<p>Which do you suppose covers more theory–a doctorate in Chemistry or a doctorate in Chemical Engineering?</p>
<p>And why?</p>
<p>It’s a Ph.D., so neither. Both are likely heavily theoretical.</p>
<p>Depends on the kind of chemistry one does. Many areas are more experimental than theoretical in the conventional sense. Chemical Engineering would be more consistently theoretical.</p>
<p>xraymancs,</p>
<p>Why do you suppose that Chemical Engineering might be more theoretical?
I always thought that engineering was more hands-on?</p>
<p>Both fields have experimental and theoretical sides but the field of Chemical Engineering usually has a curriculum that includes a electrical engineering, lots of physical chemistry, process control and modeling. Theoretical does not mean that it is not practical or hands on. Some people even say that Chemical Engineering lies between Chemistry and Physics.</p>
<p>Now, if you are theoretically inclined, you can find research directions in both Chemistry and Chemical Engineering that are not that different from each other and not too different than you might find in Physics or Materials Science and Engineering. A good indicator of this is to look at professors who have joint appointments in two departments or who have a Ph.D. nominally in a field different from their academic department. In my department (Physics) at Illinois Tech, we have joint appointments from Chemical Engineering and Materials Engineering and three of our faculty have Ph.D.s in Physical Chemistry. The lines blur at the research level.</p>
<p>The best thing to do if you wish to pursue a more theoretical doctorate is to start in a department where you have an appropriate undergraduate background and where there are faculty who are doing research which appeals to you. This way you have less remedial coursework to complete. You will learn your field mostly through your research after all.</p>