Masters Degrees

Students must meet all degree requirements as specified by the Graduate School. Degree completion for the M.A. and the M.S. programs should take between two and three calendar years beyond the baccalaureate degree. Specific requirements include:

1. A minimum of thirty (30) credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree; 16 hours must be at the 6000 level

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Chemistry

The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree requires:

1. 26 hours must be in formally structured courses approved by the student committee
2. Preparation of a review paper on a topic approved by the supervisory committee. The final paper must be approved by the supervisory committee.

Master of Science (M.S.) in Chemistry

The Master of Science (M.S.) degree requires:

1. 20 hours of formally structured courses approved by the students committee
2. A research project resulting in a written thesis
3. An oral thesis defense, which will serve as the final comprehensive examination required by the Graduate School

A graduate student working on a master's degree in a program that requires a thesis must register in course CHM 6973 or CHM 6971 when engaged in research, data collection, or writing activities relevant to the master's thesis. The number of credits in these courses must be appropriate to the demands made on faculty, staff, and University facilities.

Final Thesis Defense: Each student should consult with their supervisory committee for deadlines in submitting the thesis prior to the defense. Thesis or dissertation defenses are not normally scheduled during final exam week or during the weeks between regularly scheduled sessions.

The thesis defense must be scheduled through the Chemistry Graduate Office at least two weeks in advance. The Chemistry Graduate Office will then announce the defense to the entire Chemistry Department.

NOTE: These deadlines are in addition to those imposed by the Graduate School. The Graduate School sets a deadline for scheduling thesis defenses each semester.