Where is Bowling Green State University located?

Situated 20 miles south of Toledo, Ohio, Bowling Green State University is located in the town of Bowling Green, part of the scenic Great Lakes region.  The City of Bowling Green was grown as a result of the prosperous oil and gas boom of the 1930s and is a true representation of small town America.  However, Bowling Green is within easy driving distance of major midwest cities and the Toledo airport.

How big is the University?

BGSU has approximately 18,000 undergraduate and 3,000 graduate students from 50 states and 83 foreign nations.

How big is the Center for Photochemical Sciences?

The Center for Photochemical Sciences has 18 primary faculty and 60 graduate students and is housed in the Physical Sciences Laboratory Building with administrative offices and additional laboratories located in Overman Hall.  The Center is both large enough to offer a wide range of research opportunities and small enough to provide a relatively intimate environment that allows close interactions among students and faculty.

What areas of research are offered?

Research in the Center for Photochemical Sciences focuses on a wide range of investigations into the role of light in chemical and physical processes.  Such emphasis enables collaborative, interdisciplinary research.  Some of highlights of our research focus include:

• Molecular Photochemistry and Photophysics of Novel Chromophores  
• Single-Molecule Spectroscopy and Imaging
• Hybrid Metal-Organic Photonic Materials
• Organic Semiconductors, Electroluminescence, and Sensory Materials
• Solar Energy Capture, Conversion and Catalysis
• Biophotonics
• Computational Mechanistic Photochemistry
• Photopolymers and Photopolymerization

How long does it take to get a degree and what is required?

Students pursuing the Ph.D. degree will need about 4 to 5 years to complete the degree.  Coursework is completed in the first two or three semesters, and students are encouraged to begin research as early as possible.  Students will have chosen their research adviser by the beginning of the second semester.  The Qualification Examination (10-15 page research paper and oral examination) is completed by the end of the second year.  Students become candidates for the Ph.D. degree after completion of the Preliminary Examination (preparation and defense of an original research proposal) and submission of the dissertation abstract.

Students who are pursuing an M.S. degree will need about 2 years to complete the degree.

What financial support is available?

Bowling Green State University and the Center for Photochemical Sciences provide full support for all graduate students in good standing, which includes tuition, fees, and a competitive stipend.  This support will be in the form of a teaching assistantship, research assistantship, or fellowship.

What are the criteria for admission to the Ph.D. or M.S. degree program?

Admission requirements are a bachelor's degree in chemistry or a related major from an accredited college or university with a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale. Students with GPA's between 2.8 and 3.0 may also be considered for admission provided there are other indicators of likely success in the program, such as high grades in upper-level chemistry courses and experience in academic or industrial research.

How does one apply?

Those interested in applying should contact the Nora Cassidy by e-mail at ncassid@bgsu.edu or by phone at (419) 372-6008, or by visiting How to Apply on our website. 

Center for Photochemical Sciences
Bowling Green State University
132 Overman Hall, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403
Phone: (419) 372-2033 | Fax: (419) 372-0366