Program Requirements

Chemistry master's students may select from one of four M.S. program concentrations: General, Separation Science, Chemical Education, or Business-Oriented Separation Science. The requirements for each concentration are outlined below. Graduate coursework must be completed at the 400-level. However, two of the following courses may be taken as part of the master’s program if they have not been previously taken as part of an undergraduate program:

• CHEM 316: Inorganic Chemistry
• CHEM 330: Instrumental Analysis: Spectroscopy or
• CHEM 331: Instrumental Analysis: Quantitative Methods

Core Courses

Master's students must complete at least one course in each of the four areas of the Core Courses:

General Concentration

Students in the General program must take 30 credit hours from the Core Courses and/or Separation Science concentration and are also encouraged to do research and/or thesis work. These courses can be distributed as:

• 21 hours of Core/Separation Science Courses, and 9 hours of Independent study (CHEM 408, 3 cr.) and Thesis Seminar (CHEM 409, 6 cr.) with oral defense of thesis work, or
• 27 hours of Core/Separation Science Courses and 3 hours of Independent Study with oral presentation of Independent Study work, or
• 30 credit hours of Core/Separation Science Courses and take a comprehensive written departmental examination

Separation Science Concentration

Students in the Separation Science program must take 9 hours of the following Required Coursework in Separation Science:

• CHEM 451: Liquid Chromatography, 3 cr.
• CHEM 455: Method Development and Validation in Liquid Chromatography, 3 cr.
• CHEM 456: Advanced Chromatographic Methods, 3 cr.

Thesis students must complete 12 hours of Core Courses, 9 hours of Required Coursework in Separation Science, and 9 hours of Independent Study (CHEM 408, 3 cr.) and Thesis Seminar (CHEM 409, 6 cr.) in the area of Separation Science with oral defense of the thesis work. 

Non-thesis students must complete 18 hours of Core Course, 9 hours of Required Coursework in Separation Science, and three hours of Independent Study in the area of Separation Science with oral presentation of the Independent Study work.

Chemical Education Concentration

Students in the Chemical Education program must take 9 hours of the following Required Coursework in Education (or other 400 level courses from the College of Education approved by the Chemistry Department):

• EDFN 410: Education as a Social Institution, 3 cr. 
• LTCY 502: Literacy Instruction in Content Areas in Middle and High Schools, 3 cr.  
• LTCY 506: Writing Instruction as Related to Reading in Middle and High Schools, 3 cr. 
• EDFN 442: Media Technology for Educators, 3 cr. 

Thesis students must complete 12 hours of Core Courses, 9 hours of Required Coursework in Education, and 9 hours of Independent Study (CHEM 408, 3 cr.) and Thesis Seminar (CHEM 409, 6 cr.) in the area of Chemical Education with oral defense of the thesis work. 

Non-thesis students must complete 18 hours from the Core Course, 9 hours of Required Coursework in Education, and 3 hours of Independent Study in the area of Chemical Education with oral presentation of the Independent Study work.

Business-Oriented Separation Science Concentration

Students in the Business-Oriented Separation Science program must take Gas Chromatography (CHEM 450), 9 hours of the Required Coursework in the Separation Science program, 3 hours of Independent Study in the area of Separation Science, and 15 hours of the following required Business Competencies Coursework:

• COBM 401: Accounting for Managers, 3 cr.
• COBM 402: Business Economics and Finance for Managers, 3 cr.
• COBM 403: Topics in Management and Marketing, 3 cr.
• COBM 404: Business Statistics and Operations Decisions for Managers, 3 cr.

One elective from the following Managerial Competencies courses:

• MNGT 474: Human Resources Policy and Decision Making, 3 cr.
• MNGT 480: Entrepreneurship, 3 cr.
• MNGT 389: Management of Organizational Change, 3 cr.
• MNGT 490: Innovation and Creativity, 3 cr.
• MNGT 491: Strategic Technology & Innovation Management, 3 cr.