MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CHEMISTRY

Objectives and Description

The graduate program in chemistry is tailored to satisfy individual student aspirations and is designed to provide knowledge, skills and discovery within the chemical sciences. The program prepares candidates for professional employment in chemistry careers including industry, consulting, local, state and federal government, and for teaching at the community college or secondary level. Additionally the program provides a foundation for further graduate studies beyond the M.S. level in chemistry and related fields.

Graduate students in chemistry can focus their studies in any of the major areas of chemistry including biochemistry, organic, physical, analytical and inorganic chemistry, and chemistry education. Emphasis in a specific area through appropriate courses and seminars is enhanced by requisite graduate research. Practical and collaborative internship experiences through industrial, governmental, academic research or community college teaching partnerships are possible.

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Admission Requirements

Admission to CWU requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. In addition, applicants must earn a minimum of a 3.0 Great Point Average (GPA) in all coursework attempted in at least the last 90 quarter (60 semester) hours of recognized academic work.

Admission decisions are based on a combination of factors: GPA, letters of recommendation from professors and others able to critically assess success in a graduate program, statement of purpose, standardized test scores (if applicable), academic preparation for work in the proposed field, and interests as matched with those of our faculty are all taken into consideration.

Admission into the Chemistry Graduate Program requires an earned undergraduate degree in chemistry or a related field (equivalent to those offered at Central Washington University; see requirements for the B.S. and B.A. degrees in chemistry), and a demonstrated potential for superior scholarship. Besides the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores for the General Test, scores from the Chemistry Subject Test may be requested in special cases. If a chemistry background deficiency exists at the time of student admission, then it must be removed during the first year of graduate study without graduate credit. International students for whom English is a second language must provide TOEFL scores to demonstrate English proficiency.

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Requirements and Expectations

The M.S. degree in Chemistry requires a minimum of 45 credits of graduate course work and research study culminating with a thesis. Sixteen (16) credits are research and thesis related (CHEM 595, CHEM 700). The remaining twenty-nine (29) credits are earned from coursework (a minimum of 18 at the 500-level or above). Of these twenty-nine credits students are required to take at least 9 core credits in chemistry, enroll in CHEM 503, Introduction to Research, during the Fall quarter of their first year, take at least one credit of CHEM 505, Current Topics in Chemistry and four credits of seminar (CHEM 589 taken twice). Elective courses may be chosen for the remaining 14 credits. The first 2 credits of CHEM 589 consist of a research proposal written by the student and a one hour professional seminar based on this document. The research proposal should be a maximum of 10 pages in length (12 point, double-spaced) and be composed of an introduction (including a brief survey of related work), objectives of proposed research, description of experimental approach, expected outcomes, and projected timeline. This document is to be submitted to the committee members at least 1 week before the scheduled seminar and must be approved by the committee as a condition of receiving credit. It is advised that the student take these credits before completion of his/her third quarter as a graduate student. The second 2 credits of CHEM 589 are the final oral examination on the student’s thesis project. A written thesis has to be prepared and submitted to the committee members following procedures specified by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research. Candidates must pass the oral examination which is administered by the candidate’s graduate thesis committee. Normal completion of the Master of Science requires 2 academic years and an intervening summer of study.

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Specialization Areas and Electives

Fourteen (14) credits of elective course work at the 400 or 500 level are required for the M.S. degree in chemistry. Elective courses are selected with advising from the thesis committee and provide expertise in the fields of the individual student’s academic interests and research focus and complement professional goals. Elective topics offered by the Chemistry Department include biochemical toxicology, mechanistic organic chemistry, organic synthesis, environmental chemistry, solid state chemistry, analytical instrumentation, graduate physical chemistry and chemistry education. Elective courses from other departments (Biology, Geology, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology among others) may be selected with graduate committee approval.

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Graduate Committee

Before the end of the candidate's second quarter in the program and after consultation with all members of the chemistry graduate faculty, the student will select a thesis advisor to act as chair of the candidate's graduate committee. The Chair of the department in consultation with the selected thesis advisor and the candidate will assemble a three member thesis graduate committee; two members of the committee must be from the Department of Chemistry.

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Examination

Each candidate must prepare a written thesis that documents the methods, analysis and results of research they carried out during their graduate study. In addition, each candidate must pass a final oral examination on all phases of the student's program. The review covering the student's thesis and course work consists of a seminar open to the public followed by queries from the thesis committee.

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Required Courses

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Graduate Courses Offered in Chemistry
Note: Not all courses offered each year - see CWU catalog for current offerings.

CHEM 500. Professional Development for 1-5 credit(s). Development topics and issues for in service and continuing education of professionals. Not applicable to degrees nor institutional requirements for endorsements or teaching certificates offered through the university.

CHEM 503. Introduction to Research for 1 credit(s). An overview of the original research being done in the department of chemistry. Class meetings are comprised of presentations by different faculty members.

CHEM 505. Current Topics in Chemistry for 1 credit(s). Prerequisite: graduate status or permission of instructor. Restrictions: may be repeated for credit when subject matter differs to a maximum of 5 credits.

CHEM 510. Enzymology for 3 credit(s). Principles of enzyme purification, kinetics, reaction mechanisms and regulation. Three lectures weekly.

CHEM 511. Advanced Biochemistry for 3 credit(s). Prerequisites, CHEM 362, CHEM 372 or BIOl 333, and / or permission of instructor. A course in advanced biochemical concepts focusing on current topics in metabolism, membrane transport systems, electron transport, oxidative phosphorylation, and DNA using mitochondria as a model system.

CHEM 512. Biochemical Toxicology for 3 credit(s). Prerequisites, CHEM 362 and CHEM 371; CHEM 372 or BIOL 333 and /or permission of instructor. An introduction to the principles of toxicology followed by a survey of the biochemical mechanisms involved in cytotoxicity including reactive intermediates and their interaction with macromolecules. Same as CHEM 498 Biochemical Toxicology, may not receive credit for both.

CHEM 540. Survey of Chemical Education Research for 3 credit(s). This course is designed to give students a basic understanding of the issues and concerns of current research in chemical education.

CHEM 541. Topics in Chemical and Science Education for 3 credit(s). This course is designed to lead students on a detailed exploration of one aspect of teaching or research in chemical/science education. May be repeated for credit with instructor permission.

CHEM 542. Teaching Chemistry at Community Colleges for 3 credit(s). This course is designed to give students a working knowledge of teaching chemistry at the community college.

CHEM 550. Advanced Analytical Chemistry for 3 credit(s). Prerequisite, CHEM 452. Statistics in chemical analysis; quality control and assurance methodologies; Government certification protocols; Sampling and preservation; Contamination and loss; Process analytical chemistry; Chemometrics; Current analytical methodologies.

CHEM 551. Atmospheric Chemistry for 3 credit(s). Prerequisite, CHEM 382. The chemistry of the stratosphere and troposphere; chemistry of the atmospheric aqueous phase; the meteorology of air pollution; cloud microphysics; mathematical chemical/transport modeling.

CHEM 552. The Chemistry of Natural Waters for 3 credit(s). Prerequisites, CHEM 251 and CHEM 382 or by permission of instructor. A study of the chemical reactions that lead to the steady state and/or equilibrium composition of natural waters.

CHEM 561. Organic Reaction Mechanisms for 3 credit(s). Prerequisites, CHEM 363 or the equivalent; CHEM 383 or permission of the instructor. An examination of several classes of organic reaction mechanisms, with an emphasis on the reaction intermediates, and on the methods used for studying reaction pathways.

CHEM 562. Physical Organic Chemistry for 3 credit(s). Prerequisites, CHEM 363 or the equivalent; CHEM 383 or permission of the instructor. An introduction to the modern study of organic structures and organic reaction pathways, with an emphasis on computational and physical methods.

CHEM 563. Advanced Synthetic Methods for 3 credit(s). Prerequisites, CHEM 363 or equivalent; or permission of the instructor. A detailed survey of modern synthetic methods in organic chemistry, their application in multi-step transformations and development of synthetic rationale in extended total syntheses.

CHEM 564. Medicinal Organic Chemistry for 3 credit(s). Prerequisites, CHEM 363 and CHEM 371 or equivalent; or permission of the instructor. A multi-component study of drugs and other biologically potent materials in terms of chemical synthesis, radiochemistry, biochemical evaluation and biological ligand-receptor interactions.

CHEM 571. Topics in Solid-State Chemistry for 3 credit(s). Prerequisites, CHEM 350, CHEM 382. A survey of the structures and properties of inorganic solids: crystallography, X-ray diffraction, phase equilibria, electronic structure and luminescence.

CHEM 575. Chemical Applications of Group Theory for 3 credit(s). Prerequisites, CHEM 350 and CHEM 363. An introduction to group theory and its applications toward molecular symmetry, bonding and spectroscopy. Same as CHEM 475, may not receive credit for both.

CHEM 581. Thermodynamics for 3 credit(s). Prerequisites, Mathematics through multivariable calculus; Chemistry 383 or equivalent. Principles of thermodynamics: basic theories, methods and applications. Three lectures weekly.

CHEM 582. Chemical Kinetics for 3 credit(s). Prerequisites, Mathematics through multivariable calculus, Chemistry 383 or equivalent. Principles of chemical kinetics: basic theories, methods and applications. Three lectures weekly.

CHEM 583. Quantum Chemistry for 3 credit(s). Prerequisites, Mathematics through multivariable calculus, Chemistry 383 or equivalent. Principles of quantum chemistry: basic theories, methods and applications. Three lectures weekly.

CHEM 589. Graduate Student Seminar for 2 credit(s). May be repeated for credit. A one hour professional seminar encompassing a contemporary topic is provided to the department and campus community.

CHEM 590. Cooperative Education for 1-5 credit(s). Prerequisites, undergraduate degree and permission of graduate coordinator. Practical experience by employment in a chemistry-related industrial, governmental, or instructional setting.

CHEM 592. Laboratory Experience in Teaching Chemistry for 2 credit(s). Prerequisites, permission of instructor. Practical experience in teaching chemistry laboratories. An introduction to teaching, teaching philosophies, safety and hazardous waste management. May be repeated for credit but only 2 credits may be applied to the chemistry MS degree. Grade will be either S or U.

CHEM 595. Graduate Research for 1-10 credit(s). Prerequisite, permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit.

CHEM 596. Individual Study for 1-5 credit(s). Prerequisites, permission of instructor and thesis committee. May be repeated for credit.

CHEM 598. Special Topics for 1-6 credit(s). May be repeated for credit under a separate title.

CHEM 599. Graduate Seminar for 1 credit(s). May be repeated for credit.

CHEM 700. Master's Thesis, Project Study and/or Examination for 1-6 credit(s). Prerequisite, permission of Chair of studentís graduate faculty supervisory committee. Designed to credit and record supervised study for the Masterís thesis, non-thesis project, studio project, public recital and/or examination. Grade will be either S or U. May be repeated for credit.

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