Chemistry Graduate Courses
Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry
A minimum of 84 credit hours is required for the Ph.D. in chemistry. Students who have received an M.S. degree from another university may petition for transfer of up to 32 credit hours applicable toward the Ph.D. degree. Students must pass the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination in their area of specialization (as determined by the student's thesis advisor) by the end of their fourth semester in the Ph.D. program. Ph.D. qualifying examinations are given in the following areas:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Polymer Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
The comprehensive examination will be taken and passed on each student's research progress and thesis proposal. A student must write a thesis proposal and present a research seminar on his or her thesis progress before the Ph.D. thesis committee. Students must pass the comprehensive exam before the end of their third year. The final phase in the Ph.D. degree program is the successful oral defense of the dissertation and submission of a Ph.D. dissertation approved by the academic advisor and the thesis committee.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
Programs of study must include the following core courses:
| CHEM 584 Graduate Seminar in Chemistry |
| CHEM 684 Graduate Seminar in Chemistry |
| CHEM 585 Chemistry Colloquium |
| CHEM 685 Chemistry Colloquium |
The required coursework includes a minimum of four core courses chosen from the following courses. Each of the four core courses must be chosen from six different chemistry disciplines including analytical chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and polymer chemistry.
The remainder of the program of study will be chosen in consultation with the student's adviser. All research for the dissertation must be carried out under the direct supervision of a faculty research adviser. The faculty research adviser also will act as the candidates academic adviser. Students must have passed the written qualifying examination before registering for CHEM 691 Ph.D Thesis Research.