Petroleum Engineering Undergraduate Program

Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering
- New program approved by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board  - January, 2009 
- First class admitted to program Fall 2009 
- First graduates as early as Spring 2013 

Program developed in cooperation with the petroleum industry and in response to the critical engineering manpower needs of this industry, both current and future

• Only 17 BS programs in Petroleum Engineering exist in the US – compared to 100s in other disciplines (ME, EE, CE, ChE, IE, etc.)
• Over the next 10 years, large numbers of current practicing petroleum engineers will be retiring and will leave a void which must be filled by increased numbers of new BS petroleum engineers. It is unlikely that this void will be fully filled and petroleum engineers will be of premium value in the marketplace for years to come.

Petroleum engineering offers the full spectrum of career opportunities – whether working for large multinational corporations or smaller independent oil companies, or even opportunities for the development of new companies and enterprises. The industry continues to re-invent itself and in recent years there have been major new developments in the horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, production and stimulation, and the production of deep, tight gas formations, to mention a few. Such developments have invigorated the US and global petroleum production industry and will have an important impact in meeting global energy challenges in the future. Historically, compensation in the petroleum industry has been quite high and in recent years, due to the ever increasing importance of oil and gas and energy in general, it has led all engineering fields.

The BS Petroleum Engineering degree plan is attached. We will begin admitting students immediately for the Fall 2009 class.

• Initial petroleum course offerings (PETR 1111 - Introduction to Hydrocarbon Resources and PETR 2311 - Reservoir Petrophysics) will be available in Spring of 2011.
• Concurrently, first and second year students in the program will be able to complete required courses in English, History, Political Science, Chemistry, Math, Geology, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering as indicated on the degree plan.

The overall curriculum involves 130 semester credit hours with four components :  

• A core component including 30 credit hours of humanities, 20 credit hrs of basic sciences, and 15 credit hours of basic engineering
• Basic Petroleum Engineering courses (26 credit hrs) required of all students in program
• At least two elective modules of 9 credit hrs each in select specialization areas: Drilling and Well Construction, Reservoir Engineering, Production Engineering, Unconventional Resources, and Petroleum Geology
• And finally, 3 credit hrs from select electives (Energy law, Emerging technologies, environmental engineering, plus others), and 9 credit hours in business related, project management, engineering effectiveness, etc.  

Degree Requirements

Petroleum Engineering majors must earn a grade of C- or better in all engineering, mathematics, and science courses, including courses considered for transfer credit.

After attempting at least six hours within the major, if the cumulative major GPA is below 2.25, the student is placed on probation.

Once on probation, in the next semester(s), the semester GPA is evaluated. If the semester major GPA is greater than or equal to 2.25, but the cumulative GPA is below 2.25, the student continues on probation. If the semester major GPA is below 2.25 the student is suspended.
Hours in the major include all PETR courses plus MATH 3321, MECE 2334, CIVE 3334, CHEE 1331.

Useful Links

› UH Academic Calendar
› Petroleum Scholarship Application
› Dean's Scholarship Information
› Academic Audit information