BATON ROUGE — Students at Southern University will soon be able to work toward a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering.

The Louisiana Board of Regents recently approved the establishment of Southern's new Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering degree program within the College of Sciences and Engineering, marking the first time a degree of its kind has been offered at a Louisiana HBCU. 

"This program will expand educational opportunities for our students, strengthen Louisiana’s engineering workforce pipeline, and position Southern University as a leading contributor to innovation, economic development, and industrial competitiveness," Lealon L. Martin, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Sciences and Engineering, said. 

The program is set to offer a hands-on curriculum that integrates chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering science and process design.

The inaugural class of the chemical engineering program will be welcomed in fall 2026 or spring 2027.