Chemistry, BA/MS

Overview

This program is designed for students interested in a career in chemistry or in secondary school science teaching. The program provides a mixture of coursework and original research with the emphasis on the student’s research. The research areas offered include biochemistry, organic, environmental, physical, inorganic and analytical chemistry. The MS degree helps to prepare students for future careers in chemistry, whether at a university, industry, secondary school or another chemistry-related position.

Departmental Eligibility Requirements

The Master of Science in Chemistry is open to undergraduate chemistry majors from either track. Other undergraduate natural science majors may be eligible with department approval. All students must have a 3.0 GPA or higher in courses taken in mathematics and the natural sciences as well as a grade of at least a B in two chemistry directed research or honors courses. Students must have initiated a research project with the faculty member who has agreed to work with them. Research may be conducted outside of the Chemistry Department as long as a faculty member in Chemistry serves as the supervising faculty member.

Students are required to meet with the Chemistry Accelerated Degree Program advisor as a formal part of the admissions process. This meeting is intended to assist prospective students in assessing the appropriateness of the degree to their professional aspirations. The student applies to the MS program by completing the Online Application no later than April 15 of the junior year. Please note that application deadlines differ for students who are graduating off cycle (either a semester early or late) or who have advanced standing; such students should contact Graduate Admissions for alternative dates.

Program of Study

Senior Year:

Beginning the senior year, students take at least four graduate-level chemistry courses that are approved by their faculty advisor. Courses at the 300-level are eligible for graduate credit. Courses at the 200-level that are used to fulfill undergraduate required courses in the chemistry or natural science major CANNOT also be counted toward the MS degree. Two of the four graduate-level chemistry courses should be taken during the senior year. These two courses may count toward the 32 credits needed for graduation, but not toward the undergraduate major requirements.

Recent students have taken courses such as CHEM 356 - Inorganic Materials  , CHEM 358 - Crystallography, Diffraction, and Scattering Methods  , BCMB 366 - Biomolecular NMR , BCMB 375 - Protein Chemistry  , and CHEM 381 - Polymer Science . Students must also prepare a written thesis, based on original research. Typically, students will begin the research for their thesis no later than the fall of their senior year. Students conduct research working in close collaboration with faculty advisors and with doctoral students.

Graduate Year:
Students start work full time on their research in the summer before their 5th year.  On completion of research, there is an oral defense of the research thesis. After the defense is passed and revisions required by the Advisory Committee have been made, the thesis is submitted to the thesis advisor for final approval. Information regarding formatting and submitting the thesis is located at www.clarku.edu/graduate-student-resources.

The program requires a minimum of 10 units with a minimum grade of B- distributed as follows:

• 6 units of research in CHEM 317
• 4 units of 300-level CHEM or BCMB

Students in this program may take longer than the fifth year to complete the culminating requirement (i.e. thesis/master’s paper). Students must register as a non-resident if they do not complete the requirements in time for August degree conferral. Students have up to one year of non-residency status (fall and spring) to complete all requirements for the master’s degree.

Fees

This program is eligible for up to 100% tuition remission rate for a student’s fifth year graduate program.  There is a one-time program fee in the first semester of graduate study.  The student continues to be responsible for paying other enrollment and activity fees as well as their housing, books and personal items.  Tuition and fees are set annually by the Board of Trustees.

Students in the Accelerated Degree Program are allowed one year of non-resident status after the fifth year presumably to complete research and the master’s thesis. Please note there is a $200 fee associated with the non-residency status registration. There is a $500 lab fee, in addition to the non-resident fee for students conducting research in the labs.

There is a mandatory fee of $25 for ProQuest to provide the University with a copy of the thesis to be cataloged in Goddard Library.

Program Adviser

Students are required to meet with the designated program adviser. The meeting will be acknowledged via the ADP Adviser form that will be filed by the adviser after the application is initiated. The signed form confirms that the student and program adviser have discussed the requirements of the program.

The designated program adviser is:

Luis Smith, Department Chair & Accelerated Degree Program Adviser
Sackler Sciences Center, Room S212 lusmith@clarku.edu

Call the Chemistry Department at 508-793-7116 to set up a time to meet with the Program Adviser.

Your academic adviser will be the faculty person with whom you are conducting your research.

Any students considering applying to the Accelerated Degree Program should read and understand the Accelerated Degree Program Policies and Procedures  .