Dec 04, 2024  
2024-2025 EIU Graduate Catalog 
    
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2024-2025 EIU Graduate Catalog

Chemistry

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Program Mission: The Master of Science in Chemistry program at EIU is designed to provide solid training to permit graduates to obtain responsible positions in industry, governmental agencies and educational institutions while also providing strong preparation for post-graduate study in PhD and other professional programs. The program’s formal coursework for the thesis option centers on 15 semester hours that are designed to give students a broad background in modern chemistry. Six additional semester hours of elective courses, six semester hours of research, and three semester hours of thesis complete all credit requirements for the degree. An option in Biochemistry is also available. Both the Chemistry and Biochemistry options offer a non-thesis track of study. The non-thesis option provides an alternative pathway for students to complete the master’s without completing a research project or thesis, this option requires 32 semester hours.

Five year accelerated BA/MS and BS/MS programs are available. Detailed information is available at http://www.eiu.edu/eiuchem

Admission Requirements: To be eligible for degree candidacy, applicants must meet all of the requirements for admission to the Graduate School (see “Admission to Graduate Degree and Certificate Programs”).

Degree Audit: The graduate plan of study is the EIU Degree Audit, which is generated automatically at the time of degree or certificate candidacy. Modifications of the standard EIU Degree Audit are submitted by the graduate coordinator to the certification officer in the Graduate School at the time modifications are approved. The Degree Audit serves as an unofficial summary of requirements for the program. Degree and certificate candidates are advised to review the comprehensive summary of the Degree Audit process specified on the “Requirements for All Degree and Certificate Candidates” section of the Graduate Catalog. Individual programs may require candidates to submit plans of study in addition to the Degree Audit, candidates should consult with the program coordinator.

Degree Requirements

Degree requirements include those outlined for the Master’s Degree by the Graduate School (see “Requirements for the Master’s Degree”). All thesis students must take a core of courses which total 24 semester hours and elective courses which total 6 semester hours. With permission of the graduate coordinator, one or more elective courses may be taken in departments outside Chemistry. Non-thesis students must take a core of 20 semester hours and 12 hours of electives.

Five year accelerated BA/MS and BS/MS programs are available. Detailed information is available at http://www.eiu.edu/eiuchem

An option in Biochemistry is also available.

Thesis Option

The following courses are required for thesis students:

Total hours: 24

Elective Courses for Thesis Option

Thesis students must take a total of 6 hours of elective courses chosen from the following list of Chemistry courses or, with permission of the graduate coordinator, courses chosen from other disciplines.
 Total hours: 6

Non-Thesis Option

Core Courses for the Non-Thesis Option

Total Hours: 20

Elective Courses for Non-Thesis Option

Courses from departments other than the Chemistry/Biochemistry department require approval from the faculty adviser, graduate coordinator and the host department. EDU, MBA courses and PSY courses may require admission to additional programs. CHM 5700 or any courses with the BCT prefix cannot be applied to this degree. 

Choose 12 hours from the following courses:

Option in Biochemistry Thesis Option

The option in Biochemistry allows for the substitution of two of a select group of core courses with biology courses.

Total Hours: 30

Core Courses Thesis Option

Total Hours: 24

Biology Courses

A maximum of two core courses may be substituted with two biology courses. The core courses which can be replaced are CHM 5210, 5360, and 5420. Biology courses available for substitution:

Elective Courses for Thesis Option

The following courses may be selected as electives in the Biochemistry Option for thesis students:

Total Hours: 6

(CHM 4860 is highly recommended)

Option in Biochemistry Non-Thesis Option

Total Hours: 32

Core Courses Non-Thesis Option

Total hours: 8

Biology Courses

Total hours: 12

Elective Courses for Non-Thesis Option

Total hours: 12

Graduate Assistantships

Information on graduate assistantships may be obtained by contacting the Coordinator of Graduate Studies or Chair, Chemistry, 3154 Physical Science Building, EIU. 

Accelerated Graduate Program

Admission to the accelerated MS in Chemistry requires that a student have completed a minimum of 60 hours of undergraduate course credit and have a minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.25. In addition, applicants must have completed a minimum of 15 hours of Chemistry or Biochemistry courses.

To apply for the accelerated MS in Chemistry applicants meeting the above requirements must contact the Graduate Coordinator for Chemistry and complete the Graduate School’s Accelerated Program Application.

A maximum of 9 credit hours may be shared with the undergraduate degree with 6 hours at the 5000 level and above. 

If the total credit earned from shared courses is greater than 9 hours, only 9 hours will count toward both degrees, with remaining hours only counting as undergraduate credit.

The following courses are acceptable as shared credit:

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