Chemistry, Ph.D.
Saint Louis University’s chemistry Ph.D. program offers specializations, including traditional areas of analytical, physical, organic and inorganic chemistry, as well as cross-disciplinary areas of materials and biological chemistry. Students must complete intensive research culminating in a dissertation.
Program Highlights
The SLU chemistry program offers students:
- Close mentoring relationships
- Small research-group size
- Opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary research
Graduate students in SLU's Department of Chemistry have access to a number of research tools, including:
- Bruker 400 and 700 MHz NMR spectrometers
- Bruker-EMX EPR, UV-Vis and FTIR spectrometers
- Research-grade spectrofluorometers
- GC-MS and LC-MS
- Electrochemical analyzers
- Gas chromatographs
- A scanning electron micrograph
- Computational facilities with modern molecular software
- A Bruker CCD X-ray diffractometer facility
Curriculum Overview
SLU's Ph.D. in chemistry requires a minimum of 35 post-baccalaureate credits, with at least 23 credits of coursework and 12 credits of dissertation research.
Research Opportunities
Our graduate students are active in the research areas of analytical, organic, physical, synthetic, materials, environmental and biological chemistry. Our research groups regularly publish in top-ranked journals and present at national and international conferences.
Research is externally supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, NASA, Petroleum Research Fund and American Heart Association, among others.
Careers
Past students from SLU's chemistry Ph.D. program have gone on to careers as research scientists, teachers, university faculty and in various capacities in pharmaceutical companies and government agencies.
Admission Requirements
Applicants should possess sufficient GPA and TOEFL (if applicable) scores and a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Bachelor's degrees usually are in chemistry or biochemistry, although other science majors will be considered.
Admission typically requires a minimum of 18 semester credits (minimum 2.8 GPA) of upper-division undergraduate chemistry courses, including organic chemistry (two semesters), quantitative analysis (one semester) and physical chemistry (two semesters). Students who do not meet these criteria may complete these prerequisites as part of their graduate program, though not for graduate credit.
Students who have not completed equivalent coursework in upper-level undergraduate inorganic chemistry and instrumental analysis will also be required to complete these courses, but they can be taken for departmental graduate credit.
Application Requirements
- Application form
- Two letters of recommendation (three preferred)
- Résumé
- Goal statement
- Interview (desired)
Requirements for International Students
All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students, along with the following:
- Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
- Proof of financial support must include:
- A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the time at Saint Louis University
- A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of study at the University
- Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.
Application Deadlines
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with priority review given to applications received by Dec. 15 for the fall semester and by Sept. 1 for the spring semester.
Review Process
The Chemistry Graduate Committee votes on whether to admit, deny or waitlist applicants. Applicants on the waitlist may be offered admission in a future semester.
Tuition
| Tuition | Cost Per Credit |
|---|---|
| Graduate Tuition | $1,450 |
Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:
Information on Tuition and Fees
Scholarships, Assistantships and Financial Aid
For priority consideration for a graduate assistantship, apply by the program admission deadlines listed. Fellowships and assistantships provide a stipend and may include health insurance and a tuition scholarship for the duration of the award.
Graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge in chemistry. Exhibit deep and comprehensive understanding in the core areas of chemistry, with particular expertise in the student’s chosen area of research
- Demonstrate advanced information literacy. Efficiently locate, evaluate, and integrate scientific literature to inform research questions and methodology.
- Conduct independent, original research. Design, execute, and interpret advanced chemical research, culminating in a dissertation and peer-reviewed publication(s) that contribute new knowledge to the field.
- Communicate scientific findings effectively. Present research findings clearly and effectively in both written and oral formats to diverse audiences, including scientific peers and broader communities.
- Apply ethical and professional standards. Practice responsible conduct of research and uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism in all aspects of scientific work.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate Chemistry Courses | 12 | |
Select four of the following: | ||
CHEM 5200 | Analytical Chemistry II | |
CHEM 5410 | Organic Chemistry 3 | |
CHEM 5930 | Special Topics | |
CHEM 5230 | Mass Spectrometry | |
CHEM 5260 | Analytical Separations | |
CHEM 5270 | Electroanalytical Chemistry | |
CHEM 5300 | Mathematical Techniques in Chemistry | |
CHEM 5370 | Computational Chemistry | |
CHEM 5390 | Special Topics: Physical Chemistry | |
CHEM 5400 | Organic Spectroscopy | |
CHEM 5440 | Bioorganic Chemistry | |
CHEM 5450 | Advanced Organic Chemistry | |
CHEM 5460 | Synthetic Organic Chemistry | |
CHEM 5470 | Medicinal Chemistry | |
CHEM 5500 | Inorganic Chemistry | |
CHEM 5550 | Organometallic Chemistry | |
CHEM 5560 | Solid State Chemistry | |
CHEM 5570 | Group Theory & Spectroscopy | |
CHEM 5610 | Biochemistry 1 | |
CHEM 5615 | Biochemistry 2 | |
CHEM 5620 | Biophysical Chemistry | |
CHEM 5630 | Introduction to Chemical Biology and Biotechnology | |
CHEM 5800 | Fundamentals and Design of Nanomaterials | |
| Required Research Courses | ||
| CHEM 5000 | Introduction to Chemical Research | 1 |
| CHEM 6900 | Introduction to Proposal Writing and Oral Presentations | 1 |
| CHEM 6990 | Dissertation Research (taken over multiple semesters, 12hrs total) | 0-6 |
| Research Elective | 3 | |
Select one of the following: | ||
CHEM 5299 | Introduction to Analytical Research | |
CHEM 5399 | Introduction to Physical Research | |
CHEM 5499 | Introduction to Organic Research | |
CHEM 5599 | Introduction to Inorganic Research | |
| Chemistry Electives | 6 | |
| Select two additional graduate chemistry courses from those listed above OR electives can also be fulfilled by taking 5000-level courses in other disciplines such as biology, math, computer science, engineering, and pharmacology with approval by Graduate Program Coordinator and student’s committee. | ||
| Total Credits | 35 | |
Non-Course Requirements
- Completion of research progress exam
- Completion of written comprehensive exam
- Completion of oral defense of research proposal
- A public oral presentation and a private oral examination
Continuation Standards
Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses. Grades of C and below are not considered passing and require repeating or replacement with another grad level course, achieving a grade of B- or better.
This roadmap is just one example of a semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. There are other plans students can and do take. The plan of study for each particular student is established in consultation with each student’s academic advisor; this roadmap does not replace academic advising appointments.
Roadmap notes:
- This Roadmap assumes full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
- Courses/Milestones marked with an “!” are critical and must be completed in the semester listed in the Roadmap to ensure a timely graduation.
- Course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| CHEM 5000 | Introduction to Chemical Research | 1 |
| Graduate Chemistry course | 3 | |
| Graduate Chemistry course | 3 | |
| Credits | 7 | |
| Spring | ||
| Graduate Chemistry course | 3 | |
| Graduate Chemistry course | 3 | |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| CHEM 5299 or CHEM 5399 or CHEM 5499 or CHEM 5599 |
Introduction to Analytical Research or Introduction to Physical Research or Introduction to Organic Research or Introduction to Inorganic Research |
3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| Chemistry elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| Completion of Research Progress Exam | ||
| Chemistry elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Summer | ||
| CHEM 6990 | Dissertation Research † | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| Completion of Written Comprehensive Exam | ||
| CHEM 6900 | Introduction to Proposal Writing and Oral Presentations | 1 |
| CHEM 6990 | Dissertation Research † | 1 |
| Credits | 2 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHEM 6990 | Dissertation Research † | 2 |
| Credits | 2 | |
| Summer | ||
| CHEM 6990 | Dissertation Research † | 1 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| CHEM 6990 | Dissertation Research † | 1 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHEM 6990 | Dissertation Research † | 1 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Summer | ||
| CHEM 6990 | Dissertation Research † | 1 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Year Five | ||
| Fall | ||
| CHEM 6990 | Dissertation Research † | 1 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Spring | ||
| CHEM 6990 | Dissertation Research † | 1 |
| Credits | 1 | |
| Total Credits | 35 | |
- †
Students are required to complete a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation research. The number of credits can vary each semester, but a student cannot register for zero credits of research until the 12 credits have been completed.
For more information, email the chemistry graduate program coordinator at chemgrad@slu.edu.
For more information about any School of Science and Engineering graduate program, email ssegrad-admissions@slu.edu.