Grad Track Pathway

1.  Description of (and rationale for) the proposed pathway:

The Grad Track Pathway (GTP) will offer early progression toward a chemistry master's degree program to exceptional undergraduate chemistry students. These exceptional chemistry students will be able to earn credit toward their master's degree in chemistry while completing their bachelor's degree in chemistry. Nine (9) credit hours of 5000 or 6000 level courses will be applied towards both the bachelor's and the master's degree program. Undergraduate students in chemistry can apply and be accepted into the chemistry GTP program between completion of their chemistry core classes until 30 days prior to graduation from the bachelor's program. AGRE score is not required for admission into the master's degree through the GTP.

 

2.  Administration of the pathway (verify that all appropriate undergraduate learning outcomes are met through the approved courses):

The GTP program and its admission requirements will be advertised on the department websites and during regular undergraduate advising sessions, The chemistry department will strive to raise visibility of and enhance recruitment into the GPT program. Academic progress will be monitored by a faculty member designated by the department chair for providing oversight of the program. The faculty member designated to provide oversight will make sure that all admission criteria are met. Students admitted to the GTP will meet with the designated GTP oversight faculty within the first two months after admission and within two months before graduation. Students admitted to the GTP program will continue to rely on their undergraduate advisor for advising questions and oversight of their progress.

 

3.  Admissions criteria:

Admission criteria for the chemistry GTP program follow the guidelines set forth by the GTP Admission and Standards form. Minimum requirements are:

  • Student must hold at least junior
  • Students must have a 0 minimum cumulative GPA.
  • Students must have a 5 minimum GPA in the core group of chemistry courses. Core chemistry courses are:
    • CHEM 1100 (Introduction to Laboratory Safety & Hazardous Materials)
    • CHEM 1110 (Orientation for Chemistry Majors)
    • CHEM 1310 (General Chemistry I)
    • CHEM 1319 (General Chemistry Laboratory)
    • CHEM 1320 (General Chemistry II)
    • CHEM 1510 (Qualitative Analysis)
    • CHEM 22 IO (Organic Chemistry I)
    • CHEM 2219 (Organic Chemistry I Lab)
    • CHEM 2220 (Organic Chemistry II)
    • CHEM 2229 (Organic Chemistry II Lab)
    • CHEM 2410 (Physical Chemistry I) 1
    • CHEM 2510 (Analytical Chemistry I)
    • CHEM 3310 (Inorganic Chemistry I)

GTP students must enroll in nine (9) credit hours of graduate-level courses (5000 or 6000 level) and receive letter grades                                                                                                                                                                                                                           '

of B or better in them. The graduate-level courses must be chosen from the courses listed in Section 5. Taking graduate­

level courses other than from those listed in Section 5 should be rare, is limited to three (3) credit hours, and requires departmental permission. The nine (9) credit hours of graduate-level courses will be counted toward the student's undergraduate degree and applied to their master's degree. Admission into the chemistry GTP program requires approval of the chemistry faculty (TITT & NIT).

 

4.  Standards and procedures for monitoring undergraduate student progress to degree completion:

Students who select the chemistry GTP program will continue to be advised by their undergraduate advisors during their undergraduate degrees. They will meet with the faculty member designated to provide oversight over the GTP program upon their admission into the program and again at the end of the program. The initial meeting will include a description of the program requirements and advice on course decisions. The final meeting will verify that GPA requirements have been met, and all program GTP program requirements are completed.

 

5.  Graduate courses being placed in the pathway: 

CHEM 5001 (Special Topics)

CHEM 5210 (Fundamentals of Synthetic Organic Reactions) CHEM 5220 (Physical Organic Chemistry)

CHEM 5220 (Synthetic Organic Chemistry) CHEM 5310 (Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry)

CHEM 5410 (Advanced Chemical Thermodynamics) CHEM 5420 (Elemental Quantum Chemistry) CHEM 5430 (Advanced Chemical Kinetics)

CHEM 5460 (Molecular Engineering of Materials) CHEM 5510 (Introduction to Chemical Analysis) CHEM 5610 (Biochemistry)

CHEM 5619 (Biochemistry Laboratory) CHEM 5620 (Biochemical Metabolism) CHEM 5630 (Biochemical Nanotechnology) CHEM 5710 (Environmental Monitoring)

CHEM 5810 (Introduction to Polymeric Materials)

CHEM 5819 (Polymer Synthesis and Characterization Lab) CHEM 5850 (Introduction to Coating Chemistry)

CHEM 6001 (Special Topics)

CHEM 6220 (Advanced Synthetic Organic Chemistry) CHEM 6240 (Advanced Physical Organic Chemistry) 3

CHEM 6250 (Spectrometric Identification of Organic Compounds) CHEM 6320 (Solid State Chemistry)

CHEM 6330 (Nanomaterials Synthesis, Properties and Applications) CHEM 6350 (X•ray Crystallography)

CHEM 6360 (Bioinorganic Chemistry) CHEM 6380 (Inorganic Materials Chemistry) CHEM 6420 (Quantum Chemistry I)

CHEM 6430 (Chemical Kinetics) CHEM 6450 (Spectroscopy)

CHEM 6460 (Advanced Molecular Engineering of Materials) CHEM 6480 (Physical Chemistry of Surfaces)

CHEM 6510 (Separations)

CHEM 6550 (Chemical Spectroscopy)

CHEM 6555 (Principles and Applications of Mass Spectrometry) CHEM 6570 (Electrochemistry)

CHEM 6580 (Mass Spectrometry of Macromolecules) CHEM 6620 (Intermediary Metabolism and Biosynthesis) CHEM 6650 (Free Radicals in Biochemistry)

CHEM 6820 (Polymer Synthesis)

CHEM 6840 (Polymer Physical Chemistry and Analysis

 

Other 5000 and 6000 level courses may be added at the discretion of the department.

 

6.  Full-time faculty member designated to provide oversight:

Dr. Klaus Woelk will maintain oversight until another faculty member is assigned by the department chair of chemistry.

 

 

Notes:

1 CHEM 2410 (Physical Chemistry I) is a new course that will replace the two current courses, CHEM 3410 (Chemical Thermodynamics I) and CHEM 3430 (Chemical Kinetics I), in the department's efforts to reduce the degree requirement for all Chemistry BS programs from 127 to 120 credit hours.

2 It is the department's intent to place all courses CHEM 5000+ from the current catalog into the chemistry GTP program except CHEM 5000 (Special Problems), CHEM 5099 (Master Research), CHEM 5100 (Laboratory Safety & Hazardous Materials), CHEM 6000 (Special Problems), CHEM 6010 (Seminar), CHEM 6040 (Oral Examination), CHEM 6050 (Continuous Registration), CHEM 6099 (Research), and CHEM 6101 (Introduction to Chemistry Research).

3 The course title of CHEM 5240 and CHEM 6240 are currently both "Physical Organic Chemistry". To avoid potential confusion, the department will propose lo adjust the title for CHEM 6240 to "Advanced Physical Organic Chemistry