The Chemistry Advisor

The American Chemical Society has a booklet devoted to graduate study in chemistry; copies are available from the chemistry department office or can be requested on-line from the ACS. A copy is kept in a notebook in Overman 24 (by the computers) .

title : Planning for Graduate Work in Chemistry

• An on line version of this booklet .

• Master's programs (M. S. degrees)
  • generally take approximately two years to complete.
  • some M . S. programs are mainly course work, although many involve a significant research problem and a research thesis.
  • the master's work is generally in one specialized area or division of chemistry
  • students do not automatically pursue M S. degrees at their undergraduate institution.
  • some M. S. programs enroll part time students
  • almost all full time M. S. students are supported by graduate teaching assistantships or other forms of financial support such as fellowships and fee waivers.
• Doctoral programs (Ph.D. degrees)
  • generally take 4-5 years for completion
  • course work is often limited to the first year
  • each student is responsible for a significant research problem and for preparing a detailed doctoral dissertation on that work.
  • the thesis work is done under the direction of a faculty mentor and is in a specialized area of chemistry.
  • progress in a doctoral problem is usually measured through a series of written and oral exams. These exams typically are drawn, in part, from the current chemical literature.
  • Most doctoral programs accept students as they complete their bachelor's degree. (The M. S. is not a requirement for a Ph.D. program.
  • Doctoral programs recruit students on a national scale; only a small fraction of students continue into doctoral programs at their undergraduate institution. Some doctoral programs are in research institutions that do not have an undergraduate program.
  • Virtually all Ph. D. students in chemistry have full financial support in the form of fellowships to teaching assistantships.
  • Most doctoral programs are for full time students.

The book: ACS Directory of Graduate Research
is published by the ACS and is available for review in the chemistry department office. This book lists all the U. S. and Canadian Schools that offer Master's and Doctoral Degrees in Chemistry, Biochemistry Chemical Engineering and a few other specialized programs. This book has detailed information on the school, the faculty in the department, recent publications and titles of recent dissertations.

Another book, also available in the office provides additional information.
.....ACS Chemical Sciences Graduate School Finder>
This is less complete, partly because schools pay to be included. Often you find that a school has included entries for programs that relate to chemistry although there may not be a specific entry for the chemsitry program. Absence of an entry should not be a sign that no such program exists or that it is weak.

You can find these by linking to the Info Surf web site for graduate programs in physical sciences. Select Chemistry or Biochemistry and then selecting the region of the country from their map. Most schools also include an e_mail contact for their program.

... the URL for this site is http://www.gradschools.com/physical_sciences.html

As you look through the ACS Directory of Graduate Studies, it's easy to see that some schools have much stronger and active programs. Some smaller programs have chosen to focus or specialize. In general there are few programs that are outstanding in all areas of chemistry. Many institutions have chosen to operate doctoral programs with a number of interdisciplinary programs. As a rule you are advised to pick a school with a strong program and reputation in your area of interest.

There's no hard and fast rule, but you should generally look for schools with strong, active programs. Programs that graduate fewer than 10 PhD student per year are less likely to fit that mold. Of course overall size alone is not a good guide-- you could get lost in some very large programs and a smaller program that stresses your area of interest might be just the ticket.

If you want to set your sights high (and there's no reason not to) you might want to view
the list of the top 20 chemistry programs in the US

Perhaps the best way to identify suitable programs is by talking with faculty member in your field of interest and asking them to recommend programs. Ask about schools with recent BGSU alumni. Graduate School admission is competitive, but BGSU graduates with strong records are accepted at the best programs in the nation.

Most of our weekly seminar speakers are faculty members from other schools. They are drawn here, in part, to recruit graduate students. They are generally eager to talk to undergraduates about their programs. Most doctoral programs encourage prospective students to visit; many pay travel and housing expenses for interested students. The winter break can provide a good opportunity or you might prefer to visit while classes are in session and the graduate student population is on hand.

• Most schools accept student applications up to early or mid December.
• Many schools require the GRE (Graduate Record Exam)
• Many schools have special fellowships available for strong candidates. These may be offered preferentially to early applicants.
• Students should generally apply to several graduate schools. If you are accepted at several schools you can compare the offers.
• Offers from different schools vary considerably so you need to compare carefully. Some schools have large fellowships but charge relatively large tuition. Others provide more modest dollar amounts with tuition waivers. Cost of living varies greatly by location.
• Only a few graduate schools provide student housing so investigating the availability and cost of housing can be an important factor. A visit (buy a local newspaper and discuss housing with graduate students) can help you size up the situation and see what your budget should include. (Faculty are usually a poor source about information on student housing.)
• Visiting the school and talking to their graduate students over lunch can often provide you with a good sense of the overall program.

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comments? suggestions? e_mail to endres@bgnet.bgsu.edu