[HarryD]

I am a ChE. Back in the day, a ChE would take:

several chemistry courses with organic class and lab plus some inorganic classes;
Math through differential equations;
Fluid mechanics;
Heat transfer;
Mass transfer;
Reaction engineering;
Thermodynamics (both classical-like a ME and a separate one focused on chemical reaction thermodynamics);
Industrial chemistry;
Plus other electives and ChE specific classes.

In fact up to my junior year, the ChE and ME curriculum was very similar once you eliminate the additional chemistry I needed to take.

As you can see, we duplicate much of the early ME curriculum before branching into the aspects that are unique to ChE. When I graduated, I was about 4 to 6 classes short of a chemistry major and a ME major.

It is a tough curriculum. The classes teach you look for holistic solutions while giving the tools to examine the details. Because of the broad exposure to many of the allied engineering fields, you are well positioned to take a leadership role.

Through my career I have been a process engineer, project engineer, project/construction manager, environmental engineer, high tech facilities engineer, and consultant. I have worked in the coal, bulk organic chemical, power generation, semiconductor and commercial/industrial construction industries. .