Rules for Graduate Study in Chemistry

The Masters of Science in Chemistry is designed to accommodate a wide variety of students with diverse backgrounds and needs. The department is small and flexible, but includes several world-renowned research chemical laboratories, where students can learn state-of-the-art techniques from professors and staff. Students may be either full-time or part-time, as all graduate courses are taught in late afternoon or at night. Many students are already working full-time, often for chemical companies, and wish to upgrade their existing qualifications. Others are full-time, concentrating on research, and often continuing on to Ph.D. programs after their Masters. Limited support in the form of teaching and research assistantships is available for these students.

The program can be completed within 1.5 to 2 years by a full-time student, or longer by part-time students. Courses range from traditional lectures and labs to full research courses. The skills learned by Masters students will enhance their value in industry, government, and academia. Most members of the graduate faculty are affiliated with Ph.D. programs in New Brunswick, so students can continue on to Ph.D. work with the same advisor.

The research interests of the department are diverse, and include radiation and environmental chemistry (biocatalysis for detoxifying hazardous waste), biochemistry (enzyme structure and function), organic chemistry (protein synthesis and molecular modeling of drugs), inorganic chemistry, including solid-state chemistry (synthesis of novel inorganic materials by novel means) and polymer chemistry (conducting and electroactive polymers), and theoretical physical chemistry (chemical physics, surface science, electronic structure). Both faculty and students participate in national and international conferences, and scientific results are published in top journals. Equipment currently used in the department includes a 300MHz NMR spectrometer, a 2-D FTIR spectrometer, UV-VIS spectrophotometers, single-crystal and powder X-ray diffractometers, and Silicon Graphics, SUN and Compaq-Alpha workstations.

More information is available at http://camchem.rutgers.edu, or from chemdept@www.camden.rutgers.edu or from (856)225-6142.

Applications for admission to the graduate program in chemistry should be submitted no later than March 1 for the fall term if the applicant wishes to be considered for assistantships, fellowships, or other financial aid. For applicants not requesting financial aid, the application deadline for the fall term is August 1 and the application deadline for the spring term is January 1. It is sometimes possible to begin the program in the summer term; contact the executive officer for details (chemdept@www.camden.rutgers.edu).

Applicants must satisfy the following criteria: 1. Have completed, by the date of enrollment in the graduate program, a baccalaureate degree with a major in chemistry or a related field. 2. Submit transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work. 3. Only if seeking financial aid, submit the results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (preferably including the subject test). 4. Submit three letters of recommendation. 5. Submit the completed application form. 6. International students must complete the international application form.

Students applying with deficiencies in their backgrounds might be (a) admitted on probation, often requiring the taking of an undergraduate chemistry course in their first semester, or (b) accepted as non-matriculated, meaning they must take proscribed undergraduate chemistry courses prior to admission into the graduate chemistry program.

Students must complete 30 credits of graduate course work. Up to 9 graduate credits may be transferred from other institutions, if approved by the graduate faculty. Graduate courses offered outside the program may be taken for graduate credit, but only if approved by the graduate faculty. A minimum of 18 credits of lecture courses must be taken.

Research Credit

Up to 6 credits may be taken in (non-thesis) research courses (56:160:619,620).

Thesis/Non-thesis:

Up to 6 credits may be taken in preparing a research thesis (56:160:701,702). Students not doing a thesis must prepare an essay and seminar on some problem of current research interest in chemistry (3 credits). This might be an expanded version of some paper submitted in a regular lecture course.

Faculty advisor

Students pursuing the research-track or library-thesis track should find a faculty advisor (by mutual consent) before the start of their second semester, usually specializing in their area of interest.

Faculty Committee for Research and Library Thesis Tracks

Before the start of the second year, a student's advisor will appoint two other individuals to form the student's committee, usually from the Graduate School-Camden faculty. The committee oversees the selection of a research project, judges the acceptability of the thesis or essay, and conducts the final examination.

Research initiation for Research and Library Thesis Tracks

When a student is ready to begin research for her/his thesis, a short written outline of the proposed research is given to the members of her/his committee, and a meeting held with the committee to discuss the proposed plan.

Completed thesis

The thesis must be approved by the director of the student's research and then accepted by the other committee members. It is the student's responsibility to check with the Office of Graduate Studies in Camden to obtain information concerning the final thesis form, number of copies required, and deadlines.

Final examinations (thesis defense)

All students are required to pass a final, oral examination, conducted by their committee. This exam is usually 1 hour in length, and begins with a presentation (open to the public, possibly scheduled as a research seminar) of her/his thesis or term-paper.

An application for admission to candidacy must be filed early in the term in which the final examination is to be administered. Application forms are available from the director of the graduate program in chemistry. The examination must be completed in accordance with the schedule established by the Office of Graduate Studies in Camden. In the event of an unfavorable decision, the examination may be repeated twice.

Teaching assistants

All T.A.'s are required to take at least 6 graduate credits (other than their T.A.ship) each semester. T.A.'s get 6 E-credits (56:160:866) per semester. T.A.ships are limited to 2 years duration.

Placement exams for teaching and graduate assistants

All teaching and graduate assistants are expected to take placement exams in physical, organic, and analytic chemistry, and in either biochemistry or inorganic, prior to starting their first semester.

Research seminar

All teaching and graduate assistants must take the research seminar course (56:160:601,602) whenever offered. Part-time students are also encouraged to take this seminar, if possible.

Any student whose average GPA for a given semester falls below 3.0 (worse than B) is automatically put on academic probation. Two successive semesters, each with average GPA below 3.0, will lead to separation from the program. No more than one graduate course with a grade of C or C+ can be counted toward the degree.

Student appeals

Student appeals of decisions of the Scholastic Standing Committee, or student grievances related to academic matters, must be presented in writing to the director of the graduate program within one month of the decision(s). Acceptable grounds for appeal are (1) technical error, and/or (2) new information, and/or (3) extenuating circumstances. Students are allowed to meet with the committee and are permitted to be represented by an adviser form within the university community. In consultation with the Scholastic Standing Committee and all parties to the dispute, the director proposes a resolution of the matter. If this is unsuccessful, the matter is placed before the membership of the graduate program faculty for its decision. While such faculty action is normally final, a student may appeal to the Graduate School-Camden in cases where he or she is dissatisfied with the resolution arrived at in the program.

Student complaints about grades

A student with a complaint about a grade must submit the complaint in writing to the course instructor within one week of the receipt of the grade. In the event of an unsatisfactory resolution of the problem, the student may appeal to the graduate program director, or designee selected by the graduate program, whose decision is final. Such appeal must be made in writing, no later than one week following the date of unsatisfactory resolution.