Chemistry, B.S./M.S.

This program is open to advanced undergraduates of superior ability. To be considered for the combined B.S./M.S. program in chemistry, undergraduate students should declare their intentions to apply to the program no later than the first semester of their senior year. This declaration should be in writing to the graduate program director in chemistry. In addition, the student must apply for admission to the Graduate School one semester prior to completion of requirements for the bachelor’s program. A maximum of nine credits of graduate-level courses may be taken at the undergraduate level. The B.S. degree may be awarded after the department requirements are met and 120 or more credits are earned. The student must be enrolled in the Graduate School while the remaining 21 or more required graduate-level credits are earned. The M.S. may be granted upon completion of the program requirements for the master’s degree and after a minimum of 141 credits total are earned for the combined degree. To remain in the program, a student is required to maintain an overall grade point average of 3.0 or better and to receive no grade lower than a “B” in any course required for the major. A requirement to participate in advanced research is an important aspect of the program. This may be done by either thesis or non-thesis options, as described below.

Requirements

Undergraduate: The requirements for the B.S. phase of the combined B.S./M.S. degree are identical to the normal chemistry B.S. with two exceptions:

The graduate-level CHEM 661: Advanced Instrumental Analysis is taken instead of the undergraduate-level equivalent CHEM 461 ,

AND
A minimum of two of the six credits of approved electives in the undergraduate phase should be at the 600-level for transfer in satisfaction of the M.S. degree requirements.

Graduate: A candidate for the combined B.S./M.S. degree must complete a total of 30 credit hours of graduate level course work, 18 of which must be at the 600 level or above. A total of nine chemistry graduate-level credits, taken during the undergraduate period to fulfill the B.S. core requirements, will be accepted as partially meeting the master’s core requirements. The remaining 21 credit hours include the rest of the master’s-level core courses, the elective courses in chemistry and the research component. The student must be enrolled in the graduate school while the final 21 or more credits are earned.

Students may elect either a thesis option, completing six credit hours of research or a non-thesis option in which additional course work is combined with an advanced laboratory project for research experience.

Sample Program

Nine credits at the B.S.

Graduate-level courses accepted:

CHEM 405 - Inorganic Chemistry (3.00)
CHEM 661 - Advance Instrumental Analysis (4.00)
CHEM 6XX - Graduate-level elective (2.00 or 3.00)

21 credits at the M.S. level:

Two of the following three courses [6-7]:

Thesis Option:

CHEM 799 - M.S. Thesis Research (6.00)
CHEM 4XX-6XX Electives (8.00-9.00)

Non-Thesis Option:

CHEM 600 - Advanced Laboratory Project (1.00)
CHEM 4XX-6XX Electives (13.00-14.00)

Note:

In addition, a final examination will be arranged in accord with procedures of the graduate school. This examination will follow completion of formal coursework and the submission of either the master’s thesis or, in the case of the non-thesis option, a scholarly paper indicating the student’s familiarity with an area of modern chemical research.