Chemistry, M.S.

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Chemistry

The Chemistry Program offers the Master of Science degree with a non-thesis option (Concentration a: 100% coursework, concentration b: project option, and concentration c: embedded MS degree for Applied Science Chemistry-PhD students) and thesis option, providing advanced preparation for careers in government or industrial research or for doctoral study.

The program’s curricula are a blend of traditional and nontraditional innovative courses that reflect the needs of modern chemistry. The UA Little Rock Chemistry Program offers research-quality instrumentation and computer facilities as well as individual attention to each student and a high quality of instruction. Please visit the Program’s website

(https://ualr.edu/chemistry/graduate-programs)

Admission Requirements

Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75 (4.0 scale), or 3.0 in the last 60 hours
Entering students will be counseled and placed in appropriate courses based on their performances on placement tests in the four sub-disciplines of chemistry.

Graduate Assistantships

A limited number of graduate assistantships are available. Contact the program coordinator for information. International applicants for teaching assistantships must have an overall score of at least 50 on the Test of Spoken English. (The testing facility must send scores to the program coordinator).

Program Requirements

Both options require at least 30 graduate chemistry hours, including at least three of four core courses (CHEM 7311 Advanced Analytical Chemistry , CHEM 7340 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry , CHEM 7350 Organic Reaction Mechanisms , CHEM 7370 Physical Principles of Chemical Reactivity ), as determined by the department’s graduate programs committee.

The Master of Science Thesis Option

The master of science thesis option requires a minimum of 11 credit hours of CHEM 8100 -CHEM 8400 Thesis Research one credit hour of CHEM 7190 Graduate Seminar and 18 hours of graded graduate coursework. Graded graduate coursework must include 3 of the 4 core courses, as described above. The student selects a thesis advisor and a specific thesis research project, then conducts research, writes, and orally defends a thesis.

The Master of Science Non-Thesis Option

Concentration a: For this 100% coursework option, the MS degree is attained by completing the 30-hour degree requirement by taking all graded coursework (i.e. no research, thesis, or project hours). The coursework includes at least three of the four core courses (CHEM 7311 Advanced Analytical Chemistry , CHEM 7340 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry , CHEM 7350 Organic Reaction Mechanisms , CHEM 7370 Physical Principles of Chemical Reactivity , as determined by the Chemistry Graduate Programs committee and additional graduate-level coursework relevant to the program of study or as advised by the graduate advisor and the student’s graduate committee.

Concentration b: For the project option, 24 hours of graded graduate coursework, 5 hours of research project, and one hour of CHEM 7190 Graduate Seminar is required. This must include 3 of the 4 core courses, as described above. The project will be chosen in conjunction with a major professor and the subject and supporting coursework approved by the student’s graduate committee. The student selects a three-faculty member advisory committee and a specific research project. The student must write up the project report and present it to the supervising committee for evaluation.

Concentration c: The Applied Science Chemistry-PhD students may request a chemistry MS degree after finishing 30 credit hours, successfully defending the dissertation proposal, and passing the candidacy examination. The students may contact the Chemistry graduate coordinator for more information or any clarifications.

General rules for all MS degree options: The required course hours might include graduate chemistry courses of specific interest to the student as suggested by the major professor and graduate committee; up to three graduate chemistry hours transferred from another school; up to three approved graduate hours from another UA Little Rock program; or up to nine 5000-level hours.

Graduation Requirements

Cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on an approved program of study as outlined above
Successful completion of 30 graduate chemistry hours.
Successful completion of a written thesis and oral defense (for the M.S. thesis option), all graded coursework (Concentration “a” of M.S. non-thesis coursework option), written project report and seminar presentation (Concentration “b” of M.S. non-thesis project option), or passing dissertation proposal and candidacy examination (Concentration “c” of M.S. non-thesis project option as an embedded degree for the Applied Science Chemistry-PhD students).