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Chemistry & Biochemistry
Mailing address: Chemistry 217

M.S. in Chemistry

Chemistry graduate student in lab
Chemistry graduate student in lab

Note

  • This M.S. offered is in person on the Athens Campus (MS3311) and requires a thesis.
  • There is an online master's program, which is a non-thesis degree (MS3317). Learn more about the online M.S. in Chemistry and its admissions requirements: M.S. in Chemistry Offered Online

Overview

Candidates for a Master of Science degree in Chemistry must demonstrate the ability to plan, execute, evaluate, and communicate original chemical research. Candidates will develop specialized research skills to carry out this work effectively and will do so under the guidance of a chosen faculty research adviser.

Accelerated Program for 51ÉçÇø Undergraduates

Generally, it will take about 2.5 years to complete the M.S. curriculum; however, an accelerated M.S. degree program is available to qualified 51ÉçÇø undergraduate students. This program allows students to complete their M.S. in chemistry within 12 to 15 months after completing their bachelor's degree. Students accepted into the accelerated M.S. program would typically begin research in their junior/senior year of undergraduate studies, taking graduate classes during their senior year. The accelerated M.S. program also has an optional graduate research exchange program with the University of Leipzig in which students conduct research in Leipzig for 2-4 months, generally during the summer.

Career Opportunities

The M.S. degree prepares students for a variety of professional positions and for graduate studies. Example sectors for employment include the pharmaceutical industries, analytical service laboratories, government laboratories and biomedical and industrial laboratories.

Graduation Requirements

Brief Overview

  1. A minimum of 30 semester hours (including research credits) in chemistry and approved electives at the 5000 level and above.
  2. Attendance at a seminar course each semester and a yearly departmental seminar presentation after the first year of study.
  3. Students must take competency exams and classes on entering the program and must take eight graded course credits within their area of study unless permission is received from the graduate committee to take classes outside the major area of study.
  4. Students have three thesis options: i. Prepare a written thesis; ii. In lieu of a thesis, publish in a refereed journal, a paper based on the student?s research; iii. Instead of a research thesis or published research paper, a student can complete 26 credit hours of graded coursework at the 5000-level or above and write a review-type article.
  5. All students must present their thesis-related work orally at a public meeting followed by an oral defense held before the student?s thesis committee.
  6. The average period of study is two and one-half years.

Program Mission

The department's mission is to provide a quality education to graduate students while they pursue state-of-the-art research in chemistry. The objective of the graduate program is to educate and train students to become highly effective scientists by providing them with the interdisciplinary tools, research skills and ethical and service sensibilities needed to succeed in their future careers. This includes offering a variety of rigorous graduate level courses, maintaining cutting-edge research programs within individual laboratories, and compliance with the Code for Professional Ethical Conduct espoused by the American Chemical Society.

Program Learning Objectives

  1. To demonstrate an understanding of chemical concepts and an understanding of a selected topic in chemistry
  2. To demonstrate competence in solving a scientific problem through scientific experimentation and/or data analysis
  3. To effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing, scientific concepts and outcomes.
  4. To work effectively both as an individual and as a collaborative team member.