Doctoral Programs in Chemistry and in Chemical Biology
There are two different doctoral programs, a Doctorate in Philosophy in Chemistry and a Doctorate in Philosophy in Chemical Biology. The master’s degree is not a prerequisite for admission to the doctoral program. Admission to either doctoral program is based on official transcripts showing strong performance in chemistry or chemistry and biology coursework, GRE scores, letters of recommendation from at least three of more people who know the student’s academic and research background and for applicants whose native language is not English, a minimum score as specified by the Office of Graduate Academics on the TOEFL. The admissions committee is looking for reasonable evidence that the student will be successful and prove capable of specialization with a broad intellectual foundation. Specifically, students will be admitted to the doctoral program only if the Admissions Committee feels that he/she is reasonably well prepared for the Qualifying Examinations in Chemistry or Chemical Biology, which must be passed within a 15-month period after admission. Students who enter the Ph.D. Program after a master’s degree in the field should be prepared to take the Qualifying Exam within 10 months. Applicants with good academic records who lack this level of preparation may be admitted initially to the M.S. program.
Eighty four credits are required for the doctoral degree. The Master’s degree is not a prerequisite for admission to the doctoral program but may be included in the 84 credits. The 84 credits should include a minimum of 30 credits of dissertation hours. Continuation in the doctoral program is contingent on passing the Qualifying Examination, Preliminary Examination, and meeting all other requirements as dictated by the Stevens Office of Graduate Academics. A student enrolled in the master’s program in Chemistry or Chemical Biology who is interested in a doctorate degree must apply formally for admission to the Doctoral program. For the Ph.D. degree, a prior Masters’ degree may be transferred for up to 30 credits. Up to one-third of additional course credits may be transferred with the approval of the Program Director and the Dean of the Graduate School provided they have not been used to obtain another degree.
Elective Options
The following are typical examples of specialization areas:
Analytical Chemistry
| CH 550 | Spectra and Structure | 3 |
| CH 660 | Advanced Instrumental Analysis | 3 |
| CH 661 | Advanced Instrumental Analysis Laboratory | 3 |
| CH 662 | Separation Methods in Analytical and Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CH 666 | Modern Mass Spectrometry | 3 |
Organic Chemistry
| CH 550 | Spectra and Structure | 3 |
| CH 640 | Advanced Organic and Heterocyclic Chemistry | 3 |
| CH 641 | Advanced Organic and Heterocyclic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CH 642 | Synthetic Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CH 646 | Chemistry of Natural Products | 3 |
| CH 685 | Medicinal Chemistry | 3 |
| CH 782 | Selected Topics in Bioorganic Chemistry | 3 |
Physical Chemistry
| CH 620 | Chemical Thermodynamics and Kinetics | 3 |
| CH 621 | Quantum Chemistry | 3 |
| CH 622 | Molecular Spectroscopy | 3 |
| CH 623 | Chemical Kinetics | 3 |
| CH 624 | Statistical Mechanics | 3 |
| CH 650 | | |
| CH 720 | Selected Topics Chemical Physics I | 3 |
| CH 721 | Selected Topics Chemical Physics II | 3 |
| CH 722 | Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry | 3 |
| CH 669 | Applied Quantum Chemistry | 3 |
Electives
To complete the course requirements for the degree, a student may choose additional courses with the approval of the advisor. Special courses are frequently offered under the title of Special (or Selected) Topics, which can be included with the permission of the advisor. Some courses are offered as reading courses, with no designated lecture schedule.
Degree Requirements
Eighty four credits are required for the doctoral degree. The 84 credits should include a minimum of 30 credits of dissertation hours. All doctoral students in Chemistry and Chemical Biology must pass a Qualifying Examination. After successful completion of the qualifying examination, the next milestone is a preliminary examination. The preliminary examination is based on an original research proposal in an area of the student’s own choice, preferably an area related to the pending dissertation area but with a topic significantly different from his or her thesis. It is submitted in written form and defended orally before the Thesis Committee. The final milestone is the doctoral dissertation and defense. Specifics on these degree requirements can be found in the Chemistry and Chemical Biology Program Graduate Student Handbook.
Language Proficiency
Students must fulfill the English proficiency requirements on page 44.
Doctoral Dissertation
The policies and regulations governing the doctoral dissertation are described in detail in the Chemistry and Chemical Biology Program Graduate Student Handbook.