Department of Chemistry

Chair and Professor Strommen
Professors Benson, Kalivas, Ronald, Sutter, Wiegand
Associate Professors Rodriguez, Wells
Assistant Professors Castle, De Jesus, Rosentreter

Combined BS/MS Program in Chemistry

Students may be admitted to the program after having completed 64 credit hours. Application for admission must be made to the Chemistry Department. In addition, the student should have completed the following courses or the equivalent:

CHEM 121-122		General Chemistry		9 cr
CHEM 126		Cations and Anions		1 cr
CHEM 211		Inorganic Chemistry I		2 cr
CHEM 232		Quantitative Analysis		2 cr
CHEM 234		Quantitative Analysis 
			Laboratory			2 cr
CHEM 301-302		Organic Chemistry		6 cr
CHEM 303-304		Organic Chemistry
			Laboratory I & II 		2 cr
PHYS 221-222		Engineering Physics		8 cr
PHYS 223-224		Engineering Physics 
			Laboratory			2 cr
MATH 121		Calculus and Analytic 
			Geometry I			4 cr
MATH 222		Calculus and Analytic 
			Geometry II			4 cr
Requirements (See the suggested schedule).

During the first semester each student is expected to select three faculty members to serve as his/her advisory committee subject to the approval of the Department Chair. In the second semester, each student will form their planned program of study with their research advisor, write a research overview of their project, apply and be admitted to the Graduate School. The student is expected to begin his/her research no later than the beginning of the summer session. Thereafter, individual sections of the research paper will be required as students progress through the program.

Students must apply and be admitted to the Graduate School prior to their fourth year. The student must score at or above the 35th percentile in two areas of the aptitude sections (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical). Continuation in the program requires that the student maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 from date of admission and annual approval of his/her committee. It will be recommended that students who are not making adequate progress discontinue the program.

The student must complete a total of 158 credit hours. This corresponds to 128 credit hours for the BS degree and 30 credit hours for the MS degree. The final course selection must be approved by the Chemistry Graduate Program Committee. Students are required to have completed all general education requirements by the end of their second year in the combined BS/MS program. It is the intent that all students will finish within the period of 3 years after admission to the program. Successful completion of the program requires that the student write and defend a research paper embodying his/her research before his/her research committee.

Suggested Schedule

The following schedule will show how a typical student might progress through the BS/MS program. Even though courses are listed as suggested, each student is required to meet all course requirements for the BS degree in chemistry (except independent problems CHEM 481 and CHEM 482). Each student is also required to complete all four advanced chemistry courses at the 500 level (CHEM 510, CHEM 530, CHEM 555, and CHEM 571). These courses are taken during the second and third years of the program.

Third Year (Junior)

Fall/Spring

*CHEM 305		Organic Chemistry 
			Laboratory III			2 cr
*CHEM 313		Instrumental Analysis		2 cr
*CHEM 334		Instrumental Analysis 
			Laboratory			2 cr
*CHEM 351		Physical Chemistry		3 cr
*CHEM 352		Physical Chemistry		3 cr
MATH 230		Linear Algebra			2 cr
MATH 360		Differential Equations		3 cr
			Electives			11 cr
			TOTAL				28 credits
*Must be completed by the end of the junior year.

Summer

CHEM 435		Senior Research	6 cr
Fourth Year (Senior)
Fall/Spring
CHEM 407		Inorganic Chemistry II		2 cr
CHEM 408		Preparative Inorganic 
			Chemistry			1 cr
CHEM 435		Senior Research			2 cr
CHEM 453		Modern Experimental Physical 
			Chemistry			2 cr
CHEM 466		Structural Analysis in 
			Chemistry			2 cr
CHEM 491		Seminar				1 cr
CHEM 510		Advanced Inorganic Chemistry	3 cr
CHEM 555		Advanced Physical Chemistry	3 cr
			Electives			11 cr
			TOTAL 				27 credits
Summer

CHEM 635		Master's Research		6 cr
Fifth Year

Fall/Spring

CHEM 530		Advanced Analytical Chemistry	3 cr
CHEM 571		Advanced Organic Chemistry	3 cr
CHEM 601		Seminar				2 cr
CHEM 635		Master's Research		4 cr
			Electives			13 cr
			TOTAL 				25 credits