Chemistry

The faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offer programs leading to the MS and the PhD degrees in Chemistry. Areas of concentration include analytical chemistry, biochemistry, geochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and solid-state chemistry.

The faculty also participate in offering programs leading to the Master of Natural Science degree when one of the concentrations is chemistry (see Natural Science), and the interdisciplinary programs, leading to the PhD degrees with majors in Molecular and Cellular Biology (see Molecular and Cellular Biology) and the Science and Engineering of Materials (see Science and Engineering of Materials).

Students admitted to the Master of Education degree program with a major in Secondary Education may also elect chemistry as the subject matter field.

The graduate programs offered by the faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry prepare students for professional careers in chemistry and related fields in industry, government, and educational institutions. All students applying for admission to one of these programs must submit scores for the Graduate Record Examination.

See Master’s Degrees, for general requirements.

Program of Study. A minimum of 30 semester hours of credit is required. A thesis carrying six semester hours is also included in the total. The remaining courses are selected by the student in consultation with the supervisory committee.

Thesis Requirements. A thesis is required.

Final Examinations. A general oral examination is required of all candidates for the master’s degree. A written examination may also be required.

See Doctor of Philosophy, for general requirements.

Program of Study. A minimum of 84 semester hours, including dissertation, is required. Approximately 20 to 30 hours of this total is formal course work. Courses, including research and dissertation, are selected by the student in consultation with the supervisory committee.

Oral/Written Examinations. An examination is required that includes a written and oral report of current research, and an original research proposal prepared by the student.

Foreign Language Requirements. There is no departmental foreign language requirement.

Dissertation Requirements. A dissertation based on original work of high quality and demonstrating proficiency in the student’s special field is required. (See Research and Dissertation Requirements.)

Final Examination. The final oral examination is a defense of the dissertation, during which the candidate presents a summary of the dissertation research. Evidence of a publishable contribution of original research must be presented.