Chemistry

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The Departments chemistry faculty research programs fall into the thematic focus areas of environmental chemistry and green chemistry, chemical sensor development, organic synthesis, materials chemistry, natural products chemistry, and chemical education. Within these multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary focus areas, students can select research projects that involve the traditional subdisciplines of chemistry; analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic and physical.

Currently active research projects in the Department focus on various aspects of analytical chemistry, drug discover and delivery, synthesis or photoactive materials including polymers, materials chemistry and self assembly, chromatography, the chemistry of cell membranes, environmental and green chemistry, chemistry of climate change, photo-physical chemistry, natural products synthesis, biophysical chemistry, computational chemistry, and solid-state NMR.

In addition to a traditional thesis-based (Option A) M.S. degree, the Department also offers a predominantly on-line M.S. in chemistry in chemical education. This is a non-thesis (Option B) degree that focuses on the content necessary for practicing high school teachers to achieve highly qualified status. Admission in this program is limited to practicing high school science teachers, students interested in the thesis-based M.S. degree in chemical education should specify this on the application for admission.

Research Instrumentation

The Department is equipped with modern instrumentation core facilities to support its research program. These facilities are readily available to graduate students for hands-on experience after successfully completing a short training course.

Thesis-Based (Option A)

Students are required to complete a minimum of 30 credits which includes 21 credits of course work (12 credits of core coursework and 9 credits specific to the research project); 2 credits of seminar; and 7 credits of research.

Non-Thesis-Based (Option B) Specialization in Chemical Education

Students are required to complete 32 credits, 26 credits are offered on-line. Six (6) credits of 2 separate laboratory development courses are delivered on-site at South Dakota State University during the two consecutive summers that students are enrolled in the program. The student completes 3 credits for the development, implementation, and reporting of a problem-based project completed in the participants classroom. The written report of this project is defended orally as the capstone activity of the program.

The application file must be complete with the application form, application fee, all post-secondary transcripts, degree certificate, letters of recommendation, and other materials as required by Graduate School before processing of the application will begin.Masters degree applicants must have an approved Bachelors degree from an accredited institution (except in approved/accelerated programs). English Language Requirements TOEFL paper-based test score : 580 TOEFL iBT® test: 92

SDSU offers a variety of academic scholarships. Awards are based on academic achievement, activities participation and leadership.

Accreditation

South Dakota State University has been granted the full, ten-year reaccreditation by the Higher Learning Commission. An accreditation team of representatives from peer institutions commended SDSU for:

* Dedicated faculty and staff
* Quality new facilities
* Excellent student leadership
* Shared governance
* Partnerships with local community
* Robust and Integrated assessment program
* Successful transition to NCAA Division I Athletics