Thank you for your interest in UC Berkeley's Professional MS in Chemical Engineering, the Product Development Program!
Within 9 months, PDP graduates will gain exposure to real-world product development practices in a range of chemical process-intensive industries such as alternative energy, biotechnology, consumer products, microelectronics, nanoscience, and new ventures. As a professional degree program aimed at preparing its graduates for their careers, the PDP does not require a research thesis, but students find completing the extensive coursework and team-based field-project study assignment with a local company challenging. Graduates of the PDP almost exclusively choose to enter industry - to embark on a professional or managerial career related to bringing new products and technologies into commercial reality.
- Thrive in a close-knit community; Each cohort can only hold up to 50 students
- Guide your coursework by choosing an industry specialization, or create a hybrid:
- Advanced Materials
- Alternative Energy/Sustainability
- Biotechnology - Drug Development
- Biotechnology - Medical Devices
- Consumer Products
- Microelectronics
- Manufactured Product Technology
- New Ventures
- Semiconductors
- Instead of a thesis, gain industry experience by participating in a field project during your Spring semester, where you will work in small teams to solve a product development challenge for a real company. Some of our past clients include:
- Amyris
- Applied Materials
- Baxter
- Bayer
- Chevron
- Clorox
- Dow Chemical
- Genentech
- Givaudan
- LanzaTech
- Our 350+ alumni have been hired at companies worldwide such as:
- Apple
- Applied Materials
- Chevron
- Deloitte
- Genentech
- Gilead Sciences
- Intel
- Micron Technology
- Procter & Gamble
- 100% of our students receive financial aid, and a limited number of full tuition and fees scholarships are available
- The GRE is no longer required for admission
Alumni Testimonials
“In addition to introducing me to the company where I now work, the PDP provided me with the framework to analyze technical problems from a practical market based perspective. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in working at the intersection of business and chemical technology.” - Joel Vincent '11, Advanced Chemical Engineer, Eastman Chemical Company“The flexible curriculum, experiencing the real world in a safe environment where it is OK to fail, and access to world-class faculty were my main attractions to the PDP in Berkeley. The short duration of the program constantly keeps you on your toes but provides you a well-rounded experience and the skill set you develop is easily transferable across industries.” - Vivek Narayanan '10, Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers
“The PDP is a good choice when looking to change careers or industries. The PDP allowed me to bridge the gap between R&D for inkjet printer inks to pharmaceuticals without 4-6 more years of school. Coursework is diverse, spanning many different schools on campus (Chemistry, Haas, Public Health, etc.) allowing for more networking opportunities. Great value for the time and money spent.” - Jill Salelanonda '07, Lab Manager, Gilead Sciences
Apply Now or Attend an Info Session!
Applications for PDP 25 (August 2024 to May 2025) are now open and will close on January 12, 2024. Come and virtually meet the PDP's Executive Director, Dr. Keith Alexander, and a current student or alumni to learn more about our professional 9-month Master's program in Chemical Engineering.
UC Berkeley's College of Chemistry's Product Development Program (PDP) Final Info Session:
Wednesday, December 6, 3-4 pm PST
Registration link
The PDP is a proven alternative graduate school experience for those students with backgrounds in the chemical sciences who want to take a non-traditional path to building a fulfilling career. Please feel free to reach out with any questions at cbepdp@berkeley.edu, and we hope to see you soon!