Download the Academic Calendar

Chemical and Life Sciences and Engineering Division

Degree Programs

The Chemical and Life Sciences and Engineering (CLSE) Division is responsible for educational activities, degree-granting programs, and research in five areas:

Bioscience addresses many of the global challenges KAUST is engaged in solving. The University’s location on the Red Sea enables exploration of its unique biodiversity and ecosystem in search of potential medical applications. Research thrusts include:

  • Genomics
  • Drought- and salt-resistant plants
  • High-performance computing to allow better analysis of cutting-edge biological experiments

Program curricula focus on the fundamentals of living matter, and each course is a self-contained module consisting of lectures, seminars, and laboratory classes that place a strong emphasis on independent research using state-of-the-art facilities and resources. Basic courses thoroughly review subjects ranging from plant biology to biophysics to molecular genetics. Advanced courses such as computational biology and bioinformatics, and the visualization of biological systems are also available.

Contact:

Faculty:

Chemical and Biological Engineering offers opportunities to develop real-world solutions to global challenges through chemical and biological science supported by high-performance computing facilities on campus. Research will have a direct impact in social and economic areas, including:

  • High-performance polymers
  • Membranes for gas and liquid separation
  • Controlled absorption of pharmaceuticals

The program offers a choice of two tracks: Advanced Chemical Engineering and Advanced Biological Engineering. Each track offers individual specialization in specialized studies while covering a broad range of advanced chemical and biological engineering topics to equip students for a successful and productive career.

Contact:

Faculty:

Chemical Science is based on chemistry as a core discipline, and focuses on the four specialized areas of analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry. In concordance with the University’s strategic goals, research emphasizes scientific inquiry intended to meet future global needs by placing a special emphasis on:

  • Catalysis, including single-site, homogenous, heterogeneous, and biological catalysts
  • Membrane science, including synthesis and development of membranes and thin-films
  • Nano-materials synthesis for multiple applications

The program strongly promotes interactions between students and Research Centers to prepare them to work on highly interdisciplinary research challenges. Students pursuing Ph.D. degrees will make the transition from supervised to independent research, and upon earning a doctorate will be capable of designing and executing independent research projects at the world’s leading institutions and industrial laboratories.

Contact:

Faculty:

Environmental Science and Engineering focuses on some of the most important areas in modern environmental science and engineering. Research in these areas examines methods to:

  • Purify and reuse water
  • Decontaminate soil
  • Reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the effects of humans on our environment
  • Mitigate climate change
  • Prevent land degradation

There are four tracks of study, including Water Quality, Chemistry, and Treatment; Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology; Environmental Fluid Mechanics; and Air Quality and Pollution Control (not offered during the 2010-2011 academic year). Students in the program enroll in a set of core classes and specialty courses in one of the four major tracks.

Contact:

Faculty:

Marine Science focuses on the Red Sea—one of the most complex, diverse, and underexplored ecosystems in the world. Because of its location, the Red Sea contains some of the northernmost coral reefs in the world, which have adapted to high temperatures and salinity and hold potential cures for coral diseases like bleaching in other marine environments. The program’s goal is to impact areas such as global carbon cycling, endangered species, and the harvesting of food from the oceans through an integrated understanding of this ecosystem. Students and researchers have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in fields:

  • Fundamental biology at the molecular and genomic levels
  • Symbiosis with algae, prokaryotes, and associate fish communities
  • Interaction with the physical and chemical environment

The program offers two primary tracks of study—the first focused on the biology and ecology of marine life forms, and the second focused on the interactions of the physical marine environment with atmospheric and climatic conditions. The program allows tailoring of courses to individual interests, and covers subjects like marine life, marine microbiology, pelagic ecology, molecular ecology, and marine resource conservation. 

Contact:

Faculty:

 

Degrees

The CLSE Division offers KAUST students the opportunity to earn master’s and doctoral degrees in its program areas.

Requirements for the Ph.D. degree:

  • Minimum of 36 credits
  • Must make a significant and original contribution to research
  • Must pass a qualifying exam, preliminary exam, and final dissertation defense
  • Typical duration is three years beyond the master’s degree

Requirements for the master’s degree

  • Minimum of 30 credits (generally comprised of 10 courses)
  • Typical duration is three semesters

The Graduate Program Guide provides detailed information about degree requirements.