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Graduate Catalog

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

Mohammad Karim, Ph.D., Head

201 Chemistry Building

615-963-5321

FAX 615-963-5326

MAJOR: CHEMISTRY

CONCENTRATIONS: CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY

DEGREE: MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.S.)

The Department of Chemistry offers the Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Chemistry with concentrations in Chemistry and Biochemistry. The objectives of the program include: 1) advancing, interpreting, disseminating, and preserving knowledge of chemistry; 2) engaging in research and publication of new scientific knowledge; 3) educating graduate students to take their proper place in industry, education, and public life. The M.S. degree represents from one to two academic years of full-time study beyond an acceptable bachelor’s degree. The candidate must complete a program of study approved by his or her major professor, the Department Head, and the Dean of the Graduate School.

Admission Requirements

Unconditional admission to the M.S. program requires the applicant to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university, an undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or better on a 4.0 scale, and a composite score of at least 870 on the Graduate Record Examination. Applicants have the option of taking the subject test in order to bring the combined score to 870 or higher. Applicants with less than a 2.5 undergraduate GPA must submit test scores at the time of application; applicants with a GPA of 2.5 or above may submit test scores in the first semester of attendance, but it is preferable that they submit test scores at the time of original application.

Conditional admission may be gained with a lower grade point average than 2.5, but the GRE score must be correspondingly higher. If the undergraduate GPA is between 2.25 and 2.49, the GRE score must be 935; if the GPA is between 2.0 and 2.24, the GRE score must be 1,000.

The student must remove the conditional status by earning at least a B (3.0) average in the first nine hours of graduate courses; failure to achieve this average will result in withdrawal from the program.

In addition, the applicant must have an undergraduate major in Chemistry, or the equivalent. In some instances, conditional admission may be granted prior to completion of the undergraduate course requirements, but a student must complete these courses before taking any graduate courses.

Degree Requirements

The Department offers both thesis and non-thesis options in the Master of Science degree program. A minimum of 30 semester hours of approved courses are required for the M.S. degree under the thesis option, and a minimum of 36 semester hours are required under the non-thesis option. Students who choose the non-thesis option must pass a comprehensive examination (passing score 70% or above) taken no earlier than the term in which they complete their course work. Students interested in pursuing research careers in the academia, government or industries are highly encouraged to take the thesis option.

There is no foreign language reading requirement for the M.S. degree in Chemistry.

The M.S. (Thesis option) degree requires students to complete and defend a thesis based upon his or her research.

1. Major Field Core: Total credits: 11 (thesis option and non-thesis option)

2. Concentrations(s):

2.1 Chemistry concentration: Hours-13/6 (Thesis/Non-Thesis)

2.2 Biochemistry concentration: Hours- 16/9 (Thesis/Non-Thesis)

*Not required of non-thesis option

3. Electives: (Include descriptions, directions, or restrictions that may apply.)

3.1 Chemistry concentration: 6 hrs for thesis and 18 hrs for non-thesis option.

Select from the list below:

any 5000 or 6000-level courses in Biology, Mathematics, Physics or Engineering; 3 credit hours each

3.2   Biochemistry concentration: 3 hrs for thesis and 15 hrs for non-thesis. Students following biochemistry non-thesis option are required to take a minimum of 15 hours of biochemistry courses.

Select from the list below:

any 5000 or 6000-level courses in Biology, Mathematics, Physics or Engineering; 3 credit hours each

Program of Study

The degree candidate must file a program of study after completing at least nine semester hours of graduate study but no more than fifteen hours. The program of study lists the courses which will be used to satisfy degree requirements, as well as detailing how other requirements will be met. The student may later change the program of study with the written approval of the Department and the Graduate School.

Admission to Candidacy

The individual must file for admission to candidacy at the same time he or she submits the program of study. The candidate must have a grade point average of 3.0 or above to be eligible for admission to candidacy.

DESCRIPTION OF COURSES

CHEM 5000. ADVANCED INORGANIC CHEMISTRY I. (3) Topics include atomic and molecular structure, bonding theories, molecular symmetry; and group theory, chemistry of transition metals and organometallic complexes, and catalysis. Prerequisites: CHEM 3220 (Physical Chemistry II) and CHEM4200, 4201 (Inorganic Chemistry I). Required of all degree candidates. Offered only in fall.

CHEM 5010. ADVANCED INORGANIC CHEMISTRY II. (3) Spectroscopic characterization of inorganic and organometallic compounds, and reaction mechanisms of inorganic, organometallic, and bioinorganic compounds. Prerequisite: CHEM 4210 (Inorganic Chemistry II) or CHEM 5000. Offered only in spring.

CHEM 5110. RESEARCH. (1-9) A variable-credit course in methods of research and reporting in the field of chemistry. Only five hours is applicable toward degree requirements. Required of all degree candidates. Offered every semester.

CHEM 5120. THESIS WRITING. (2) Research and writing under the supervision of the thesis director. Once students have registered for this class, they must re-enroll in it every semester until they complete the thesis. Required of all degree candidates. Offered every semester.

CHEM 5210. ADVANCED ORGANIC CHEMISTRY I. (3) A critical study of the structural theory of organic chemistry and advanced discussion of reaction mechanism. Prerequisites: CHEM 2020, 2021 (Organic Chemistry II [formerly CHEM 212, 212L]) and CHEM 3220, 3221 (Physical Chemistry II). Required of all degree candidates. Offered only in fall.

CHEM 5220. ADVANCED ORGANIC CHEMISTRY II. (3) Synthesis of natural products. Prerequisite: CHEM 5210, or permission of instructor. Offered only in spring.

CHEM 5310. ADVANCED PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY I. (3) A broad discussion of the laws of thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, spectroscopy, and classical transport processes, as well as an introduction to statistical mechanics. Prerequisites: CHEM 3220, 3221 (Physical Chemistry II). Required of all degree candidates. Offered only in spring.

CHEM 5320. ADVANCED PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY II. (3) A focus on quantum mechanics as it applies to chemistry, including molecular orbital theory and the relationship of quantum mechanics to molecular spectroscopy. Prerequisite: CHEM 5310, or permission of the instructor. Offered only in the fall.

CHEM 5360. CHEMICAL KINETICS. (3) Experimental and theoretical considerations of chemical reaction rates and mechanisms. Prerequisite: CHEM 5310. Offered on demand.

CHEM 5410. ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY I. (3) An in-depth study of the chemical and physical properties and biological functions of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Prerequisites: CHEM 3420, 3421 (General Biochemistry II), or permission of instructor. Offered only in fall.

CHEM 5420. ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY II. (3) An in-depth study of the catabolic pathways, including their chemical reactions, energetics, and regulation. Prerequisite: CHEM 5410, or permission of the instructor. Offered only in spring.

CHEM 5510. ADVANCED ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY. (3) A critical study of recent developments in chemical and instrumental methods of analysis. Prerequisite: CHEM 3220, 3221 (Physical Chemistry II). Required of all degree candidates. Offered only in spring.

CHEM 5600. SPECTROSCOPIC METHODS IN CHEMISTRY. (3) Various spectroscopic methods in chemistry, concentrating on the practical aspect of using spectroscopic techniques to solve structural problems. Techniques include ultraviolet spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, including “two dimensional” (2D) NMR in solving problems, mass spectroscopy (MS), and x-ray crystallography. Prerequisites: CHEM 2020, 2021 (Organic Chemistry II) or equivalent. Offered in fall.

CHEM 6005, 6006. SEMINAR I, II. (1, 1) Review and discussion of important current literature in the various areas of chemistry. Both courses required of all degree candidates. CHEM 6005 offered in fall and 6006 in spring.

CHEM 6405, 6406, 6407, 6408, 6409. SPECIAL TOPICS IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, BIOCHEMISTRY, INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, AND PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. (3, 3, 3, 3, 3) Faculty-generated lecture courses on selected topics of current interest or student need. Offered on demand.

CHEM 6200. BIOCHEMISTRY OF CELLULAR SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION. (3) Study of the biochemical processes involved in cellular responses to signal molecules, such as hormones. Focus on the mechanisms by which cells transform extracellular signals into changes in cellular function. Pre-
requisites: CHEM 3410, CHEM 5410, or permission of the instructor.
Offered in the fall.

GRADUATE FACULTY

Mohammad Al-Masum, Associate Professor. B.S., 1984, M.S., 1986, Dhaka University (Bangladesh); Ph.D., 1996, Tohoku University (Japan).

William Y. Boadi, Professor. B.S., 1982, University of Science and Technology (Ghana); M.S., 1988, D.Sc., 1991, Technion-IIT (Israel)

Theodore J. Duello, Associate Professor, B.S., 1996, Quincy College; Ph.D., 1971, St. Louis University (Missouri).

Sujata Guha, Associate Professor, B.S., 1994, University of Dubuque; M.S., 1997, Purdue University; Ph.D., 2000, Purdue University (Indiana)

Mohammad R. Karim, Professor and Head, B.S., 1978, M.S., 1980, Jahangirnagar University (Bangladesh); Ph.D., 1989, Kent State University (Ohio).

Joshua Moore, Associate Professor, B.S., 1998, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown; Ph.D., 2003, Vanderbilt University (Tennessee)

Cosmas O. Okoro, Professor, B.S., 1981, M.S., 1986, North Carolina Central University; Ph.D., 1993, Howard University (D.C.)

Nsoki Phambu, Associate Professor, B.S., 1989, Université Denis Diderot, Paris (France); M.S., 1992, Université Henri Poincaré, Nancy I (France); Ph.D., 1996, Université Henri Poincaré, Nancy I (France)

Tasneem Siddiquee, Assistant Professor, B.Sc.(Hons), 1993; M.Sc, 1994, Jahangirnagar University; Ph.D., 2007, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Wisconsin).

Koen P. Vercruysse, Associate Professor, B.S., 1990, University of Ghent; Ph.D., 1995, University of Ghent (Belgium)

Margaret M. Whalen, Professor, B.S., 1979, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology; Ph.D., 1984, University of New Mexico School of Medicine (New Mexico).

Mu Zheng, Assistant Professor, D.A., Middle Tennessee State University (Tennessee)