Chemistry

Program | Faculty | Courses

The department offers programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry with specialization in one or more of the following areas: analytical, biological, inorganic, organic or physical chemistry. Additional areas of specialization are possible via adjunct faculty who provide links with other departments and programs. Chemistry faculty members participate in several interdisciplinary programs and the department participates in the Five College Ph.D. Program. A chemical education specialization is also available.

There are few formal requirements for the Ph.D. degree so as to allow each student’s program to be tailored to individual needs. In the first year, students take a two-semester core course as well as more specialized courses in their areas of interest. There is no foreign language requirement and the preliminary comprehensive requirement is satisfied by passing a series of cumulative examinations and/or an oral examination in the chosen specialty.

On entering the program each student is assigned an adviser who helps plan the initial program, which includes short rotations in several research groups during the first semester. After a research topic has been selected, the student’s research adviser helps plan the remainder of the program. Students prepare and defend orally an outline of their proposed research and meet with their dissertation committees once per year while conducting research. The Ph.D. degree is awarded for the production and successful defense of a dissertation describing original, publishable research work. Prior to submission of the dissertation, the student’s committee meets to review the dissertation material.

Master’s (M.S.) degree candidates present thirty credits of graduate work of which ten are for thesis research. The overall course of study is planned by the student and adviser. There are no language or cumulative examination requirements. The thesis is examined orally by the student’s thesis committee.

The M.S. degree may be awarded to doctoral candidates after they have satisfied all Ph.D. qualifying and cumulative examination requirements and requirements of the Graduate School.

Students accepted into graduate programs are expected to have undergraduate preparation comparable to that recommended by the American Chemical Society. Those who have not fulfilled these requirements may be admitted as provisional students until the deficiencies have been removed. All entering graduate students participate in an orientation program in the week prior to the beginning of the first week of graduate study. This is designed to evaluate the student’s preparation and assist in planning a course of study.