Doctoral Programs in Chemistry

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Chemistry

Specializations:

Options:

Degree Requirements (Ph.D. in Chemistry)

• Students complete six (6) graduate lecture courses in the Chemistry or Polymer Science program totaling 18 or more credits. These courses will include 2 core competency courses, which will be decided in conjunction with the PhD mentor. Courses that meet the core competency requirement will be outlined in the graduate program handbook. No more than one course may be taken outside CHEM or POLY without prior written permission from the Graduate Coordinator.

• Interdisciplinary Graduate Seminars: Three rotating faculty-organized seminar topics will be offered; students must attend and enroll in one per seminar. Students deliver a literature presentation in Year 1 and a research talk in Year 3. The seminar remains a variable-credit course so students can enroll even if they have a full course load without incurring an overload.

• Departmental Colloquium: All students must enroll in and attend colloquium each semester that it is offered; colloquium remains variable credit to ensure students and enroll without incurring an overload.

• Proposal Defense (Advancement to Candidacy): First attempt needs to be completed in Semester 4; Outcomes are Pass, Pass with Addendum, or Fail (with one permitted retake in Semester 5). The exam emphasizes independent scientific reasoning, hypothesis development, and experimental design/interpretation; the oral component also evaluates fundamentals of the field. Guidance will reside in the graduate program handbook.

• Annual Committee Meetings: After advancing to candidacy, students will convene a yearly committee meeting to document research progress. The committee will complete a progress report with recommendations for the coming year that will be submitted to the graduate coordinator.

Degree Pathways:

For students entering Fall 2026 and beyond:

For students entering Spring 2026 and before:

Ph.D. Option in Biochemistry

This program provides chemistry graduate students with both in-breadth class work in BioChemistry and in-depth thesis research. Emphasis is on the application of modern techniques and concepts of physical and chemical science to the solution of problems of current interest in biology and medicine.

Admission Requirements and Removal of Undergraduate Deficiencies
Admission to the program requires demonstration of an acceptable B.S., B.A., or M.S. degree in chemistry, biology, biochemistry or other related science. Students will be expected to have completed two semesters each of general, organic and physical chemistry as well as introductory biology. Deficiencies must be removed by enrolling in the corresponding undergraduate course during the first year in the program.

Academic Standards for Retention in the Biochemistry Program
The graduate student is expected to maintain an average of 3.000 or better in all his/her graduate-level courses. All other department requirements must also be met.

Degree Requirements

For students entering Fall 2026 and beyond:

For students entering Spring 2026 and before:

 Research

A. Initiation of Research and Research Advisor Selection Procedure
The dissertation research of each graduate student may be initiated at any time but not later than the end of the second semester in the program. The student is advised to make serious efforts, prior to the summer following his/her first entrance to the program, to initiate faculty research interviews and attempt to identify the area of his/her research interest and particular research group which may be suitable for pursuing his/her research goals.

B. Examination Committee
The examination committee will be composed of four faculty members chosen after consultation by the student with his/her research advisor at least two of these members must be from the Department of Chemistry faculty.

Examinations
A. Comprehensive Exam
Students are required to successfully complete a Comprehensive Exam based on the 5 core courses by the end of their second year in the program. This exam consists of two parts and students are expected to have satisfactory performance on both sections. Section I consists of a series of questions derived from their course material. Section II is based on current literature and is focused on a particular series of papers that are provided to the students a month before the exam. 

B. Oral Research Proposal must be presented during their 5th semester. This proposal based on their dissertation work and is to follow the format outlined in the proposal guidelines. A written copy of the proposal must be submitted to their dissertation committee one week prior to their public examination. Examination committees for the ORP consist of four full-time faculty or professionals. Two members of the committee must be members of the Chemistry department and the other two members of the committee must have a Ph.D. in Biochemistry or the equivalent. Successful completion of the Original Research Proposal defense will advance students to candidacy in the Biochemistry Ph.D. Program. Students will have two opportunities to complete this exam. IF the the combination of the written and oral presentation is not at the level of a Ph.D. candidate, as judged by the committee, a student will be provided a second opportunity to satisfactorily complete the exam. At the committee's discretion, a student may be asked to only repeat the written or oral portion of the exam. This must be done by the student's sixth semester or they will not be advanced to Ph.D. candidacy. 

Admission to Candidacy for the Doctorate
To be admitted to candidacy for the doctorate, a student must:

  1. Complete all required courses with necessary grade point average. There is an absolute minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) requirement of 3.000 for all graduate work. At the end of the first semester, if a student is found to be below the minimum GPA, a written warning will be issued. If the cumulative GPA is not raised to 3.000 or higher by the end of the second semester in residence, the student will automatically be dropped from the Ph.D. program but allowed to continue toward a master's degree in Biochemistry with the approval of the graduate committee. While completing the M.S., a candidate must have a minimum GPA of 3.000 and maintain that GPA throughout the remainder of his or her career. Upon successful completion of the Master of Science degree, the student may reapply for admission to the doctoral program. Each case will be reviewed on an individual basis. Students reentering the Ph.D. program will then satisfy all the requirements for the degree including passing the comprehensive examination, presentation of their research proposal, and completion of their research and dissertation defense. Seminar presentations and course work accomplished to complete the master's degree will, of course, be cumulative.
  2. Pass the Cumulative Exam.
  3. Successfully present and defend the Oral Research Proposal by the end of the fourth semester of full time study.
  4. Present two seminars.
  5. Secure written approval of his/her research advisor and the chemistry graduate coordinator. When these requirements have been fulfilled, the Biochemistry Graduate Committee will recommend that the graduate coordinator of the Department of Chemistry notify the Registrar's Office to place the student on the list of candidates for the Ph.D. degree. Admission to candidacy in no way guarantees the granting of the degree.

Ph.D. Option in Environmental Studies

This graduate program is designed as an optional course of study to the traditional Ph.D. in Chemistry for students with backgrounds in engineering (civil, environmental and chemical engineering) and other sciences (physics, biology, etc.) as well as chemistry. Candidates will be exposed to advanced course work in chemistry and environmental engineering and will be able to choose an area of specialization that best suits their interests and previous experience. A combination of faculty from Chemistry, Work Environment and Civil Engineering with a variety of research expertise gives this program unique characteristics and affords the student the opportunity to perform practical interdisciplinary research. It is expected that most students will require at least four years beyond the Bachelor's degree and two years past the Master's degree.

Entrance Requirements
In addition to the requirements for admission listed in this catalog, applicant will have an earned bachelor's degree in one of the following fields: chemistry, chemical or civil engineering, biology, environmental sciences, geology or physics. Students will be expected to have satisfactorily completed undergraduate courses in analytical, organic, and physical chemistry, physics and calculus. However, applicants who have not completed courses in these areas may remedy their deficiencies while in the program and, therefore, are encouraged to apply. The GRE is no longer required. Admissions will be determined by a committee consisting of faculty active in the program.

Program Outline
A total of 48 credits are required for the Ph.D. program. Of these, at least 30 credits must be in course work exclusive of seminar and the rest is usually in thesis research. Courses shown below are divided into three categories:

  • core course requirements (9 credits),
  • areas of specialization (12 credits), and
  • elective courses (9 credits).

Additional elective courses from other departments may be substituted with the approval of the student's Advisory Committee.

In addition, full-time students must register for CHEM.601/CHEM.602 or ENVE.502 Environmental/Analytical seminar every semester.

Each student will be required to give two seminars on current research topics during their graduate career. Students in the Environmental program must select a thesis advisor by the end of the second semester. At this time, an Advisory Committee is appointed and a plan of study is established. The Advisory Committee must consist of at least four members, including the thesis advisor. A minimum of two Chemistry Department faculty are required to be on the committee with two other members from any participating department. An additional member from another department may also be added if agreed upon by the student and thesis advisor. Students must maintain a 3.000 cumulative average in order to continue in the program.

 Degree Pathway:

Written Area Examinations (Cumulative Examinations)
Beginning in the second year of study, the student must pass examinations in their major area of specialization. The faculty associated with the program administer examinations that are based on course work either completed or in progress as well as seminars, scientific literature and accepted theory in the field of study. Environmental studies students take six cumulative examinations each of which focuses on a different area of environmental science and analytical chemistry. Students must take the examinations consecutively in a given academic year. The topic, date, time and faculty member in charge of a particular exam in the cumulative examination series will be given to the student prior to the first cumulative exam. Students taking cumulative exams are urged to meet with the individual faculty member preparing an exam for more specific information. If a student misses a cumulative exam a grade of zero will be assigned. There are no makeup cumulative exams.

Research Proposal
A Ph.D. candidate must submit an original research proposal and successfully pass an oral defense of that proposal in their second or third year of study. After consulting with their Advisory Committee, the student selects a suitable subject for investigation, completes a literature survey, outlines the method of approach, and suggests possible results and conclusions. The oral defense of this proposal is conducted by the student's Advisory Committee with other faculty in attendance. The proposal must be defended within three months following completion of the cumulative examinations.


Ph.D. Option in Sustainability

Degree Pathway:


updated 4/10/26

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