The M.S. with Thesis program requires at least 6 credit hours and up to a maximum of 12 credit hours of graduate research and the writing and defense of a thesis based on this research.

 

General Information: The chemistry department offers non-thesis Master of Science degree programs in three (3) different tracks: biochemistry, chemical instrumentation and quality control, and quantum science. The track in biochemistry focuses on understanding the molecular and chemical processes that sustain life. This program is essential for students interested in careers in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals or clinical research. The track in chemical instrumentation and quality control emphasizes the use of advanced analytical tools and methodologies to ensure product safety, efficacy and compliance with industry standards. It is meeting the growing demand for specialists in industries like pharmaceuticals, food production, and materials science. The track in quantum science is designed for students aiming to apply scientific techniques in the growing areas of quantum computing and predictive molecular modeling.

Program Requirements: The Master of Science degree without thesis requires a minimum of thirty hours of graduate credit. The plan of study (Form 1/1-A) must include a minimum of twenty-four credit hours of 4000-. 5000-, and 6000-level lecture courses (1000- or 2000-level courses cannot be included). A minimum of nine (9) credit hours of the required coursework must come from the group of 6000-level lecture courses. No credit hours of graduate research may be applied toward the plan of study. 

Admission Requirements:

• BS or BA in Chemistry or related area
• GPA 3.0 or greater
• Transcripts
• English proficiency test score requirements (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, Duolingo).

(international students only)

• Three reference letters

Required Core Courses (15 credit hours):

CHEM 5210	Fundamentals of Synthetic Organic Reactions	LEC 3.0	Every Fall
CHEM 5310	Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry	LEC 3.0	Every Fall
CHEM 5430	Advanced Chemical Kinetics	LEC 3.0	Every Spring
CHEM 5510	Introduction to Chemical Analysis	LEC 3.0 & Lab 1.0	Every Spring
CHEM 6010	Seminar	RSD 2.0	Every Semester

 

Track 1:  Biochemistry (15 credit hours):

CHEM 5610	Biochemistry	LEC 3.0	Every Fall
CHEM 5620	Biochemical Metabolism	LEC 3.0	Every Spring
CHEM 6240	Physical Organic Chemistry	LEC 3.0	Every Spring
CHEM 6250	Spectrometric Identification of Organic Compounds	LEC 3.0	Every Fall
CHEM 6570	Electrochemistry	LEC 3.0	Spring odd years

Track 1 courses may be substituted with the courses listed below of the same level. A maximum of 6 credit hours can be from Biological Sciences courses. Course offerings are periodic.

CHEM 5001	Special Topics (department permission required)	LEC 3.0
CHEM 5630	Biochemical Nanotechnology	LEC 3.0
CHEM 5650	Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry	LEC 3.0
CHEM 6001	Special Topics (department permission required)	LEC 3.0
CHEM 6570	Electrochemistry	LEC 3.0
CHEM 6650	Free Radicals in Biochemistry	LEC 3.0
BioSci 5313	Pathogenic Microbiology	LEC 3.0
BioSci 5533	Pharmacology	LEC 3.0
BioSci 6313	Environmental Microbiology	LEC 3.0
BioSci 6353	Advanced Cancer Cell Biology	LEC 3.0
BioSci 6383	Advanced Toxicology	LEC 3.0
BioSci 6433	Advanced Genomics	LEC 3.0
BioSci 6513	Advanced Microbial Metabolism	LEC 3.0
BioSci 6523	Advanced Biomolecules	LEC 3.0
BioSci 6533	Advanced Neurobiology	LEC 3.0
BioSci 6666	Advanced Nanotechnology in Biomedicine	LEC 3.0

 

Track 2:  Chemical Instrumentation and Quality Control (15 credit hours):

CHEM 5410	Advanced Chemical Thermodynamics	LEC 3.0	Every Fall
CHEM 6450	Spectroscopy	LEC 3.0	Every Fall
CHEM 6510	Separations	LEC 3.0	Fall even years
CHEM 6555	Principles and Applications of Mass Spectrometry	LEC 3.0	Fall odd years
CHEM 6570	Electrochemistry	LEC 3.0	Spring odd years

Track 2 courses may be substituted with the courses listed below of the same level. A maximum of 6 credit hours can be from Physics courses. Course offerings are periodic.

CHEM 5001	Special Topics (department permission required)	LEC 3.0
CHEM 5420	Elemental Quantum Chemistry	LEC 3.0
CHEM 5710	Environmental Monitoring	LEC 3.0
CHEM 6001	Special Topics (department permission required)	LEC 3.0
CHEM 6250	Spectrometric Identification of Organic Compounds	LEC 3.0
PHYS 5503	Fourier Optics	LEC 3.0
PHYS 5513	Fiber and Integrated Optics	LEC 3.0
PHYS 6311	Statistical Mechanics	LEC 3.0
PHYS 6333	Condensed Matter Physics	LEC 3.0

 

Track 3:  Quantum Science (15 credit hours):

CHEM 5410	Advanced Chemical Thermodynamics	LEC 3.0	Every Fall
CHEM 5420	Elemental Quantum Chemistry	LEC 3.0	Every Spring
CHEM 6330	Nanomaterials Synthesis, Properties, and Applications	LEC 3.0	Every Spring
CHEM 6450	Spectroscopy	LEC 3.0	Every Fall
PHYS 6201	Quantum Mechanics I	LEC 3.0	Every Spring

Track 3 courses may be substituted with the courses listed below of the same level. A maximum of 6 credit hours can be from Physics courses. Course offerings are periodic.

CHEM 5001	Special Topics (department permission required)	LEC 3.0
CHEM 6001	Special Topics (department permission required)	LEC 3.0
CHEM 6320	Solid State Chemistry	LEC 3.0
CHEM 6380	Inorganic Materials Chemistry	LEC 3.0
PHYS 5333	Subatomic Physics	LEC 3.0
PHYS 5403	Computational Physics	LEC 3.0
PHYS 5503	Fourier Optics	LEC 3.0
PHYS 6301	Quantum Mechanics II	LEC 3.0
PHYS 6311	Statistical Mechanics	LEC 3.0
PHYS 6333	Condensed Matter Physics	LEC 3.0
PHYS 6363	Atomic Collisions	LEC 3.0
PHYS 6403	Mathematical Physics I	LEC 3.0