Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 Graduate Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Chemistry (Ph.D.)


Applicants admitted to the Chemistry  graduate program must select a program of study from a “group program” that will include at least 20 hours of graduate course work, which may include courses from all areas of chemistry, and must include at least 16 hours of graduate course work in Chemistry. A total of 90 semester hours is required, including at least 50 hours of research for students entering with a bachelor’s degree and 36 hours for students entering with a master’s degree.

The preliminary exam for the Ph.D. degree consists of a series of written cumulative exams on topics within the student’s area of specialization and an oral research proposition examination that the student must prepare and defend before his or her supervisory committee. Completion of the Ph.D. degree requires the submission of a written dissertation and its oral defense before one’s supervisory committee.

Group programs

There are six programs of graduate course work that can be followed for the Ph.D. degree:

  • Analytical Group Program
  • Biological Group Program
  • Inorganic Group Program
  • Materials Group Program
  • Organic Group Program
  • Physical Group Program

The program of study is different in each program, but has the following common features:

Departmental requirements:

Two credit hours of common course work are required for all group programs.

Credit seminar programs:

Two credit hours of credit seminar are required together with attendance at a seminar program throughout the entire program of study. Students register for 0 credit hours in the seminar course when the seminar program is not taken for credit.

Group programs:

  • Substantive Group Courses: A number of credit hours are required in course work specific to a particular group.
  • Other Chemistry Department Courses: A number of credit hours are required in chemistry department courses.
  • Additional Courses: A number of credit hours may be required that may be taken from chemistry department courses and sometimes from courses offered in other departments.

Cumulative examinations:

There are separate cumulative examinations in the Analytical, Inorganic, Materials, Organic and Physical groups.

Department requirements (2 credit hours)


Every student in the Chemistry Department is required to take the following one credit hour courses:

Credit seminar programs (2 hours)


All students in the Chemistry Department are required to attend the appropriate group seminar program every semester (registering for 0 or 1 credit hour), and to register for a total of 2 credit hours during their Ph.D. program. When the seminar program is taken for credit, the student will be evaluated on a 50 minute seminar.

Group programs (16 credit hours)


Analytical group program


Substantive group courses:


9 credit hours required consisting of at least three 3-credit-hour analytical group courses that can be chosen from the following courses:

Other chemistry department courses:


3 to 6 credit hours are required consisting of one or two 3-credit-hour courses chosen from the following courses:

Additional courses:


The remaining 1 to 4 credit hours may be taken from the two previous lists or from:

Any science or engineering courses at the 600 level or higher in any department other than Chemistry in the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture, Human Ecology, or Engineering.

Biological group program


Students must meet the group requirement by completing one of the other group programs (Analytical, Inorganic, Materials, Organic or Physical). In addition, students in the biological group may select additional courses offered either inside or outside the Department of Chemistry. A list of possible courses that students may choose to take that are offered outside the department include the following:

Inorganic group program


Substantive group courses:


9 credit hours required consisting of the following courses:

Additional courses:


The remaining 1 to 4 credit hours may be taken from the two previous lists or from:

Any science or engineering courses at the 500 level or higher in any department other than Chemistry in the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture, Human Ecology, or Engineering.

Materials group program


Substantive group courses:


3 credit hours required consisting of the following course:

Additional courses:


The remaining 1 to 4 credit hours may be taken from the two previous lists or from:

Any Science or Engineering courses at the 500 level or higher in any department other than chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture, Human Ecology, or Engineering. Special consideration should be given to the following courses:

Organic group program


Substantive group courses:


13 credit hours required consisting of the following courses:

Other chemistry department courses:


0 to 3 credit hours from any Chemistry Department courses with numbers above 710 excluding seminar courses.

Additional courses:


0 to 3 credit from any science or engineering courses at the 500 level or higher in any department other than Chemistry in the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture, Human Ecology, or Engineering.

Physical group program


Substantive group courses:


3 credit hours consisting of the following course:

Other chemistry department courses:


6 credit hours from any Chemistry Department courses with numbers above 710 excluding seminar courses.

Additional courses:


The remaining 4 credit hours may be taken from the two previous lists or from:

Any Science or Engineering courses at the 600 level or higher in any department other than chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture, Human Ecology, or Engineering.