Graduate Program

MS Degree Programs

A Brief Word About MS Admissions

Students who apply to our department for terminal MS degrees normally are not offered assistantship support or tuition waivers. These financial incentives are intended for students who plan to go "all the way" for the PhD degree. Exceptions are rare.

Orientation Week

All entering graduate students are expected to attend Orientation Week which is held the week before classes start in the Fall. The orientation comprises the following components.

• Introduction to Chemistry Department policies and procedures.
• Meet with Chemistry Department staff to arrange payroll, insurance, and other financial matters.
• Attend the Graduate School's GTA Workshop (required to be eligible for a teaching assistantship).
• Take the four ACS Placement Examinations (analytical -- instrumental analysis, organic, inorganic, and physical). Although the results of these exams do not affect the MS degree program, they will be needed should you decide to apply for the PhD program at a later date. Thus all entering students must take these exams.
• Meet individually with the Graduate Program Director to arrange your initial course schedule.
• Initial GTA Meeting with General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry lab instructors.
• International students: Attend a special orientation session; take a "speak and teach" test.

The Thesis MS Program

Students who enter the Thesis MS program are advised to expedite their choice of Research Director and begin their research as soon as possible. The following requirements apply to the M.S. degree with the thesis option.

• Completion of 20 course credit hours (CH). A minimum of 12 CH must be at the 5000 level or higher. These courses will usually be advanced graduate courses in the candidate’s area of interest.
• Completion of 10 CH of Research and Thesis (CHEM 5994), for a total of at least 30 CH.
• Presentation of a formal departmental Research Seminar (ordinarily in the same semester as the defense).
• Successful defense of the thesis before your Advisory Committee in a formal Final Oral Exam.
• Students entering the Thesis MS program from the outset are offered two years of guaranteed financial support as long as they remain in Good Standing.
• Students in Good Standing who enter the Thesis MS program from the PhD track are offered one year of additional financial support following the semester in which they submitted their Change of Plan to the Graduate School.
• Students who wish to enter the PhD track from the MS track must defend their theses before the end of the sixth semester in residence.

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The Non-Thesis MS Program

The non-thesis masters degree program is intended for those students who, for various reasons, are not able to take a normal research (thesis) MS degree. Examples could include part-time students or secondary school teachers. A student who embarks
upon a research degree (MS or PhD) may subsequently switch to the non-thesis MS degree option. However, only one (1) change of program is permitted. The following requirements apply to the M.S. degree with the non-thesis option.

• Completion of at least 21 course hours at the 5000 level or higher.
• Completion of an additional 3 course hours in courses approved for graduate credit (some of which are at the 4000 level).
• Completion of an additional 6 credit hours of CHEM 5904: Project and Report. Ordinarily the six credits are divided into two, separate three (3) credit enrollments in CHEM 5904 in different semesters. The first Project is analogous to the “Literature Review” required for the PhD program, but without the accompanying “Research Plan.” The second Project is assigned by the Advisory Committee and is typically a final research report (if the student is converting from a research degree program) or a second literature review paper.
• The total of course hours and Project and Report hours must equal at least 30.
• Optionally the Advisory Committee may request that the student appear for a final oral exam.

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