|
|
Fall 2025 Graduate Catalog
Chemistry, PhD
|
|
 Return to: Doctoral Programs
Degrees Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry
Chairperson: Peter J. Tonge, Chemistry Building 779 (631) 632-5797
Graduate Program Director: Isaac Carrico, Chemistry Building 533 (631) 632-7935
Student Affairs Coordinator: Katherine M. Hughes, Chemistry Building 104 (631) 632-7886
The Department of Chemistry, within the College of Arts and Sciences, offers courses of study leading to the degrees of Master of Arts in Teaching Chemistry, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy. Students in the M.A.T. program must register through the School of Professional Development. A student in the Ph.D. program may choose dissertation research in any one of the diverse areas of chemistry represented by the interests of the program faculty, or may choose an interdisciplinary topic under the guidance of a faculty member in another program. Coordinated activities exist with several programs, and include optional concentrations in chemical physics and chemical biology.
|
Admission Requirements
Application Website The following, in addition to the minimum Graduate School requirements, are required for admission to graduate study in chemistry: A. A bachelor’s degree in chemistry earned in a curriculum approved by the American Chemical Society, or an equivalent course of study. B. A minimum grade point average of 3.00 (B) in all undergraduate work and 3.00 (B) in all courses in the sciences and mathematics. C. Acceptance by the Department of Chemistry and by the Graduate School. In exceptional cases, a student not meeting requirements A and B may be admitted on a provisional basis. Courses
Successful completion (3.0 GPA) of eighteen credits in formal graduate courses (including CHE 599 rotation research, but excluding seminars, teaching, directed study, etc.). At least nine of these credits must be from courses numbered CHE 501 through CHE 559 , and at least twelve credits must be from courses in Chemistry. Courses are designated among the following four subdisciplinary groups: Group I - Physical Chemistry:
Group II - Inorganic Chemistry:
Group III - Organic Chemistry:
Group IV - Biological Chemistry:
In addition, students are required to complete
Notes:
Students are required to take at least one course outside their major subdiscipline. Continuation in the Ph.D. program is based, in part, on achievement in at least four chemistry courses to be taken during the student’s first year. Initially, each student will be assigned an academic advisor to help the student select an appropriate course of study to prepare for research in the student’s chosen area of chemistry. Once a student has joined a research group, the research advisor acts as academic advisor. Students who have taken equivalent courses previously may be excused from individual course requirements with permission of the Graduate Program Director, in consultation with the Graduate Advising Committee. Advancement to Candidacy Committee
Each student selects a faculty research advisor during the first year. Students begin research during the first year or in the summer directly following. At the start of the second year, the Graduate Program Director will assign the student’s Advancement to Candidacy Committee (ACC). In addition to the research advisor, the ACC will also include at least two additional Chemistry program faculty, one of whom will serve as Chair of the committee. Qualification to Degree
In the third semester, each student holds the first formal meeting with his or her ACC. At the end of this First Meeting, the ACC makes a recommendation to the faculty of whether the student should be qualified to the Direct Ph.D. track or the MS Thesis track, or needs to leave the program. This recommendation will be based on the student’s research performance, knowledge and understanding as demonstrated during the First Meeting, and course grades. Qualification is determined by the faculty as a whole. Students must have satisfactory performance in research and coursework in order to qualify to either track and remain in the Ph.D. program. The ACC will also consider whether the student has gaps in knowledge or understanding that should be addressed by further coursework. The student may be directed to take additional courses, beyond the minimum requirement. Direct Ph.D. Track
Students with satisfactory research performance and science course GPA above 3.0 will generally be qualified to the Ph.D. Direct Track. These students can continue with research and complete the other requirements for the Ph.D., without needing to complete a MS thesis first. M.S. Thesis Track
Students with science course GPA below 3.0 or deficiencies in understanding or research progress, as determined during the ACC First Meeting, may be qualified to the MS Thesis Track. A student in the MS Thesis track must complete a master’s thesis as a first step in the Ph.D. program. Upon completion and defense of the MS thesis, such a student must petition the faculty to continue in the Ph.D. program. If the petition is approved, the student will then join the Direct Ph.D. track and will need to fulfill all requirements of that track in order to earn the Ph.D. Second ACC Meeting
During the fourth semester, students will complete the requirement for a Second Meeting with the ACC. This requirement can be met in several ways. Students in physical, inorganic, or materials chemistry or in chemical physics will generally follow Option 1 or Option 2. Students carrying out research in organic chemistry and in biological chemistry will generally follow Option 2. Option 1
The second meeting shall consist of an oral report on one or two papers from the recent literature. This report should demonstrate a mastery of the problems and methodology covered in the material. The role of the Advancement to Candidacy Committee is to assess the quality of the report and also to assess the student’s intellectual growth. Further study may be recommended at this time. Option 2
The student will enroll in the appropriate section of CHE 619 - Critical Readings of Current Topics in Chemistry (organic chemistry; biological chemistry; physical/inorganic/materials chemistry), and will make a presentation in the class during the second year. This presentation will be in addition to any presentation the student makes in CHE 582 during the first year. Advancement to Candidacy
Once a student in the Direct Track has successfully completed his or her coursework and First and Second Meetings with the ACC, the student will be advanced to candidacy. From that point forward, the student will focus on research. Department Seminar
Every Ph.D. student in the Direct Track will present a departmental seminar in the third year, describing his or her research. Starting in the third year, students in organic chemistry will be expected to present their research annually in CHE 696 , while biological chemistry students will present their research annually in CHE 694 through their fifth year in the program. All other students will present a single research seminar in the fall of the third year, in CHE 693 . Research Proposition and Third ACC Meeting
At least one year before the anticipated thesis defense, the student will prepare an original research proposition and defend the proposition in a closed meeting with the ACC. The proposition is a research proposal based on the literature rather than on the student’s own research. At the Third Meeting, the student and committee will also discuss the student’s research progress and exit plan for completing the dissertation. A target date for the defense will be set at the conclusion of the Third Meeting. The Third Meeting report may also be used in place of a CEE 590 term paper for any student who wishes to obtain a Master’s degree. Dissertation Defense
The ACC serves as the basis for the dissertation defense committee, with the addition of one new member from outside the department. The dissertation and defense must adhere to all policies of the Graduate School. The defense will be a public lecture, followed by private examination by the defense committee. Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree with Concentration in Chemical Physics
Three courses from a set approved by the Graduate Advisement Committee.
Other graduate courses can be substituted only with prior permission of the Graduate Program Director. Notes:
A prerequisite for the Chemical Physics program is undergraduate training in Classical Mechanics and Electromagnetic Theory at or above the level of PHY 301 (Electromagnetic Theory) and PHY 303 (Mechanics). Students in the Chemical Physics program must take these courses unless they receive waivers from the Graduate Program Director. Additional Requirements
Other than coursework, the requirements for the Ph.D. in Chemical Physics are the same as those for the Ph.D. in Chemistry. Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree with Concentration in Biological Chemistry
Plus 18 credits of formal graduate courses including
(including CHE 599 rotation research, but excluding seminars, teaching, directed study, etc.) A minimum of two graduate biology/biochemistry oriented courses (e.g., BMO 520, CHE 541 , CHE 542 , etc.) as approved by the student’s Academic Advisor or ACC. Students will normally take A minimum of two graduate biology/biochemistry oriented courses
Notes:
Registration for CHE 582 (year one, zero units), CHE 619 (year two, maximum two units) and CHE 694 (years three through five, one unit) in the Spring semesters of the first five years of the program (while still in residence). Students in their first and second year will present a research paper from the literature. Students in their third and fourth years (and fifth year if still in residence) will present a seminar on their thesis research. Additional Requirements
Other than coursework, the requirements for the Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry are the same as those for the Ph.D. in Chemistry. |
Return to: Doctoral Programs
|
|