The profession of chemical engineering combines the principles of physical and chemical sciences with the discipline of engineering to solve modern technological problems and be of effective service to society. The chemical engineer is largely responsible for the continual development of new processes and new products that have a direct impact on improving the quality of life and the environment. To this end, the department provides a broad-based program with individual, academic, and professional counseling. The importance of professionalism in engineering cannot be overemphasized. Chemical engineering students are presented with a code of professional behavior and ethics at each academic level and are required to adhere to it. Copies of these codes are available on request. The chemical engineering curriculum is sufficiently general that upon completion the student is prepared for a career in any of the process industries that involve chemical transformations. Employment opportunities cover a wide spectrum that includes, among others, petroleum, plastics production, basic chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, metals, textiles, semiconductors, and various biomedical and biological specialties. Many chemical engineers also are directly involved in the design of systems to minimize pollution of the environment or are active with governmental regulatory agencies that set environmental standards.<br><br>Continuing advances in the practice of chemical engineering include extensive use of computer simulation and computer control of chemical processes. The Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas Tech has well-established programs in both of these areas. All chemical engineering students must have access to a personal laptop computer running the Windows operating system, including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and MatLab software. Many on-campus classes have their own Internet sites, and some classes are available only on the Internet. For this reason, access to an Internet provider is strongly recommended. To be prepared for professional training as well as to practice chemical engineering professionally, it is essential that the prospective engineer have a good background in the physical sciences, namely mathematics, physics, and chemistry, in addition to the engineering sciences. Summer experience in a chemical processing industry is strongly recommended as part of the preparation for professional practice. To illustrate the application of engineering principles, visits to processing installations may be required as part of academic coursework.