2012–2013 UNIVERSITY CATALOG - Florida Institute of Technology

Core Courses (12 credit hours)
CHM 5002 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry ............................................... 3
CHM 5111 Advanced Physical Chemistry ................................................. 3
CHM 5304 Advanced Analytical Chemistry .............................................. 3
CHM 5500 Advanced Organic Chemistry ................................................. 3
Chemistry/Biology Electives (12 credit hours*)
CHM 5018 Special Topics in Inorganic Chemistry or BIO 4101
Molecular Biology* ................................................................. 3
CHM 5501 Interpretation of Chemical Spectra ......................................... 3
CHM 5507 Natural Products or CHM 5508 Bioorganic Chemistry .......... 3
CHM 5520 Medicinal Chemistry or BIO 5585 Protein Structure
and Function ........................................................................... 3
Thesis (10 credit hours)
CHM 5901 Chemistry Thesis Seminar ...................................................... 1
CHM 5999 Thesis (taken for a total of 9 credit hours) .............................. 9
TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED.......................................... 34
*Students who have not taken undergraduate biochemistry are required to
take the 4-credit-hour Biochemistry 1 (BIO 4010) in place of the 3-credithour
Molecular Biology (BIO 4101) before registering for any 5000-level
elective courses. This requirement adds one credit hour to the total credits
required.
Chemistry, M.S. ___________________________
Major Code: 8031 Degree Awarded: Master of Science
Age Restriction: N Admission status: graduate
Delivery Mode/s: classroom only Location/s: main campus
Admission Materials: none
An applicant for admission to the master’s program should have an
undergraduate degree in chemistry or in a related area. Typically,
a minimum of eight semester courses should have been taken in
four of the five major fields of chemistry: organic, analytical, physical,
inorganic and biochemistry; as well as appropriate courses in
mathematics and physics. Applicants may be admitted on a provisional
basis with the requirement that undergraduate deficiencies
be corrected during the first year of study. Proficiency examinations
are administered to all new students the week before the beginning
of classes as an aid in planning each program of study.
General admission requirements and the process for applying are
presented in the Academic Overview section.
Degree Requirements
The Master of Science in Chemistry is based on successful completion
of either a thesis option requiring a minimum of 34 graduate
credit hours following an approved program plan, a research
proposal, thesis and oral examination in defense of the thesis; or
a nonthesis option requiring 33 graduate credit hours following an
approved program plan that includes the 3-credit hour Chemical
Research Project (CHM 5095) in lieu of the thesis, and a final
program examination.
Thesis Option
A thesis based on research conducted in residence at Florida Tech
under the direction of a member of the chemistry department
graduate faculty is required. During the first academic semester,
the student selects a faculty member to serve as research adviser.
During the same semester and with the assistance of the adviser,
the student selects an advisory committee, prepares a program plan
and defines a research topic. The student then progressively continues
through the stages of research proposal, research, thesis and
oral examination. Throughout this period, the advisory committee
provides assistance and direction to the student and serves as the
review board for the research proposal, thesis and oral examination.
Nonthesis Option
The nonthesis option requires adviser guidance in selection of nine
credit hours of coursework relevant to the student’s area of interest
in lieu of the thesis. Research will be primarily literature-based and
includes a final program examination.
Curriculum
Each student follows an individual program plan. The program plan
must have a minimum of 34 credit hours for the thesis option or 33
credit hours for the nonthesis option and include four core chemistry
courses, three additional chemistry courses, one technical elective,
and nine credit hours of thesis and one credit hour of seminar
for the thesis option or nine credit hours of relevant coursework
for the nonthesis option. Students in either option must register for
Chemistry Graduate Seminar (CHM 5900) each semester offered,
with students in the thesis option concluding with Chemistry
Thesis Seminar (CHM 5901) during the last semester of thesis
research. All courses selected for inclusion on the program plan are
subject to approval by the department head.
Core Courses
CHM 5002 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry
CHM 5111 Advanced Physical Chemistry
CHM 5304 Advanced Analytical Chemistry
CHM 5500 Advanced Organic Chemistry
Chemistry Electives
Three courses from different areas of specialization must be taken
from the following:
CHM 5017 Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry
CHM 5018 Special Topics in Inorganic Chemistry
CHM 5095 Chemical Research Projects
CHM 5112 Special Topics in Physical Chemistry
CHM 5114 Applied Optical Spectroscopy
CHM 5119 Chemical Dynamics
CHM 5501 Interpretation of Chemical Spectra
CHM 5503 Organic Synthesis
CHM 5504 Theoretical Organic Chemistry
CHM 5507 Natural Products
CHM 5508 Bioorganic Chemistry
CHM 5550 Polymer Chemistry
Technical Elective
The technical elective may be selected from other courses offered
within the chemistry department or other departments of the
university. The nonthesis option requires successful completion
of Chemical Research Projects (CHM 5095), which focuses on
conducting literature research.
Chemistry, Ph.D. ___________________________
Major Code: 9031 Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy
Age Restriction: N Admission status: graduate
Delivery Mode/s: classroom only Location/s: main campus
Admission Materials: 3 letters of
recommendation, résumé, objectives
A candidate for the doctoral program will typically have a bachelor’s
or master’s degree in chemistry with outstanding performance.
Students enrolled in the master’s program can apply to change their
status to work directly toward the doctorate after completing 14
credit hours of graduate coursework at Florida Tech with a cumulative
grade point average of at least 3.3.
General admission requirements and the process for applying are
presented in the Academic Overview section.
Degree Programs—College of Science 197