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James Tarpo Jr. and Margaret Tarpo
Department of Chemistry

Graduate Program Requirements in Chemistry

 

Prerequisites

It is desirable to have a minimum of 35 semester hours of undergraduate credit in chemistry as a basis for graduate work. The 35 hours must include the basic undergraduate courses in general chemistry, quantitative analysis, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry. In addition, the student should have credit in mathematics through integral calculus and one year of physics. Additional courses in mathematics and physics are desirable.

 

Doctor of Philosophy Program

Selection of Primary Advisor and Advisory Committee

Most students will select a primary advisor during their first semester of graduate study after completing the Department's advisor selection process. The primary advisor must be an approved research professor from the Department of Chemistry. Each student's primary advisor will work with him/her to select at least two additional faculty to complete the advisory committee. Two members of the committee (including the primary advisor) must be from the Department of Chemistry. The committee and student will develop a plan of study with courses that will be primary or related to the student's research, enrich their breadth of knowledge in their area of focus and meet program requirements.

Course Requirements

Each student must earn credit in a minimum of 18 hours of graduate courses (600 level or approved 500 level) by the end of their fourth semester in the program. The student must maintain a Purdue Plan of Study grade point average (GPA) of no less than 2.8 to stay in good academic standing within the department. The student is required to outline their 18-credit coursework plan on the Plan of Study and submit it for approval to their advisory committee. The Advisory Committee, once established, will review the Plan of Study to ensure both depth and breadth in the scope of coursework. The decision to approve the Plan of Study will be performed exclusively by the Advisory Committee. 

At least nine of the eighteen hours must be in Purdue chemistry courses. No course grade lower than a “C” may be included in the Plan of Study. Graduate students who entered the program after the spring 2023 semester must also complete their division's designated Foundation Course with a grade of “B” or better by the end of their second fall semester in the program.

No changes may be made to a Plan of Study without approval of the student’s Advisory Committee. Part of the course requirements may be satisfied by credit in graduate courses from another institution or Purdue department, subject to the approval of the Advisory Committee. 

The PhD requires 90 credits total, including both coursework and Ph.D. research (CHM 69900) credit.

Seminar Requirement

All students will present at least one formal seminar in their division's seminar series. The timing, content and number of seminar presentations required  will be determined by the student's research division.

Annual Report and Individual Development Plan (IDP)

At the end of every Summer semester, each student will provide a written annual report and IDP with several components to their advisor, which their advisor will evaluate. A special annual report with additional components will be required before the student takes their preliminary exam, which will be submitted to the student's primary advisor and committee for evaluation. 

Pre-Candidacy Assessment/Examinations

Students admitted prior to the Summer 2023 semester must pass five cumulative examinations by the end of their fourth semester in order to take their candidacy examination (oral and written preliminary exam).

Students admitted after Spring 2023  will not take the cumulative exams. Instead, they will need to pass the Foundational Course in their division with a grade of B or better by the end of their 2nd fall semester. 

Candidacy Examination

Passing the oral preliminary examination establishes each student’s candidacy for the PhD degree. The preliminary exam should be completed and defended by the end of the fifth semester (fall and spring) of graduate study, unless an extension is granted by the Graduate Studies Committee. In the Department of Chemistry, this examination consists of two parts, an Original Proposal (OP) and a Required Research Assessment (RRA). Each part will include written components and an oral presentation to the student's examining committee.

Thesis Defense

Graduation candidates for the Ph.D. Degree in Chemistry must submit a thesis describing the results of their research. Regulations regarding the preparation of the thesis are described on the OGSPS’s Thesis and Dissertation Office website at https://www.purdue.edu/academics/ogsps/research/thesis/.

The student's thesis defense will consist of two parts. The first part will involve a public presentation of the student’s research accomplishments, with time and format arranged to permit questions from the audience. Immediately following the presentation, the candidate will be examined on the material in the thesis and on related topics by her/his examining committee which will consist of at least four faculty members, three members from the original plan of study committee plus one additional faculty member heir accomplishments, with time and format arranged to permit questions from the audience. Immediately following the presentation, the candidate will be examined on the material in the thesis and on related topics by her/his examining committee which will consist of at least four faculty members, three members from the original plan of study committee plus one additional faculty member.

Master of Science Program

Only under special circumstances are applicants admitted directly to the master’s program. An exception is granted for US military veterans and active service applicants who are fully funded by scholarships or other military programs, and are seeking an MS degree. 

The minimum general course requirement is 18 credits of graduate level coursework, with at least 12 hours of 600 level courses, to be outlined in a Plan of Study approved by the student’s advisor and committee. At least 9 credit hours must come from Purdue Chemistry courses. The Plan of Study must reflect a minimum GPA of 2.5. The student is also required to complete at least 12 MS research credits (CHM 69800) with a grade of Satisfactory (S). At least 30 total credits, including both general course work and research credits, are required for the MS degree. Credits used toward a previously earned MS degree and transfer courses from a graduate program at another institution cannot be used to meet the coursework requirements.

The Chemistry Department does not offer “non-thesis” master’s degrees. All MS students must submit an approved research thesis, following the typical guidelines and schedule of OGSPS. Students should consult with their major advisor about the scope and length of the MS thesis. The requirement of a formal oral presentation and defense of the MS thesis is left to the discretion of the major advisor.