Chemistry

School/College:  College of Arts and Sciences
Degree(s) Offered: Master of Science
Graduate Coordinator: Zerihun Assefa   Email:  zassefa@ncat.edu      Phone: 336-285-2255
Department Chair:  Margaret I. Kanipes  Email:  mikanipe@ncat.edu  Phone:  336-285-2233

The mission of the MS in Chemistry program at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State is to provide the theoretical and experimental training for post-baccalaureate students leading to Masters level degrees in chemistry and teaching.  The graduate degree program prepares students to pursue advanced professional and doctoral degrees. In addition, courses are offered that may be used for renewal of teacher certificates.

Additional Admission Requirements

• An undergraduate major in chemistry that includes one year of physical chemistry and one year of differential and integral calculus.
• Undergraduate coursework in all of the major areas of Chemistry including physical analytical, organic and inorganic chemistry.
• Two of the three letters of recommendation should be from former science or math professors.

Program Outcomes:

• Communication: M.S. candidates will demonstrate the ability to comprehend, apply and evaluate information from chemistry literature which is to be orally presented and validated in a seminar.  
• Chemical Knowledge: M.S. candidates will demonstrate chemistry proficiency in all four sub-disciplines of chemistry:  analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical.
• Research Training: M.S. candidates will acquire the basic tools needed to carry out independent chemical research.  Students should become proficient in their specialized area of chemistry and successfully complete a written graduate level research project or thesis.

Degree Requirements

• The M.S. Chemistry-Thesis Option: The thesis option requires a total of 30 hours of course work. 
• The M.S. Chemistry-Project Option: The project option requires 30 hours of course work and 3 credits of project research for a total of 33 hours.

M.S. Chemistry Thesis Option

Required Core Courses-Thesis (19-28 Credit Hours)

•           Chemistry 711 — Structural Inorganic Chemistry (3.0 credit hours)

•           Chemistry 722 — Advanced Organic Chemistry         (3.0 credit hours)

•           Chemistry 743 — Chemical Thermodynamics (3.0 credit hours)

•           Chemistry 701 — Seminar (1.0 credit hours)

•           Chemistry 732 — Advanced Analytical Chemistry (3.0 credit hours)

•           Chemistry 799 — Thesis Research (3.0 credit hours)

•           Chemistry 702 — Chemical Research (3.0-9.0 credit hours)

Chemistry Electives (2-9 Credit Hours)

•           Chemistry 610 —Inorganic Synthesis (2.0 credit hours)

•           Chemistry 611 —Advanced Inorganic (3.0 credit hours)

•           Chemistry 621 —Intermediate Organic (3.0 credit hours)

•           Chemistry 651 —General Biochemistry (3.0 credit hours)

•           Chemistry 652 —General Biochemistry Lab (2.0 credit hours )

•           Chemistry 663 — Selected Topics in Chem. Instruction I (1.0 credit hours)

•           Chemistry 664 — Selected Topics in Chem. Instruction II (1.0 credit hours)

Electives (2-9 hours required):

Students on teaching assistantship should take Chem 663 and Chem 664. Other electives can be taken from the 600 level courses listed above or any 700 level course from outside the department that can directly benefit the chemistry program. All courses need to be taken in consultation with the graduate advisor or the thesis/project advisor.

Requirements specific to specializations/program options/tracks:

Project Option:        30 Coursework Hours          3   Project Hours

Thesis Option:         30            Coursework Hours         

Additional details:

Satisfactory presentation and defense (open to public) of a thesis that must be submitted to the Graduate School.

•           Provide satisfactory progress report to advisory committee at the end of every semester

•           One academic year of residence at A&T.

•           Attend all Departmental seminars.

Comprehensive Exam, if appropriate:       Required

Admission to Candidacy

Student must pass comprehensive examinations in three of the following five areas: analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry.  The comprehensive examination must be passed within two sitting for any areas being tested.  Professors in given areas of specialties determine the type of examination and passing criteria.  The Graduate Coordinator will notify student of examination results within four weeks.

Assistantships

Depending upon funding, students can obtain teaching or research assistantships.  The duties of graduate teaching assistants encompass laboratory safety instruction; laboratory teaching and supervision; the grading of weekly experiments; preparing, administering and grading laboratory examinations; and grading lecture quizzes and homework assignments.  The assistant is expected to be on hand without fail before the beginning of the laboratory period and remain in the laboratory until the last student has left.  The laboratory coordinators will monitor prompt attendance.

In addition, teaching assistants are required to assist in the preparation and proctoring of lecture exams.  The course coordinator will assign the proctoring schedule and give instructions.  The teaching assistant should be present at the examination 10 minutes prior to time at which the examination is to be administered.  Research assistants work closely with the faculty member to which they are assigned.  

Advising

All newly admitted students are orientated and advised by the Graduate Coordinator during the first year of the graduate program.  The research advisor becomes their academic advisor beginning the second year of the program.  The Program of Study Plan must be completed by the end of the students’ first semester and submitted to the School of Graduate Studies.

If a student is deficient in given areas, the student is automatically recommended to take appropriate lecture courses.  The research advisor, based on research area, may recommend appropriate laboratory course(s) as well as other courses.  If a research advisor feels that an advisee lacks basic laboratory skills, the following courses are recommended: Chemistry 223 (Organic), Chemistry 432 (Analytical), Chemistry 444 (Physical Chemistry), and/or Chemistry 610 (Inorganic).

Committees

During the first semester as an unconditionally admitted graduate student in the program, the student should select a research advisor and be assigned space in a research laboratory.  The research advisor and student will select a project and a thesis committee.

The procedure for the selection of the research advisor requires the student to review the areas of interest of the faculty member and select a minimum of three persons with whom to discuss research projects of possible mutual interest. At this point the student must complete the Departmental Interview Form. Based on interviews with faculty researchers, the student submits the selection of research advisor to the Graduate Coordinator.  The student should first determine that the person selected is willing to serve as the research advisor and does not have more applicants than can be handled.  The selection of a research advisor must be accomplished by the end of the student’s first semester.

Once the selection of the research advisor has been finalized, the Research Committee is selected via consultation with your research advisor.  The Research Committee will consist of your research advisor and at least two other faculty members whose backgrounds would make them useful resource persons in reviewing your research progress and who are willing to serve on your thesis committee.  One person should be from the same division and the second person can be from any division.  Up to two additional persons from outside the Department may serve as members of the Research Committee.

Once the Research Committee is selected, the student, after consulting with research advisor, will do preliminary library work. and prepare a two to three page typewritten preliminary research proposal.  The research proposal is distributed to members of the research committee, with additional copies given to the

Department Chairperson and the Graduate Coordinator.  The Research Committee will meet with the student to discuss the proposal.  Based on any suggestions or modifications made by the committee, the student prepares a final draft of the research proposal and distributes it to the committee members, Department Chairperson and Graduate Coordinator for final approval.

With all the above steps accomplished during the first academic year, the student should begin research in earnest during the summer semester and enroll in a research course (CHEM 702-Chemical Research).  

A written research progress report is required at the end of each major portion of the academic calendar; i.e. at the end of the Fall term, each Spring term, and each Summer term in which you are enrolled.  A failure to hand in a research progress report or to make satisfactory progress in your research may result in reduction or termination of your Graduate Teaching Assistantship and/or Graduate Research Assistantship, denial of Summer Assistantship, and/or the assignment of a poor grade in your research course.

Research Opportunities/Experiences

Research opportunities and other experiences during the completion of the research project are obtained through the research advisor.

Completion of Research and Thesis Submission

By the end of the second semester of research, the student should again convene the Research Committee to review the status of their work and to set an anticipated completion date.  The student should continue to enroll in CHEM 702 or 799 as needed to complete the required number of research credits.  Research grades are normally listed as satisfactory until the research and thesis are completed, at which time the research advisor changes them to regular grades.  The semester progress report must be submitted no later than the final week of classes to allow time for the assignment of the research grade.

As the student near the completion of research, generally the third semester, final goals of the research project and a projected completion date are set forth. The Research Committee then becomes the Thesis Committee.

Upon completion of research, a thesis must be written. A projected date for the completion of the thesis is set.  Procedures and policies for the preparation of the thesis are covered in a Thesis Manual available in the School of Graduate Studies.  The student must following guidelines and deadlines set forth by the School of Graduate Studies in order to meet the Commencement target date.

The research advisor must approve a draft of the thesis.  Copies of the thesis must be submitted to members of the Thesis Defense Committee at least two (2) weeks before the thesis defense for perusal and a critique response.  The document should be completed such that the thesis committee will not be forced to recommend a major rewrite of the thesis.  Ill-prepared manuscripts will be returned, thus delaying the scheduling of the thesis presentation date.  The readers will evaluate the document for the science that is explained in thesis, spelling and grammatical presentation.

The thesis defense is an oral presentation of your research in a public forum before members of your Thesis Defense Committee.  The presentation date should be coordinated with the Seminar Coordinator, if possible.  All graduate requirements must be met before the thesis defense. 

The announcement of the thesis defense must be made at least one week prior to the presentation.  An announcement with a typed abstract, along with relevant references, is to be placed in the mail boxes of all Departmental faculty and posted around the Department.

After a successful defense of thesis, as indicated by the approval of members of the Thesis Defense Committee, a copy of the document verifying that the candidate passed should be submitted to the Graduate Coordinator.  Appropriate corrections and modifications are made in the thesis.  The corrected thesis, with the signature of committee members, is submitted to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for approval. 

This copy of the thesis represents the first draft for the School of Graduate Studies.  If the Graduate Dean suggests any corrections or modifications, they are to be made and the thesis is resubmitted for approval.  Once the School of Graduate Studies approves the thesis, appropriate numbers of copies are submitted as final copies to be bound.  The School of Graduate Studies requires three typed copies to be bound.  The student may have additional copies bound for personal use.

M.S. Chemistry Project Option

1. Required Courses

Chemistry  701 – Seminar                                                                                                      

Chemistry  711 – Structural Inorganic Chemistry

Chemistry 722 – Advanced Organic Chemistry

Chemistry 732 – Advanced Analytical Chemistry

Chemistry 743 – Chemical Thermodynamics

Chemistry 703 – Masters Project Research

Another 700 level that may include Chem 715, 725, 735, and 745

2. Electives

Students are required to complete a minimum of 11 credit hours from the chemistry electives and the other 5 credit hours from chemistry and/or non-chemistry electives.

Chemistry electives:

Chemistry 610 – Inorganic Synthesis

Chemistry 611 – Advanced Inorganic

Chemistry 621 – Intermediate Organic

Chemistry 651 – General Biochemistry

Chemistry 652 – General Biochemistry Laboratory

Chemistry 663* Selected Topics in Chemistry Instruction I

Chemistry 664* Selected Topics in Chemistry Instruction II

Any 700 level courses included in the Department’s regular offerings.

Non-Chemistry Electives-Any 600 or 700 level course from the School of Agriculture and Energy and Environmental Systems or College of Engineering or other science departments including the Dept. of Physics.

3. Other requirements

a. Satisfactory presentation and defense of the project.

b. One academic year of residence at A&T.

Directory of Faculty

• William Adeniyi, Associate Professor, B.A., Hampton University; M.S., Loyola University; Ph.D., Baylor University, Analytical Chemistry
• Zerihun Assefa, Associate Professor, B. S., Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia); Ph.D., University of Maine, Inorganic Chemistry
• Mufeed Basti, Associate Professor, B.S., Baath University (Homs, Syria); Ph.D., North Illinois University, Physical Chemistry
• Marion Franks, Associate Professor, B.S., Clark-Atlanta University, Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Organic Chemistry
• Julius Harp, Associate Professor, B.S., York College (Jamaica, NY); Ph.D., Howard University, Organic Chemistry
• Margaret Kanipes, Associate Professor, B.S., North Carolina A&T State University, Ph.D., Carnegie-Mellon University
• Debasish Kuila, Professor, B.Sc. (Hons.), Calcutta University, India; M.Sc., Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, Ph.D., The City University of New York
• Claude N. Lamb, Associate Professor,  B.S., Mount Union College; M.S., North Carolina Central University; Ph.D., Howard University; Organic Chemistry
• Divi Venkateswarlu, Associate Professor, B.S., Sri Venkateswara University, M.S., Kakatiya University, M.Phil. University of Hyderabad, Ph.D., North Eastern Hill University
• Alex N. Williamson, Associate Professor, B.S., Jackson State University; Ph.D., University of Illinois; Inorganic Chemistry