M.S. Degree Requirements

1. Course Requirements (5 courses total)
Three of the following core courses must be successfully completed: 703, 712, 721, or 722, 723 or 724, 741 and 746. Two additional 700 level courses other than 787-790 must also be completed. To meet the total number of hours required by the Graduate School, students may take up to 5 hours of research, Chemistry Department seminars and courses in other departments.

2. Cumulative Exams
M.S. candidates are required to pass two cumulative exams by their fourth semester of residence. Failure to complete the requirement may result in expulsion from the program.

3. Thesis Committee and Thesis Research
After choosing a research advisor, but no later than the third semester of residence, students are required to obtain agreements from two faculty members (other than the thesis advisor) to participate as members of their thesis committee. One member of the thesis committee must be from a division of the department other than that of the advisor. Students must complete and defend their thesis before the end of their 6th semester in residence.

4. Tenure Requirements
The maximum time allowed by the Graduate School to obtain an M. S. degree is five years. The Department, however, strongly encourages students in the M. S. Program to complete the degree requirements within three years. Students failing to meet the Graduate School requirement may be required to complete additional requirements for the degree.

5. Seminar
Registration for and attendance at Departmental seminars is required. Up to three (3.0) hours of credit for seminar courses may be applied to the M.S. degree requirements. M. S. students must present a seminar to the Department based upon a topic from the current chemical literature. The seminar must be presented before the end of the students' 4th semester in residence. The seminar should be scheduled with the departmental coordinator of the seminar program in the fall of the students second year. Students presenting seminars are required to enlist two faculty to attend their seminar and provide a written review of the quality of the presentation; a faculty review form can be obtained from the department. Students should remember that faculty will only agree to attend if given sufficient notice (two to three weeks) of the seminar.

6. Transfer to the Ph.D. Program
Students in the M. S. program who wish to transfer to the Ph.D. program may do so as long as they are making satisfactory progress in the Graduate program. Transfer may be made by petitioning the Graduate Affairs committee in writing.