Chemistry, Bachelor’s/Master’s Combined Programs

Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Robert Kieber

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers a bachelor‘s (certified)/master‘s degree program which is designed to provide a BS chemistry student a means to complete some requirements for the MS chemistry degree. The key feature of the program is that some upper level chemistry courses count for the BS degree and undergraduate electives as well as the MS degree. This allows a total of 18 credit hours to be counted towards both the BS and MS (6 hours of coursework (CHM 445 /CHM 545  and CHM 491 /CHM 591  or CHM 499 /CHM 591 ) to be counted towards the BS and 12 graduate hours in chemistry counted towards undergraduate electives.

1. Students who have completed 50 hours of chemistry and collateral courses required for the B.S. in chemistry degree with a GPA of 3.50 or higher by the middle of the junior year may
   
   • fulfill the ACS Bachelor of Science requirement in inorganic chemistry by taking CHM 545  (Inorganic Chemistry, 3 credit hours) preferably in the second semester of their third year. Both undergraduate and graduate credit will be awarded for this course.
   • fulfill part of the ACS laboratory requirements (145 lab hours) by counting a total of 3 hours of research, preferably performed during the summer session between the 3rd and 4th year, toward the B.S. degree (3 credit hours of CHM 491  or CHM 499 ), and an additional 3 credit hours of research (CHM 491 /CHM 591  or CHM 499 /CHM 591 ) preferably performed during the fall semester of the fourth year.
   • count 4 graduate courses (12 semester hours) as undergraduate electives.
   • complete the basic studies requirements.

The student will complete the M.S. degree requirements by taking 16 credit hours of graduate course work, 3 credit hours of DIS (CHM 591 ), preferably in the summer between the 4th and 5th year, and 8 credit hours of graduate courses (thesis research and seminar), preferably in the 5th year. Up to one additional credit hour of graduate thesis work could be taken during the summer session immediately following the 5th year. The actual graduation time for the M.S. degree after all coursework is completed will vary based on the progress of the student‘s research topic.

2. During a student‘s junior year they must obtain a graduate advisor (thesis research director) and submit the standard application for admission to the Graduate School including: an application form, application fee, references, transcripts, and GRE scores to the Graduate School. In addition, a graduate degree plan (signed by the prospective student, their proposed graduate advisor, the combined degree program coordinator and graduate coordinator) must be submitted to the combined degree program coordinator before the end of the junior year. Departmental permission to apply to the combined B.S. (certified)/M.S. degree program does not guarantee admission to the Graduate School. Admission is contingent of meeting eligibility requirements at the time of entering the graduate program and continued support from the thesis research director.
3. Upon review of the submitted materials by the Graduate School, a letter of acceptance (or denial) to the master‘s program, will be sent to the student and copied to the graduate coordinator. Acceptance will be provisional and contingent upon meeting specified degree requirements, including completion of the bachelor‘s degree.
4. A student who is ineligible to participate, continue in, or withdraws from the combined B.S. (certified)/M.S. degree program cannot double count any courses for both bachelor‘s and master‘s degree.

For more details see the department chair or the graduate coordinator.