At a minimum, a four-year bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, with coursework in chemistry, physics, math (through differential equations), and computers is required. Some universities offer a five-year program that leads to both a bachelor’s and master’s degree. Most chemical engineers have a master’s degree and/or a Ph.D. A chemical engineer’s curriculum is similar to that of a chemist but also includes coursework in engineering-related areas such as heat and mass transfer, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, process design and control, and electronics. Economics, psychology, and political science help chemical engineers to understand the impact of technology on society. Although they learn a lot of theory in the classroom, most of a chemical engineer’s knowledge of real-world applications is derived from on-the-job training, so internships and practical experience are essential.