laboratory | 3 |
C&PE 624 | Process Safety and Sustainability | 3 |
C&PE 625 | Unconventional Reservoirs | 3 |
C&PE 641 | Introduction to AI and Machine Learning for Subsurface Energy Engineering | 3 |
C&PE 642 | New Energy Ventures | 3 |
C&PE 627 | Petroleum Production | 3 |
C&PE 628 | Petroleum Engineering Design | 3 |
CHEM 130 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
or CHEM 170 | Chemistry for the Chemical Sciences I |
CHEM 135 | General Chemistry II | 5 |
or CHEM 175 | Chemistry for the Chemical Sciences II |
EPHX 210 | General Physics I for Engineers (Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)) 040 | 3 |
or PHSX 211 | General Physics I |
PHSX 216 | General Physics I Laboratory (Core 34: Natural and Physical Sciences (SGE)) 040 | 1 |
PHSX 212 | General Physics II | 3 |
PHSX 236 | General Physics II Laboratory | 1 |
ME 211 | Statics and Introduction to Mechanics | 3 |
GEOL 101 & GEOL 103 | The Way The Earth Works and Geology Fundamentals Laboratory | 5 |
GEOL 332 | Sedimentology for Petroleum Engineers | 4 |
GEOL 535 | Petroleum and Subsurface Geology | 4 |
MATH 125 | Calculus I (Core 34: Math and Statistics (SGE)) 030 | 4 |
or MATH 145 | Calculus I, Honors |
MATH 126 | Calculus II | 4 |
or MATH 146 | Calculus II, Honors |
MATH 127 | Calculus III | 4 |
or MATH 147 | Calculus III, Honors |
MATH 290 | Elementary Linear Algebra | 2 |
or MATH 291 | Elementary Linear Algebra, Honors |
MATH 220 | Applied Differential Equations | 3 |
or MATH 221 | Applied Differential Equations, Honors |
Credit for Honors Courses: Honors versions of listed courses can also be used to satisfy degree requirements.
Credit for ROTC Courses: Only ROTC courses qualifying as engineering electives and humanities/social sciences may be used.
Plan of Study
Recommended enrollments are as follows, but may vary according to existing credits:
Notes:
* - This course is a Required major course and is also part of Core 34: Systemwide General Education. If this course is not taken to fulfill the Core 34:SGE requirement, it must be taken in place of elective hours.
** - This course is a Recommended Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This specific course is not required but is recommended by the program’s faculty.
*** - This course is a Required Core 34: Systemwide General Education course. This program is approved by the Kansas Board of Regents to require this specific Core 34:Systemwide General Education course. If a student did not take this course it must be taken in addition to other degree requirements.
Departmental Honors
Students wishing to receive Departmental Honors in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering must apply to the Department in writing by September 1st for a December graduation or February 1st for a May graduation. The criteria for Departmental Honors are:
- A cumulative 3.5 GPA in courses taken at KU
- A cumulative 3.5 GPA in engineering courses taken at KU
- Completion of an experience or an achievement that is deemed worthy of Departmental Honors. Examples of achievements include (not limited to):
- Completion of 3 hours of C&PE 661 (Honors research ) or equivalent with an A or B
- Completion of Senior Thesis
- Co-author on a publication – may require research advisor verification
- Presentation at a National Conference – may require research advisor verification
- Receiving an award for scholarly work – may require research advisor verification
The application must include:
- Completed application form
- Approximately 200-500 word statement of the achievement or experience that is worthy of Departmental Honors.
A departmental committee will review all applications and make the final decision on the awarding of Departmental Honors. Some applications may require verification from the research advisor. Students awarded Departmental Honors will be recognized at the end of the year banquet.