Petroleum engineering involves the technology of economically developing and producing subterranean reservoirs of oil, gas, steam and hot water and designing underground waste disposal facilities.
This technology relies on basic concepts of physics, chemistry, mathematics, geology, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and economics.
Because more than 300 products are derived from petroleum, it has become a vital part of our everyday life. The petroleum industry is one of the largest and most prominent in the United States today, and the companies involved are dependent on the services of petroleum engineers to explore, discover and produce oil and gas to meet energy needs.
Related Programs
The Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science also offers the following program concentrations:
- MS in Chemical Engineering
- MS in Materials Engineering
- MS in Materials Engineering (Machine Learning)
- MS in Materials Science (On-campus only)
- MS in Petroleum Engineering (Geoscience Technologies)
- MS in Petroleum Engineering (Digital Oilfield Technologies)
- Dual Degree: MS in Petroleum Engineering/MS in Engineering Management
- Graduate Certificate in Digital Oilfield Technologies
- Graduate Certificate in Petroleum Engineering (Unconventional Resources)
For a complete list of graduate programs offered online in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, please visit the DEN@Viterbi Program Offerings.
Career Opportunities
A variety of career opportunities exist, but primarily in the areas of:
- Green Technology
- Oil Industry
- Transportation
- Mining
- Storage
- Drilling
- Consulting Firms
Earn your Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering online via DEN@Viterbi. Request information today.
Same Faculty. Same Program. Same Degree.
DEN@Viterbi strives to meet the needs of engineering professionals, providing the opportunity to advance your education while maintaining your career and other commitments. By breaking down geographical and scheduling barriers, DEN@Viterbi allows you to take your classes anytime and anywhere.
DEN@Viterbi students undergo the same academic requirements, curriculum, and must adhere to the same academic standards as on-campus students; therefore, your diploma is ultimately issued by the University of Southern California. There is no difference between remote students and on-campus students.