Chemistry, Ph.D.
Admissions Requirements
An applicant must have a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university. The applicant’s academic record must indicate adequate preparation for graduate study in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Generally, to be considered for admission, a student should have a minimum grade point average of 3.00 in the sciences on a 4.00 scale. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not required for admission but are welcomed as supporting information and for additional award opportunities. These guidelines are flexible, and slight deficiencies in one area can be compensated by strengths in another. In addition, applicants whose native language is not English must obtain a minimum score of 88 on the TOEFL exam, 7 on the IELTS exam, 59 on the PTE Academic exam, or 120 on the Duolingo exam.
Degree Requirements (60 Post-baccalaureate Hours, 30-60 Post-Master's Hours)
Coursework
A Ph.D. candidate, while earning a minimum of 60 hours of course work beyond the baccalaureate degree (post-master's 30-60 hours), must complete:
Required Core Courses
Five 700+-Level CHEM courses
Courses are chosen by area of interest with the guidance of an academic advisor.
(CHEM 701, CHEM 790, CHEM 791, CHEM 898, and CHEM 899 may not be used to satisfy this requirement.)
Two Semesters of Thesis Research
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 790 | Introduction to Research | 3 |
| CHEM 791 | Introduction to Research | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 6 | |
Present Two Divisional Seminars
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 701 | Seminar | 1 |
| CHEM 701 | Seminar | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours | 2 | |
Research Courses
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 898 | Research in Chemistry II (Minimum of 12 credits) | 12-30 |
| CHEM 899 | Dissertation Preparation (Minimum of 12 credits) | 12-30 |
| Total Credit Hours | 24-60 | |
Note: Students must include additional hours on a program of study of either additional 700+ level CHEM courses, CHEM 898 courses, or CHEM 899 courses to total a minimum of 60 post baccalaureate hours (post-master's 30-60 credit hours), with the guidance of an academic advisor.
Comprehensive Examinations for Ph.D.
Students must also complete an oral and written comprehensive exam. The Oral Comprehensive Exam consists of a description of the dissertation research progress to date and future plans. The Written Comprehensive Exam consists of an original research idea.
M.S. Degree Requirements En-route or In Lieu of the Ph.D.
Students may earn the master's en-route to the Ph.D. by completing the following coursework: Five - 700+-Level CHEM courses chosen with the guidance of an academic advisor (15 credits), One- CHEM 701 (1 credit), One – CHEM 790 (3 credits), One – CHEM 791 (3 credits), and CHEM 898 (6 credits). Additional CHEM 700-level courses or CHEM 898 courses can be taken to reach 30 credits. The Oral Comprehensive Exam satisfies the Graduate School requirement for a Comprehensive Assessment of Candidates for the M.S. degree. A thesis is required to obtain an MS degree. A master’s can be conferred in lieu of the Ph.D. provided that the 30 credit hours above and thesis have been completed.
Detailed departmental degree requirements are outlined in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry’s Graduate Student Handbook, which is available on the website.