Chemistry

DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CHEMISTRY

A graduate program leading to the degree of Master of Science is offered by the Department of Chemistry with concentrations in the following areas: analytical chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and physical chemistry. Students are eligible to be admitted as matriculated students if they have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry or biochemistry. Students with a degree other than a BS or BA in chemistry or biochemistry will be considered for admission on an individual basis.

A minimum of 30 credits is required for the MS degree and students may choose a thesis or a non-thesis degree option. Full-time students are required to pursue the thesis option and take six graduate courses for a total of 18 credits. The remaining 12 credits will be covered by the research courses CHM 7807-7810. Two of the following core courses are required of full-time students: core analytical chemistry, core inorganic chemistry, core organic chemistry, core physical chemistry, and core biochemistry.

The student will plan and complete a research project under the guidance of the student’s research director. An advisory committee will evaluate the student’s progress during the first year. When a student has completed their research and their thesis is approved by the research director, the student will defend their thesis in a seminar presented to the Department. An off-campus thesis option is also possible for employees of participating companies who are able to conduct research at their site of employment; such students have both an industrial supervisor and a Villanova academic advisor.

Part-time students, such as those employed in the chemical industry, are required to pursue a non-thesis option and take 10 graduate courses, three of which are the core courses (see above). Seven additional courses will consist of elective graduate courses on topics of interest to the student.

Up to two elective courses may be fulfilled by graduate courses offered by other departments at Villanova; see the Graduate Director and the Master of Science Chemistry Program Policies, Procedures & Guidelines document for more details. 

COMBINED BACHELOR/MASTER PROGRAM IN CHEMISTRY

A select group of highly qualified students are invited to apply for the combined bachelor/master degree program (thesis option only). Students should apply in their junior year of undergraduate study with the support of their proposed research advisor. Students will then be permitted to double-count up to nine credits of graduate study towards both their bachelor and master degrees. Students are eligible for a graduate assistantship with up to twenty-one credits of tuition remission in the last year of their master’s degree. Two of the following core courses are required of BS/MS students: core analytical chemistry, core inorganic chemistry, core organic chemistry, core physical chemistry, and core biochemistry. Students will work closely with their advisor to ensure the appropriate graduate coursework is taken while still enrolled as an undergraduate student. Students must maintain a graduate GPA of 3.00. Students should refer to the Combined Bachelor Master Programs website for detailed policies and procedure.

Further information can be found on the Chemistry Department website.