Can a B.Tech Chemical Engineering Student Do a PhD in Computer Science?

Yes, it is possible for a B. Tech Chemical Engineering student to pursue a PhD in Computer Science, but it has its own limitations as an individual must go through additional qualification to qualify and pursue PhD in Computer Science. The eligibility for an individual to pursue PhD in Computer Science includes a master’s in computer science and related fields with an aggregate of 55% or above from any recognized university.  

• In a scenario like this what a B. Tech Chemical Engineering student can do is, an individual can pursue a master’s in computer science/ data science or computational engineering and then go towards a PhD program. 

• Another method is a Direct PhD which is provided by some of the institutes and universities when they allow a B.Tech student with an excellent GPA/ GMAT/ GRE score and research potential to pursue a direct PhD. 

• The last and the final option is to go towards an interdisciplinary approach, i.e., pursuing a PhD in the areas where Chemical Engineering intersects with Computer Science like Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Data Science in Chemical Processes.  

Other things that an individual needs to focus on as they are not originally from a Computer Science background include strengthening skills in the core areas including Programming, Mathematical Concepts, Computer Science Fundamentals, etc.