- 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