At which campus can I study this program?
Entrance to Major
This program currently has administrative enrollment controls. Administrative Enrollment Controls are initiated when limitations of space, faculty, or other resources in a major prevent accommodating all students who request them. Students must follow the administrative enrollment controls that are in effect for the semester that they enter the university.
First-Year Students Entering Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021
In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, students must satisfy the following requirements:
- 29.1-59 graded Penn State credits (excludes transfer and AP credits)
- completed with a grade of C or better: CHEM 110, CHEM 112, MATH 140, MATH 141, PHYS 211
- earned a minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 2.60
Students Who Entered Prior to Summer 2020
Students who entered the University from Summer 2018 through Spring 2020 should view the administrative enrollment controls in the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin archive. Students who entered the University prior to the summer 2018 semester should view the administrative enrollment controls for the semester that they entered the university on the Academic Advising Portal.
Degree Requirements
For the Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, a minimum of 129 credits is required:
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| General Education | 45 |
| Requirements for the Major | 114 |
30 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: 3 credits of GH courses; 9 credits of GN courses; 6 credits of GQ courses; 3 credits of GS courses; 9 credits of GWS courses.
General Education
Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.
The keystone symbol 
appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.
Foundations (grade of C or better is required.)
- Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
- Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits
Knowledge Domains
- Arts (GA): 6 credits
- Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
- Humanities (GH): 6 credits
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 6 credits
- Natural Sciences (GN): 9 credits
Integrative Studies (may also complete a Knowledge Domain requirement)
- Inter-Domain or Approved Linked Courses: 6 credits
University Degree Requirements
First Year Engagement
All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.
Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.
First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.
Cultures Requirement
6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements
- United States Cultures: 3 credits
- International Cultures: 3 credits
Writing Across the Curriculum
3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.
Total Minimum Credits
A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.
Quality of Work
Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.
Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition
The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.
Requirements for the Major
To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn a grade of C or better in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| CHEM 111 | Experimental Chemistry I | 1 |
| ECON 102 | Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy | 3 |
| EMCH 210 | Statics and Strength of Materials 2 | 5 |
| EMCH 212 | Dynamics | 3 |
| EME 460 | Geo-resource Evaluation and Investment Analysis | 3 |
| EMSC 100S | Earth and Mineral Sciences First-Year Seminar 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 202C | Effective Writing: Technical Writing | 3 |
| GEOSC 1 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| GEOSC 454 | Geology of Oil and Gas | 3 |
| MATH 220 | Matrices | 2 |
| MATH 231 | Calculus of Several Variables | 2 |
| MATH 251 | Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations | 4 |
| PNG 301 | Introduction to Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering | 3 |
| PNG 420 | Applied Reservoir Analysis and Secondary Recovery | 3 |
| PNG 425 | Principles of Well Testing and Evaluation | 3 |
| PNG 430 | Reservoir Modeling | 3 |
| PNG 440W | Formation Evaluation | 3 |
| PNG 480 | Surface Production Engineering | 3 |
| PNG 482 | Production Engineering Laboratory | 1 |
| PNG 490 | Introduction to Petroleum Engineering Design | 1 |
| PNG 491 | Capstone Design in Drilling and Completions | 1 |
| PNG 492 | Petroleum Engineering Capstone Design | 1 |
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| CHEM 110 | Chemical Principles I | 3 |
| CHEM 112 | Chemical Principles II | 3 |
| EME 301 | Thermodynamics in Energy and Mineral Engineering | 3 |
| EME 303 | Fluid Mechanics in Energy and Mineral Engineering | 3 |
| MATH 140 | Calculus With Analytic Geometry I | 4 |
| MATH 141 | Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | 4 |
| PHYS 211 | General Physics: Mechanics | 4 |
| PHYS 212 | General Physics: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 |
| PNG 405 | Rock and Fluid Properties | 3 |
| PNG 406 | Rock and Fluid Laboratory | 1 |
| PNG 410 | Applied Reservoir Engineering | 3 |
| PNG 450 | Drilling Engineering | 3 |
| PNG 451 | Drilling Laboratory | 1 |
| PNG 475 | Production and Completions Engineering | 3 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| Select 9 credits: one course from categories A, B, and C: | 9 | |
A. | ||
| Rhetoric and Composition | ||
or ENGL 30H | Honors Rhetoric and Composition | |
B. | ||
| Ethics | ||
| Business Ethics | ||
| Philosophy of Technology | ||
PHIL 233 | ||
C. | ||
| Programming for Engineers with C++ | ||
or CMPSC 202 | ||
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas | ||
| Select 6 credits in consultation with adviser (students may apply 6 credits of ROTC) | 6 | |
| 1 | The following substitutions are allowed for students attending campuses where the indicated course is not offered: CAS 100 can be substituted for EMSC 100S. |
| 2 | Students at commonwealth campuses and/or transfer students can substitute the combination of EMCH 211 and EMCH 213. |
Integrated B.S. in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering and M.S. in Energy and Mineral Engineering
Requirements for the Integrated B.S. in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering and M.S. in Energy and Mineral Engineering can be found in the Graduate Bulletin.
Program Educational Objectives
- Our graduates will integrate key science and engineering principles to address the technological challenges of the petroleum and natural gas industry.
- Our graduates will practice in a broad range of petroleum engineering fields working on teams that create innovative solutions to the most pressing problems of the petroleum and natural gas industry by implementing the ideals of ethical behavior, professionalism, and environmental sensitivity and social awareness.
- Our graduates will be recognized as critical and independent thinkers and will assume positions of leadership in defining the social, intellectual, business and technical dimensions of the professional organizations they belong to.
- Our graduates will continue their lifelong learning process and participate in graduate education to remain as effective professionals in the workplace of the future.
Student Outcomes
Student outcomes describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering program is designed to enable students to:
- Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
- Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
- Communicate effectively with a range of audiences
- Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
- Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
- Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
- Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university’s academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee’s unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Zuleima Karpyn
Program Chair for Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering
151 Hosler Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-2273
ZKarpyn@psu.edu
Suggested Academic Plan
The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2020-21 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition (Note: the archive only contain suggested academic plans beginning with the 2018-19 edition of the Undergraduate Bulletin).
Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, B.S. at University Park Campus
The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 140 or 140G (GQ)*‡#† | 4 | MATH 141 or 141G (GQ)*‡#† | 4 |
| CHEM 110 (GN)*#† | 3 | ENGL 15, 30H, or ESL 15 (GWS)‡† | 3 |
| CHEM 111 (GN)† | 1 | CHEM 112*# | 3 |
| EMSC 100S (or CAS 100 by substitution) (GWS)‡†1 | 3 | PHYS 211 (GN)*#† | 4 |
| ECON 102 (GS)† | 3 | General Education Knowledge Domain | 3 |
| General Education Knowledge Domain | 3 | ||
| 17 | 17 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| PHYS 212 (GN)*† | 4 | PNG 301 | 3 |
| EMCH 210 | 5 | MATH 220 | 2 |
| MATH 251 | 4 | MATH 231 | 2 |
| CMPSC 201 or CMPSC 202 | 3 | EMCH 212 | 3 |
| GEOSC 1 | 3 | ||
| PHIL 103, 106, 107, or PHIL 233 (GH)† | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| PNG 405* | 3 | PNG 450* | 3 |
| PNG 406* | 1 | PNG 451* | 1 |
| EME 301* | 3 | PNG 475* | 3 |
| EME 303* | 3 | PNG 490 | 1 |
| PNG 440W (Writing across the curriculum) | 3 | GEOSC 454 | 3 |
| General Education Knowledge Domain | 3 | PNG 410* | 3 |
| General Education Health and Wellness (GHW) | 1.5 | ||
| 16 | 15.5 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| PNG 420 | 3 | PNG 425 | 3 |
| PNG 430 | 3 | PNG 480 | 3 |
| PNG 491 | 1 | PNG 482 | 1 |
| ENGL 202C (GWS)‡† | 3 | PNG 492 | 1 |
| EME 460 | 3 | Technical Elective from approved department list2 | 3 |
| Technical Elective from approved department list2 | 3 | General Education Knowledge Domain | 3 |
| General Education Health and Wellness (GHW) | 1.5 | ||
| 16 | 15.5 | ||
| Total Credits 129 | |||
| * | Course requires a grade of C or better for the major |
| ‡ | Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education |
| # | Course is an Entrance to Major requirement |
| † | Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement |
University Requirements and General Education Notes:
US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy University Requirements (United States and International Cultures).
W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.
GWS, GQ, GHW, GN, GA, GH, and GS are abbreviations used to identify General Education program courses. General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ) and Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS, and Integrative Studies). Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of ‘C’ or better.
Integrative Studies courses are required for the General Education program. N is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate an Inter-Domain course and Z is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate a Linked course.
All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H/CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T/CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and replace both ENGL 30H and CAS 100. Each course is 3 credits.
| 1 | |
| 2 | Approved Technical Electives for the PNGE major can be found at the department web site: http://www.eme.psu.edu/pnge/techelectives Students may use up to 6 credits of ROTC as technical electives. |
Advising Notes:
Only students who are enrolled in EMSC or DUS are eligible to apply to PNGE.
Courses required for the major may be offered fall semester only, spring semester only, or both fall and spring semesters. Consult with your adviser and department to discuss your academic progress and course sequencing.
The PNGE program strongly recommends that students have summer internships, as many companies will only consider hiring PNGE graduates who have had at least one internship.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, B.S. at Commonwealth Campuses
The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 140 (GQ)*‡#† | 4 | MATH 141 (GQ)*‡#† | 4 |
| CHEM 110 (GN)*#† | 3 | CHEM 112*# | 3 |
| CHEM 111 (GN)† | 1 | PHYS 211 (GN)*#† | 4 |
| ENGL 15, 30H, or ESL 15 (GWS)‡† | 3 | ECON 102 (GS)† | 3 |
| General Education Knowledge Domain | 3 | General Education Health and Wellness (GHW) | 1.5 |
| General Education Health and Wellness (GHW) | 1.5 | ||
| 15.5 | 15.5 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| PHYS 212 (GN)*† | 4 | PNG 301 | 3 |
| EMCH 211 | 3 | EMCH 212 | 3 |
| MATH 251 | 4 | EMCH 213 | 3 |
| CMPSC 201 or CMPSC 202 (If CMPSC 201 or 202 is not available at your campus, take CMPSC 121 instead) | 3 | MATH 220 | 2 |
| CAS 100, 100A, 100B, or 100C (GWS)‡†1 | 3 | MATH 231 | 2 |
| GEOSC 1 | 3 | ||
| 17 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| PNG 405* | 3 | PNG 450* | 3 |
| PNG 406* | 1 | PNG 451* | 1 |
| PNG 440W (Writing across the curriculum) | 3 | PNG 475* | 3 |
| EME 301* | 3 | PNG 490 | 1 |
| EME 303* | 3 | GEOSC 454 | 3 |
| General Education Knowledge Domain | 3 | PNG 410* | 3 |
| PHIL 103, 106, 107, or PHIL 233 (GH)† | 3 | ||
| 16 | 17 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| PNG 420 | 3 | PNG 425 | 3 |
| PNG 430 | 3 | PNG 480 | 3 |
| PNG 491 | 1 | PNG 482 | 1 |
| EME 460 | 3 | PNG 492 | 1 |
| ENGL 202C (GWS)‡† | 3 | Technical Elective from approved department list2 | 3 |
| Technical Elective from approved department list2 | 3 | General Education Knowledge Domain | 3 |
| General Education Knowledge Domain | 3 | ||
| 16 | 17 | ||
| Total Credits 130 | |||
| * | Course requires a grade of C or better for the major |
| ‡ | Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education |
| # | Course is an Entrance to Major requirement |
| † | Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement |
University Requirements and General Education Notes:
US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy University Requirements (United States and International Cultures).
W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.
GWS, GQ, GHW, GN, GA, GH, and GS are abbreviations used to identify General Education program courses. General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ) and Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS, and Integrative Studies). Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of ‘C’ or better.
Integrative Studies courses are required for the General Education program. N is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate an Inter-Domain course and Z is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate a Linked course.
| 1 | |
| 2 | Approved Technical Electives for the PNGE major can be found at the department web site: http://www.eme.psu.edu/pnge/techelectives Students may use up to 6 credits of ROTC as technical electives. |
Advising Notes:
Only students who are enrolled in EMSC or DUS are eligible to apply to PNGE.
Courses required for the major may be offered fall semester only, spring semester only, or both fall and spring semesters. Consult with your adviser and department to discuss your academic progress and course sequencing.
The PNGE program strongly recommends that students have summer internships, as many companies will only consider hiring PNGE graduates who have had at least one internship.
Career Paths
Graduates of this program find rewarding careers across the globe as engineers for governmental and regulatory bodies, oil and gas producing companies, and other independent and service companies in the energy sector.
Careers
Our graduates may be candidates for careers in a wide range of industries in both the private and public sector including major oil and gas production companies, large and small independents and service companies and government agencies.
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
Graduates may be well suited to pursue graduate-level studies. Further study toward an M.S. or Ph.D. can lead to research, university, or management positions.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE STUDIES
Professional Resources
Accreditation
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering B.S. program in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering (EME) at Penn State is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/.
Professional Licensure/Certification
Many U.S. states and territories require professional licensure/certification to be employed. If you plan to pursue employment in a licensed profession after completing this program, please visit the Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures by State interactive map.
Contact
University Park
JOHN AND WILLIE LEONE FAMILY DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND MINERAL ENGINEERING
113 Hosler Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-3437
eme@ems.psu.edu