MS in Chemistry/Biotechnology

The Department of Chemistry, jointly with the Biotechnology Center, offers a Master of Science in Chemistry/Biotechnology. This program is ideal for students seeking to build on a foundation of chemistry and/or biochemistry into the field of biotechnology.

Course Requirements and Policies

  • MS candidates must complete at least 10 graduate-level courses with B- or better grade, totaling at least 30 credits in chemistry, biotechnology, or approved related fields. Three of these courses must be in chemistry, not including Seminar and Professional Skills course. Courses must be chosen in consultation with the joint graduate committee.
  • Students may elect to prepare a master’s thesis, which they must then present and defend before their research committee.
  • Two courses totaling no more than six credits may be approved for independent study.
  • MS students are encouraged to take the year-long course Chem 291/292: Professional Skills in Chemical Research. Credits earned from Chem 0291/0292: Professional Skills in Chemical Research can count towards the overall requirement for 30 credits, but not towards the three required courses in Chemistry
  • First-year MS students are encouraged to take Chem 0191, Seminars in Chemistry. Credits earned from Chem 0191/0192, Seminars in Chemistry, can also count towards the overall MS degree course requirements, but not towards the three required courses in Chemistry.
  • For the purposes of counting courses, the sequence Chem 0291/0292 counts as one course, as does the Chem 0191/0192 sequence.