Degree Requirements
At least 80 hours of graduate credit are required for the Ph.D. degree. To satisfy the minimum requirements for the degree, students must complete:
- A minimum of 40 hours of approved coursework. The details depend on the concentration, but those typically include:
- A minimum of 9 credits of core concentration courses.
- A minimum of 6 credits of chemistry area electives.
- A minimum of 6 credits of interdisciplinary electives from approved courses related to the concentration.
- A minimum of 4 credits of CHEM 8800 (Seminar in Chemistry).
- The remaining 11 credits may be fulfilled by either chemistry electives or CHEM 8910 .
- A minimum of 50 hours of research, at least 30 hours of which must be Dissertation Research (CHEM 9999 ).
- Annual progress reports due in April of each year.
- Satisfaction of the research skill requirement.**
- A written and an oral qualifying general examination.***
- A written dissertation.
- A final oral examination, directed primarily to the defense of the dissertation.
** Research Skill Requirement: A course in a research skill (e.g., computer language, technical writing, advanced statistics, electronics, or other similar course taken with departmental approval) is required. Credit hours used to fulfill this requirement do not count in the 80 hours.
*** A research proposal must be submitted after completion of the written portion of the qualifying exam.
Specific requirements: The following coursework illustrates the minimum curriculum requirements for each discipline. Substitutions in the curriculum may be made based on the recommendation of the student’s research adviser and require the prior written approval of the Director of Graduate Studies and the Department Chair. Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of all material covered in the core or designated courses during the qualifying examination.
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