Master of Science

To earn an MS in chemistry or biochemistry, a student must meet the general requirements of the School of Graduate Studies (see pages 115-119), conduct research under the direction of a major professor and write a thesis acceptable to a supervisory committee (Plan A) or write a review-of-literature paper (Plan B), and pass an oral examination that is principally a defense of the thesis or the Plan B paper.

Qualified undergraduate chemistry majors at USU may apply in the third year for admission to the MS program. Students may be admitted to this MS program if they have a B average in chemistry, physics, and mathematics courses, and have completed the one-year sequences in general, organic, and physical chemistry (including labs), two courses in analytical or inorganic chemistry, two semesters of physics, math through MATH 2210 , and at least 15 credits of their  University Studies requirements.

Students should consult with the chairperson of the Graduate Recruiting and Admissions Committee to be certain of their eligibility for this program. The chairperson will then submit an application to the department head and to the School of Graduate Studies for approval. Students must earn a satisfactory score on the GRE exam before the completion of the MS degree. All requirements for the BS degree must be completed within two semesters of admission. The MS coursework cannot include coursework counted toward the BS degree.

Chemistry Course Requirements

Every MS and PhD student in the chemistry program must complete the courses required for their specialization: Analytical—CHEM 7600 , CHEM 7610 ; Inorganic—CHEM 6500 , CHEM 6510 ; Organic—CHEM 6300 , CHEM 7300 , CHEM 7310 ; or Physical Chemistry—CHEM 6010 , CHEM 6020 , CHEM 7020 . Both MS and PhD students must complete a total of at least 15 credits in coursework, exclusive of seminar and research credit. The Program of Study is approved by the student’s supervisory committee. A total of 30 credits is required for the MS degree and a total of 60 credits is required for the PhD. Beginning students who already hold an MS degree need 30 credits to complete the PhD program.