About the Program

The Chemistry Department offers a comprehensive Doctor of Philosophy degree, dedicated to cultivating creative and conscientious scientists. The department offers educational opportunities in six doctoral tracks: Biological Chemistry, Chemistry Education Research, Green Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physical/Analytical Chemistry, with a special emphasis on interdisciplinary research. Students immerse themselves in research labs early in the program and tailor their academic plan in accordance with their research interests.

Students are required to complete 60 credits of coursework consisting of two core courses, three elective courses, a graduate seminar course and a dissertation research course. The set of core courses is dictated by the student’s track. In addition, the department’s emphasis on Green Chemistry permeates the curricula of all of its doctoral tracks. Our PhD program culminates in a public defense of the student’s research and the publication of the dissertation.

The specialty of the Department is in the field of Green Chemistry, and we are proud to be the first school in the country to offer a doctoral degree via the PhD in Chemistry/Green Chemistry Track. It focuses specifically on preparing chemistry doctoral students to direct, design and implement chemical research using strategies that reduce or eliminate the impact on human health or the environment. It provides experiences, tools, and skills needed for conducting research in a more environmentally sustainable fashion. The strength of the green chemistry curriculum lies in its overlapping interdisciplinary themes of research. Our faculty is committed to research designed to benefit society, and this emphasis is reflected in our course selections at all levels of education.