- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Academics
- Graduate Programs
- Graduate Programs Overview
Graduate Programs Overview
General Considerations for All Students
- Required Background Courses
- 1 year of general chemistry, 1 year of physical chemistry and 4 additional 300–400 level chemistry courses
- 3 semesters of calculus or 2 semesters of calculus and 1 semester of differential equations
- Background Exam in General Chemistry
- Taken the week before first semester – ACS exam in General Chemistry
- Required to pass to qualify for teaching assistantship
- Required Course Loads
- Graduate assistants – 9 chemistry‐program‐relevant hours in the Fall and Spring; 1 hour of research during Summer
- Seminar
- Take CHEM 615 (or 616) each semester
- Attend two seminars weekly during Fall and Spring semesters – Monday Colloquium and divisional (or topical) seminar
- Divisional (or topical) seminars may be “sampled” during first semester
- Aspects of Professional Chemistry
- Take one hour per semester of CHEM 690 during first year
- Research Advisor Selection
- Faculty research overviews will be given during the middle of the first semester
- Research advisor selection and assignment is made during the last week of the first semester
- Choose a research major (analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, physical, or nano) and file a program of courses
- Graduate School Dates and Deadlines
- Watch deadlines carefully – course registration, thesis or dissertation submission, graduation application, etc.
- Progress will be reviewed periodically by the Director of Graduate Studies
- Teaching Assistantship Eligibility
- Requires good academic standing and adequate progress in the program
- Further eligibility requires satisfactory research progress
- Maximum of five semesters (plus four summer terms) for MS or ten semesters for PhD from the date of entry into the program
Master's Degree (M.S.)
- Course Work
- Fourteen chemistry‐program‐relevant course hours are required. It can be accomplished through taking four lecture (three-hour) courses and two one-hour “skills” courses (e.g., UNIV 600-602; CHEM 691; CHEM 616)
- Take CHEM 698 each semester
- Take CHEM 699 during semester of graduation
- Research
- Write and orally defend master's thesis
- Teaching assistantship eligibility
- Eligibility maintenance requires good academic standing and adequate progress in the program
- Requires adequate performance of teaching assistantship duties
- Given positive feedback from research advisor, extends five semesters (plus summer terms) from date of entry into program
Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D.)
- Course Work
- Nineteen chemistry‐program‐relevant course hours are required. It can be accomplished through taking five lecture (three-hour) courses and four one-hour “skills” courses (e.g., UNIV 600-602; CHEM 691; CHEM 616)
- Take CHEM 698 each semester until the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam is passed; then take CHEM 799 each semester
- Ph.D. Qualifying Exam – a written exam in the student's major area
- Must be attempted no later than the first offering of the fourth non‐summer semester following admission (Students with NIU M.S. degrees follow modified date regulations – see documents listed at top of page)
- Exams are given in September, January and May
- Course requirements in the student's major area must be met to take the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam
- A 3.20 or above NIU Graduate School GPA is required to take the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam
- Ph.D. Candidacy Exam (CHEM 617) – a 30-page introduction to the dissertation paper and an oral presentation/exam concerning the research of the student
- Must take place within 12 months of passing the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam
- Must be passed with a grade of B- or better
- Comprehensive Literature Review (CHEM 618) - Preparation and presentation (a 45 min oral talk) of comprehensive literature review on topic different from primary research area.
- Must be done within one year of successful completion of CHEM 617 examination.
- Annual Research Update – an oral presentation and discussion of research progress
- Must be given within 12 months of passing the Ph.D. Candidacy Exam and repeated annually until graduation
- Research
- Perform graduate research starting semester two until graduation
- Write and orally defend Ph.D. dissertation
- Teaching Assistantship Eligibility
- Eligibility maintenance requires good academic standing and adequate progress in the program
- Requires adequate performance of teaching assistantship duties
- Given positive feedback from research advisor and meeting other Ph.D. program requirements, extends 10 semesters (plus summer terms) from entry into program
Graduate Advising
James R. Horn
La Tourette Hall 432
jrhorn@niu.edu