Chemistry and Biochemistry - Graduate Programs
Objective: Master of Science
The objectives of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department’s program leading to the Master of Science degree include:
- developing the individual’s ability to do independent research,
- preparing students for more advanced study in chemistry and
- providing advanced training to professional chemists and those employed in technical and business areas in which chemistry at this level is necessary for efficient performance.
Research areas include analytical chemistry, biochemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, colloid and surface chemistry, electrochemistry, inorganic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, polymer chemistry, and theoretical chemistry.
Objective: Ph.D. in Chemistry
The program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Chemistry is designed primarily to prepare doctoral-level chemists for industrial research careers. The student must:
- demonstrate the ability to carry out independent research and
- acquire the practical knowledge of the type of research conducted in industry and of the constraints (both practical and philosophical) under which such research is conducted.
The areas of research include analytical chemistry, biochemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, colloid and surface chemistry, electrochemistry, inorganic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry, organometallic chemistry, physical chemistry, polymer chemistry, and theoretical chemistry.
Admission Criteria
In evaluating candidates for admission to its graduate degree programs, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry emphasizes the preparedness of the student as evidenced by quality and quantity of coursework and the student’s previous research experience. Recommendations from our own faculty, based on firsthand knowledge of the applicant or a faculty member at the applicant’s institution, are also very important.
UNCONDITIONAL ADMISSION
Unconditional admission may be granted under any one of the following options. The minimum undergraduate GPA requirement for all options is 3.0, as calculated by Graduate Admissions.
Option 1
A satisfactory completion of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, official transcripts, and GRE scores, and three letters of recommendation.
Option 2
A satisfactory completion of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, official transcripts, and a letter of recommendation from a faculty member at the applicant’s undergraduate institution, plus a recommendation from a UT Arlington Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty member.
Option 3
A satisfactory completion of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, official transcripts, and a letter of recommendation from a faculty member at the undergraduate institution, plus a recommendation from a UT Arlington Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty member based on a face-to-face interview.
Language Requirements
An applicant whose native language is not English must submit a TOEFL score of at least 550 or a score of at least 213 on the computer-based test. A TSE-A score of 45 or higher can be substituted for the TOEFL. Those who have completed their undergraduate education in English may be eligible for a TOEFL waiver based on the recommendation letters.
PROVISIONAL ADMISSION
An applicant unable to supply all required documentation prior to the admission deadline but who otherwise appears to meet admission requirements may be granted provisional admission.
A deferred decision may be granted when a file is incomplete or when a denied decision is not appropriate.
PROBATIONARY ADMISSION
In rare cases, probationary admission may be granted as the result of a substandard performance on one or more of the admission criteria. In this case, the Graduate Advisor will set additional conditions for admission including, but not limited to, additional undergraduate coursework and/or achieving a B or better in the first 9 hours of graduate coursework.
DENIAL OF ADMISSION
A candidate may be denied admission if they have less than satisfactory performance on a majority of the admission criteria described above.
ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS/FELLOWSHIPS
Students that have no provisional admission conditions to meet will be eligible for available scholarship and/or fellowship support. Award of scholarships or fellowships will be based on the same criteria utilized in admission decisions. To be eligible, candidates must be new students coming to UT Arlington in the Fall semester, must have a GPA of 3.0 in their last 60 undergraduate credit hours plus any graduate credit hours as calculated by Graduate Admissionsl, and must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 hours of coursework in both long semesters to retain their fellowships. (Students with graduate teaching or research assistantships, however, must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 hours of coursework in both long semesters and 6 hours of coursework in the summer sessions.)
Master’s Degree Requirements
A candidate for graduate study must satisfy the general admission requirements of the program.
Master’s Degree with Thesis
This degree requires a minimum of 24 credit hours in course work plus a 6 credit hour thesis class. A minimum of 18 credit hours course work in chemistry, and up to 6 credit hours electives are required. The 6 credit hour thesis class (CHEM 5698 THESIS) must be taken in the final semester. Courses in chemistry will be taken from at least four (4) of the chemistry disciplines (Analytical, Biochemistry, Inorganic, Organic, Physical); suggested classes are:
| CHEM 5361 | INTRODUCTION TO GRADUATE PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5351 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| CHEM 5324 | ANALYTICAL MASS SPECTROMETRY AND SPECTROSCOPY | 3 |
| CHEM 5325 | SEPARATION SCIENCE | 3 |
| CHEM 5327 | ANALYTICAL ELECTROCHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5326 | ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY - CONCEPTS AND IMPLEMENTATION | 3 |
| CHEM 5341 | INORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5331 | ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| or CHEM 5336 | BIOINORGANIC CHEMISTRY, COFACTORS & COENZYMES | |
Electives may be senior or graduate division courses in a science or engineering subject selected by the candidate with the approval of the graduate advisor.
Master’s Degree with Thesis Substitute
This degree requires a minimum of 33 credit hours, of which at least 27 must be in coursework and 3 in a suitable project. Courses in chemistry will be taken from at least four (4) of the chemistry disciplines (Analytical, Biochemistry, Inorganic, Organic, Physical); suggested classes are:
| CHEM 5361 | INTRODUCTION TO GRADUATE PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5351 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| CHEM 5324 | ANALYTICAL MASS SPECTROMETRY AND SPECTROSCOPY | 3 |
| CHEM 5325 | SEPARATION SCIENCE | 3 |
| CHEM 5327 | ANALYTICAL ELECTROCHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5326 | ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY - CONCEPTS AND IMPLEMENTATION | 3 |
| CHEM 5341 | INORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5331 | ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| or CHEM 5336 | BIOINORGANIC CHEMISTRY, COFACTORS & COENZYMES | |
Electives may be senior or graduate division courses in a science or engineering subject selected by the candidate with the approval of the graduate advisor. Minimal registration of a project course is also required:
| Select one of the following: | 3-6 | |
| READINGS IN CHEMISTRY | ||
| READINGS IN CHEMISTRY | ||
| RESEARCH IN CHEMISTRY | ||
| RESEARCH IN CHEMISTRY | ||
Admission to the program requires approval of the Graduate Studies Committee. At the time the degree is awarded the candidate is expected to have completed at least five years of suitable professional experience in an industrial, government, or other chemistry laboratory. All potential applicants must contact the Graduate Advisor prior to registration.
Master’s Degree Non-Thesis
This option requires a minimum of 36 hours of coursework of which at least 24 hours must be in chemistry. Courses in chemistry will be taken from at least four (4) of the chemistry disciplines (Analytical, Biochemistry, Inorganic, Organic, Physical); suggested classes are:
| CHEM 5361 | INTRODUCTION TO GRADUATE PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5351 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| CHEM 5324 | ANALYTICAL MASS SPECTROMETRY AND SPECTROSCOPY | 3 |
| CHEM 5325 | SEPARATION SCIENCE | 3 |
| CHEM 5327 | ANALYTICAL ELECTROCHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5326 | ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY - CONCEPTS AND IMPLEMENTATION | 3 |
| CHEM 5341 | INORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5331 | ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| or CHEM 5336 | BIOINORGANIC CHEMISTRY, COFACTORS & COENZYMES | |
Electives may be senior or graduate division courses in a science or engineering subject. All courses must be approved by the graduate advisor.
Admission Criteria
In evaluating candidates for admission to its graduate degree programs, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry emphasizes the preparedness of the student as evidenced by quality and quantity of coursework and the student’s previous research experience. Recommendations from our own faculty, based on firsthand knowledge of the applicant or a faculty member at the applicant’s institution, are also very important.
UNCONDITIONAL ADMISSION
Unconditional admission may be granted under any one of the following options. The minimum undergraduate GPA requirement for all options is 3.0, as calculated by Graduate Admissions.
Option 1
A satisfactory completion of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, official transcripts, and GRE scores, and three letters of recommendation.
Option 2
A satisfactory completion of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, official transcripts, and a letter of recommendation from a faculty member at the applicant’s undergraduate institution, plus a recommendation from a UT Arlington Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty member.
Option 3
A satisfactory completion of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, official transcripts, and a letter of recommendation from a faculty member at the undergraduate institution, plus a recommendation from a UT Arlington Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty member based on a face-to-face interview.
Language Requirements
An applicant whose native language is not English must submit a TOEFL score of at least 550 or a score of at least 213 on the computer-based test. A TSE-A score of 45 or higher can be substituted for the TOEFL. Those who have completed their undergraduate education in English may be eligible for a TOEFL waiver based on the recommendation letters.
PROVISIONAL ADMISSION
An applicant unable to supply all required documentation prior to the admission deadline but who otherwise appears to meet admission requirements may be granted provisional admission.
A deferred decision may be granted when a file is incomplete or when a denied decision is not appropriate.
PROBATIONARY ADMISSION
In rare cases, probationary admission may be granted as the result of a substandard performance on one or more of the admission criteria. In this case, the Graduate Advisor will set additional conditions for admission including, but not limited to, additional undergraduate coursework and/or achieving a B or better in the first 9 hours of graduate coursework.
DENIAL OF ADMISSION
A candidate may be denied admission if they have less than satisfactory performance on a majority of the admission criteria described above.
ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS/FELLOWSHIPS
Students that have no provisional admission conditions to meet will be eligible for available scholarship and/or fellowship support. Award of scholarships or fellowships will be based on the same criteria utilized in admission decisions. To be eligible, candidates must be new students coming to UT Arlington in the Fall semester, must have a GPA of 3.0 in their last 60 undergraduate credit hours plus any graduate credit hours as calculated by Graduate Admissions, and must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 hours of coursework in both long semesters to retain their fellowships. (Students with graduate teaching or research assistantships, however, must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 hours of coursework in both long semesters and 6 hours of coursework in the summer sessions.)
Ph.D. Degree Requirements
To be admitted to the Ph.D. program, an applicant must satisfy the general admission requirements of the program and his or her academic record must show preparation for advanced work in chemistry.
Each candidate must complete the following program requirements:
| 1. Courses for students emphasizing analytical chemistry | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| CHEM 5324 | ANALYTICAL MASS SPECTROMETRY AND SPECTROSCOPY | 3 |
| CHEM 5325 | SEPARATION SCIENCE | 3 |
| CHEM 5327 | ANALYTICAL ELECTROCHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5326 | ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY - CONCEPTS AND IMPLEMENTATION | 3 |
| Plus any two (2) courses from two divisions outside of analytical chemistry (biochemistry, inorganic, organic, or physical) 1 | ||
| Plus: One of the courses listed in item 7 | ||
| 2. Courses for students emphasizing biochemistry: | ||
| CHEM 5336 | BIOINORGANIC CHEMISTRY, COFACTORS & COENZYMES | 3 |
| CHEM 5325 | SEPARATION SCIENCE (Biochemistry Core Course) | 3 |
| CHEM 5327 | ANALYTICAL ELECTROCHEMISTRY (Biochemistry Core Course) | 3 |
| Students emphasizing biochemistry who have not had one full year of General Biochemistry must also take the following courses BEFORE taking CHEM 5321, CHEM 5325, and CHEM 5327: | ||
| CHEM 5331 | ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| CHEM 5262 | COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY | 2 |
| CHEM 5351 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| CHEM 5341 | INORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5358 | DETERMINATION OF MOLECULAR STRUCTURE BY PHYSICAL METHODS | 3 |
| CHEM 5324 | ANALYTICAL MASS SPECTROMETRY AND SPECTROSCOPY | 3 |
| Plus: One of the courses listed in item 7 | ||
| 3. Courses for students emphasizing inorganic chemistry: | ||
| CHEM 5341 | INORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5358 | DETERMINATION OF MOLECULAR STRUCTURE BY PHYSICAL METHODS | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| CHEM 5262 & CHEM 5168 | COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY and QUANTUM CHEMISTRY LABORATORY | 3 |
| CHEM 5351 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| CHEM 5324 | ANALYTICAL MASS SPECTROMETRY AND SPECTROSCOPY | 3 |
| CHEM 5331 | ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| Plus: One of the courses listed in item 7 | ||
| 4. Courses for students emphasizing organic chemistry: | ||
| CHEM 5358 | DETERMINATION OF MOLECULAR STRUCTURE BY PHYSICAL METHODS | 3 |
| CHEM 5351 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| CHEM 5354 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II | 3 |
| CHEM 5355 | ADVANCED ORGANIC SYNTHESIS | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| CHEM 5262 | COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY | 2 |
| CHEM 5324 | ANALYTICAL MASS SPECTROMETRY AND SPECTROSCOPY | 3 |
| CHEM 5341 | INORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5331 | ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| Plus: one of the courses listed in item 7 | ||
| 5. Courses for students emphasizing physical chemistry: | ||
| CHEM 5361 | INTRODUCTION TO GRADUATE PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5364 | ADVANCED GRADUATE PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5300 | SELECTED TOPICS IN ADVANCED CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| CHEM 5351 | ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| CHEM 5324 | ANALYTICAL MASS SPECTROMETRY AND SPECTROSCOPY | 3 |
| or CHEM 5326 | ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY - CONCEPTS AND IMPLEMENTATION | |
| CHEM 5341 | INORGANIC CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| CHEM 5331 | ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY I | 3 |
| Plus: One of the courses listed in item 7 | ||
| 6. Courses for students emphasizing polymer chemistry: | ||
| All required courses for any of the other emphasis areas 1-5 plus: | ||
| CHEM 5356 | ADVANCED POLYMER CHEMISTRY | 3 |
| 7. Chemistry Internship - Select one of the following: 2 | ||
| CHEMISTRY CAREER DEVELOPMENT | ||
| CHEMISTRY CAREER DEVELOPMENT | ||
| CHEMISTRY CAREER DEVELOPMENT | ||
| 8. Additional research and elective courses chosen according to the student’s dissertation topic and area of specialization under the guidance of the supervising committee | ||
| Total Hours | 136 | |
| 1 | CHEM 5358 DETERMINATION OF MOLECULAR STRUCTURE BY PHYSICAL METHODS cannot be used to fulfill this requirement. Students who do not have a good instrumentation background should consider taking CHEM 5421 ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTATION. |
| 2 | Each student is required to spend three months in a nonacademic chemical laboratory; credit may be given for a student’s previous industrial research experience. |
A course grade may be used to satisfy degree requirements for no more than seven years after the course has been completed.
After admission to the doctoral program, the student must successfully complete the appropriate examination(s) required by the faculty of the student’s discipline.
A supplementary set of guidelines, published by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, should be consulted.