Chemistry, M.S. - CEPS, UNH

The M.S. program provides students with the opportunity to develop a high degree of proficiency in a specialized research area. The program serves as a stepping stone to jobs in industry, professional school, teaching careers, or for those who would like to strengthen their Chemistry knowledge. All students take coursework, carry out original research with a faculty mentor, and submit a thesis. The program has a focus on developing strong writing and oral communication skills. Financial support is typically available through a teaching assistantship.

M.S. Degree Requirements

• Student complete a total of 30 credits for the MS program as follows:
  • Minimum of 20 credits, at least 8 credits of which must be in courses numbered 900 or above are required.
  • Satisfactory performance in at least three path-specific (analytical, inorganic, organic, or physical) courses, which is a portion of the minimum 20 credits of required.
  • 6 to 10 credits of CHEM 899 Thesis/Problems research credits.
• Mandatory attendance at Department Seminars and Graduate Research Updates (GRU).
• Satisfactory presentation of a Thesis Research Proposal (TRP) in the second year of residence.
• Preparation, public presentation, and oral defense of a written thesis.
• Student must maintain a GPA of 3.0 to graduate from the MS program.

Faculty Research Advisor and Thesis Committee

Students select a research advisor during the first semester in the program after interviewing at least three faculty members. During each semester thereafter, students conduct independent research under the supervision of the Faculty Research Advisor. In the second year of residence and before the Thesis Research Proposal, a thesis committee is selected. This committee evaluates the student's Thesis Research Proposal and the Thesis Defense.

Accelerated Master's Overview

Accelerated Master’s programs offer qualified University of New Hampshire undergraduate students the opportunity to begin graduate coursework in select graduate programs while completing a bachelor’s degree. Accelerated master's programs are designed to provide students with an efficient and cost-effective pathway to earn both a bachelor's and master's degree or graduate certificate, enhancing career opportunities and long-term earning potential. 

Accelerated Master's Highlights

• Begin studying advanced topics while an undergraduate student with the opportunity to complete a master’s degree or graduate certificate early.
• Master’s degree program students: Earn up to 12* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
• Graduate certificate program students: Earn up to 8* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s degree and the graduate certificate.
• Students complete the bachelor’s degree, and then officially matriculate into the master’s or graduate certificate program to complete the remaining required graduate-level coursework.

*Some exceptions apply. 

Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements

• A minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA is required.*
• A minimum of 90 undergraduate credits must be completed prior to enrolling in graduate (800-level) courses.
• Streamlined Graduate School Application (two letters of recommendation; most standardized tests and application fee are waived).*

*Some exceptions apply.

Accelerated Master's Requirements

• Students must attend a mandatory orientation session.
• Students must submit a special registration form each semester for dual-credit courses and note any DegreeWorks exceptions.
• Students may defer graduate matriculation for up to one year after earning their bachelor’s degree in most programs.
• See the Accelerated Master’s Catalog Policy and Accelerated Master’s Website for additional information and a list of programs. Note that some programs have additional requirements (e.g. higher-grade expectations) compared to the general policy.

Chemistry (M.S.) Accelerated Option

This graduate degree program is approved to be taken on an accelerated basis in articulation with the following undergraduate program(s): 

Program Learning Outcomes

All Chemistry graduate students will be able to:

Display a comprehensive knowledge of chemistry, with greater depth demonstrated in at least one subdiscipline.

• Chemistry students in the Ph.D. and the M.S. program should have a basic knowledge of the field, with that knowledge being at least the level of the material taught in first-year chemistry and the initial courses in undergraduate sub-disciplinary classes (analytical, inorganic, organic, physical chemistry, and biochemistry).

Ph.D. students should demonstrate focused and deep expertise in their area of scholarly exploration, including an understanding of the current status of the topic. M.S. students should also demonstrate clear focus in scholarly pursuits.

• In the area of specialization, a Ph.D. student’s knowledge of the field should, at a minimum, be comparable to special topics classes at the graduate level.
• Students should demonstrate capabilities of searching the literature to become familiar with the current state of the field.

Apply critical thinking skills in the evaluation of scientific work, by analyzing, organizing, and evaluating scientific data and knowledge.

• Careful attention to and critical evaluation of material encountered in the literature, in seminars, and research activity is evidence of scientific maturation.

Generate hypotheses, design strategies, perform studies, and interpret results that lead to new knowledge in the field, including the

• Application of central methods and techniques, including laboratory skills, statistical and computational methods, data gathering, and record-keeping to deliver detailed information and reproducible results.
• Demonstration of an understanding of the scientific method through the Original Research Proposal and through laboratory research (dissertation).
• Conduct of consequential scientific inquiry that advances a scientific field as required for a dissertation and peer-reviewed publications.

Communicate scientific information with effectiveness to both experts and novices in oral and written form, including methods, results, and conclusions.

• Demonstration of the ability to engage in communication appropriate for the audience.
• Present scientific material with clarity, accuracy, and precision.

Perform research in a professional, ethical, and safe manner.

• Students must participate in and apply knowledge from required training in laboratory safety and the responsible conduct of research; additional specialized training in these areas is encouraged.
• Students should develop skills in applicable professional areas, such as pedagogy, teamwork and team building, and leadership, through mentoring, instructional activity, and workshops.
• Safety and ethical behavior should be demonstrated in all activities, including both instructional and research activity.

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Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall: Jan. 15 (for funding); April 1 (final)
• Spring: Dec. 1
• Summer: N/A
• Special: N/A

Application fee: $65

Campus: Durham

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters: Yes (for more details see the accelerated masters information page)

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a brief but carefully crafted statement that includes: 1) Research experience. State the goals of your previous research and accomplishments to date. Including a list of publications, presentations, and awards within the Experience and Background section of the application is encouraged; however, please do not send actual publications or presentations. 2) A clear indication of your area of research interest(s). You may choose from analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, or physical chemistry. Indicating more than one interest is perfectly acceptable. Provide a clear rationale as to why you wish to perform graduate work in these areas and include your immediate and long-range objectives. 3) Those UNH Chemistry faculty whose research interests you and why. 4) Additional information that will enhance the selection committee’s understanding of your personal background and life experiences, including educational (e.g. teaching and leadership experience), cultural, familial, or other opportunities or challenges.

Statements must be included with your submitted application.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.