Northern Illinois University
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

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