The department admissions committee, which makes admission recommendations to the chairperson, usually considers applicants' grade point averages and normally requires above-average performance in all areas of chemistry as well as physics and mathematics, or other evidence of high aptitude for graduate work in chemistry. Applicants' GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and academic programs are also considered. In some cases the committee may require successful completion of undergraduate course work as a condition of enrollment as a regular student.

Students with bachelor's degrees in fields other than chemistry may be admitted to pursue graduate studies in Chemistry, but they must make up background deficiencies, usually by taking undergraduate course work.

Financial Support
Teaching assistantships are available to qualified applicants. Research assistantships and fellowships are available for advanced students. For further information, contact the Graduate Studies Committee, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Preliminary Advisement
Students who have been admitted for graduate work in chemistry will be contacted by the Director of Graduate Studies in order to develop a tentative plan of study which takes into consideration the student's background and interests.  Entering students are required to demonstrate proficiency at the undergraduate level in four areas of chemistry (organic, inorganic, physical, and analytical).

Proficiency may be demonstrated in one of the following ways:

• Outstanding performance in recent undergraduate course work.
• Satisfactory performance in standardized placement examinations. These examinations are given twice a year, approximately one week before the beginning of the fall and winter semesters.
• Successful completion of assigned course work.

The ultimate choice of whether students may enroll in the M.S. or Ph.D. degree programs resides with the chemistry faculty.

Distribution Requirement
Students must take chemistry courses for graduate credit at the 300 or 400 level,  including at least one in three of the four areas of chemistry: organic, inorganic,  physical, and biochemistry.  Inorganic Chemistry I (Chem 341(4412) may not be used to satisfy this distribution requirement.

Master's Degree Requirements

A minimum of 30 hours is required, including 3 hours in Chem 489(6897), Chemistry Colloquium. No more than 3 hours in Chem 489(6897), may be applied toward the required minimum of 30 credit hours. Students are not required to take the cumulative examinations.

Master of Science in  Chemistry with Thesis
Students selecting this option must be enrolled full-time for at least two consecutive  semesters. During this time, students are expected to enroll in Chem 490(6905),  Graduate Research in Chemistry, and work on their theses.  A maximum of 12 hours of Chemistry 490(6905) may be applied toward the required 30 hours. At least 9 hours must be at the 400 level, excluding Chemistry 490(6905). A maximum of 9 hours in 200-level or above courses outside the department may be accepted if students receive prior approval of their advisers and the department. Students are expected to follow all other general requirements of the Graduate School regarding master's degree and thesis requirements.

Cumulative Examinations
In addition to the Ph.D. requirements set forth by the Graduate School, students  seeking the Ph.D. in chemistry must take a series of cumulative examinations given eight times a year. Students must pass at least two examinations per year and a total of eight examinations by the end of their third year in the Ph.D. program. At least six of these examinations should be in the student's specialization area. The examinations are usually given the second Saturday of each month, September through April. The mechanism for designing and deciding on passing and failing grades for each examination resides with faculty members in each specialization area.

Seminar Requirement
Students must present a seminar in their third year and during each subsequent year. The third year seminar may be the defense of the doctoral dissertation proposal. One of the seminars is for the purpose of describing dissertation research. Students must enroll in Chemistry 489(6897), Chemistry Colloquium, each semester they are in residence.

Advancement to Candidacy
In addition to general Graduate School requirements for advancement to candidacy,  students must complete the following:

1) 21 hours of nondissertation work. This may not include:

Chem 321(4212), Instrumental Analysis
Chem 323(4233), Laboratory in Instrumental Analysis
Chem 341(4412), Inorganic Chemistry I
Chem 343(4433), Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory
Chem 419(6196), Advanced Reading in Chemistry
Chem 448(6487), Inorganic Problem Seminar
Chem 468(6687), Organic Problem Seminar
Chem 478(6787), Biochemistry Problem Seminar
Chem 481(6812), Introduction to Graduate Study in Chemistry
Chem 482(6822), Introduction to Graduate Research in Chemistry
Chem 489(6897), Chemistry Colloquium
but should include at least one in three of the four areas of chemistry: organic, inorganic, physical, and biochemistry. Courses in areas other than chemistry may be included with prior departmental approval.

2) Pass eight cumulative examinations.

3) Present at least one seminar to the department on the dissertation research.

4) Participate in the undergraduate academic program as a teaching assistant for at least one semester.

5) Be in good standing.

Dissertation
Four copies of the dissertation must be submitted upon completion of the graduate research problem.