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BS/MS Degree in Chemistry

The Chemistry BS/MS program is tailored to students interested in a focused and accelerated graduate degree program, combining graduate level coursework with research. The program allows advanced students to complete both their B.S. and M.S. degrees in five years, one year earlier than if the degrees were done separately. This gives students an advantage in the job market by providing them with more training, an advanced degree, more research experience and increased earning potential, or an advantage for entry into professional schools or Ph.D. programs. Students are accepted into the BS/MS program in the spring of their junior year, and then apply to the U of U's graduate school in December of their senior year. Contact an Academic Advisor for more information.

  Online application here - Due April 30th

Minimum Requirements for Admission

  • GPA of 3.0 or better
  • Two letters of recommendation, one from a chemistry faculty member.

 

Timeline

Junior Year (students should be have 1 academic year to complete bachelors degree requirements)

  • April 30: Chemistry Internal Applications due - link above.
  • Mid-May: Notices of acceptance into the program will be sent out.

Senior Year (Last 2 semesters of bachelors degree)

  • Fall: Meet with an Academic Advisor to go over academic plan - may include up to 12 credits of graduate coursework during final semsters of bachelors degree. Apply to Graduate School in December.
  • Early-Spring: Students should be in a chemistry research group.
  • Summer following Senior Year: Work on Research Project. Meet with an Academic Advisor to go over Fall coursework/registration.

Masters Year

  • Fall: Graduate coursework and Research.
  • Spring: Complete coursework and research.
    • April 1: Students must submit a short report (10 pages) describing their research accomplishments to the Program Director and their Advisory Committee (advisor + 2 faculty).
    • Late-April: Students present and defend their report.

 

Coursework

  • Complete requirements for a Chemistry BS degree (122 credit hours)
    • Needs to be completed BEFORE you are admitted to the graduate school (5th year)
  • 20 credit hours (~10 classes) of Chemistry graduate level courses (6000 & 7000-level courses).
    • Students can take up to 12 credits of graduate courses as they complete their undergraduate degree. They must receive a B or higher for these courses to count toward their MS.
    • As long as they are not counted towards the BS degree, 4 credits can be from advanced laboratory classes (Chem 5700 Chem 5710, Chem 5720, Chem 5730, or Chem 5750).
  • CHEM 5350, Research Ethics (1 credit) - Spring
  • CHEM 6900, Directed Study (10 credits total) - credit for participating in research

 

Research Requirements

  • Students will be required to take 10 credit hours of research (CHEM 6900) with a faculty member in Chemistry.
    • Upon approval by the program director, research with Chemistry faculty can be coupled with an internship or carried out with an Auxiliary faculty.
  • Students will write a short report (< 10 pages) detailing their project - mid-April.
  • Students will be required to present and defend their project - end of April.
Last Updated: 2/26/24