Chemistry

Description

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To ensure a broad knowledge of chemistry, each graduate student entering the Chemistry Department is required to complete a series of "core" courses.

For the Ph.D. program, students typically take 21 credit hours of course work, 3 credit hours of seminar and 66 hours of dissertation credits. In addition to courses required for a student's major, other courses of interest to the student are taken to round out their plan of study. Students must develop their program of study in consultation with their graduate research advisor during the first semester in residence.
The doctoral examination in the student's major area is composed of two parts: * Written demonstration of proficiency in graduate level course work and a knowledge of the literature in an examination
* An oral defense of the student's knowledge representative of their background in chemistry

Following completion of the comprehensive examinations, the student spends the remaining time on research. This aspect of the training provides a student with the opportunity to develop the skills, creativity and independence required of a truly effective scientist. The results of these efforts are presented as the doctoral dissertation which is defended in a final oral examination as an original contribution to scientific knowledge.

Contents

Graduate Programs offer a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in chemistry with specialization in 6 areas:

* Analytical Chemistry
* Biochemistry
* Biophysical Chemistry
* Chemical Education
* Environmental Chemistry
* Organic Chemistry

Requirements

* Applicants to the graduate program are expected to have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0/4.0
* B. S. degree in chemistry, biochemistry or a related discipline.
* Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test are not required at this time. However, if students have taken the tests, they are encouraged to submit them
* Applicants must arrange to have three recommendation letters forwarded to the department.

English Language Requirements

Funding

All applicants that are accepted into the department Ph. D. programs are awarded full financial support for their graduate studies when considered for full-time status. The current full-time annual PhD stipend is $20,778.

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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