The Ph.D. in Chemistry

During the first semesters of graduate study, students will choose a research advisor, work as a teaching assistant and take courses. We offer majors in the four traditional areas of analytical, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. In addition, we offer a customized "chemistry" major in which the course sequence is designed by the student and the advisor and a degree in Chemical Education.

We have a cumulative exam system that begins in the first year and our students advance to Ph.D. candidacy through a preliminary oral exam taken no later than the fifth semester. Research begins as early as the second semester and students have usually finished their coursework by the fourth semester.

Program Requirements

The Ph.D. program requires:

• 72 semester hours of graduate (academic/research) credit which may include an optional minor or specialization.
• Pass courses listed on the Program of Study as determined by you and your Program of Study Committee.
• Pass the preliminary oral exam by the end of your fifth semester in residence.
• Give a public seminar before the end of the sixth semester in residency.
• Pass an oral defense of your thesis research.

Proficiency in Chemistry

All new students will take a series of diagnostic exams, one in each of the major disciplines. The results of these exams help to identify student's academic preparedness and choose the appropriate coursework to complete the Ph.D.

Proficiency in English

All International graduate students will take an English Placement Test. This test is for non-native English speakers who DO NOT have a prior Bachelor's, Master's or Ph.D. degree from a U.S. college or university. More information is available here: http://www.grad-college.iastate.edu/about/englishexam.html

All International graduate students will also take a Speak/Teach Test. The purpose of these oral proficiency tests for new international teaching assistants (ITAs) is to find out how effectively they can communicate in English. See the programs web page for more information: http://www.grad-college.iastate.edu/speakteach/

Course Requirements

All new students are required to take Chem 579, Introduction to Research in Chemistry in the fall and Chem 550, Safety in the Chemical Laboratory, in the spring of their first year.

The core courses for each major are listed below:

Core Courses

Chemistry

There are no core course requirements for the Chemistry major. The courses are decided upon by the student and the committee.

Minor and Specialty Courses

Students may elect to take a minimum of 10 credits of courses in the following areas:

• Materials Chemistry
• Industrial Chemistry
• Biomolecular Science
• Chemical Instrumentation
• Forensic Chemistry

Teaching requirements

Teaching is an important component of the student's professional training as it helps the student to review their knowledge of basic chemistry and also allows them to pass this knowledge along to others. Each student is required to teach half-time (approximately 20 hours laboratory or recitation instruction, preparation, grading, etc.) for at least one semester.

Financial Support

Assistantships
The Department of Chemistry recognizes the need for adequate financial support during the period of graduate study and offers competitive stipends to all admitted students. Financial aid for first year students is normally available for 12 months; a 9 month teaching assistantships and 3 month research assistantship. Beyond the first year, continued support is provided through the major professor's group in the form of research assistantships. Support will continue as long as the student remains in good standing in both academics (3.0 GPA) and in research.

Tuition waiver
All students in good standing receive a tuition waiver for all semesters in which they are enrolled.

Health insurance The cost of health insurance for the student is covered. Coverage for additional family members is available for an additional cost. Dental coverage may also be purchased. See the Students and Scholars Health Insurance Program web page for complete information. ( http://www.hrs.iastate.edu/sship/homepage.html)

Facilities

The interdisciplinary nature of Chemistry allows our students the opportunity to work within several unique facilities on the Iowa State campus.

Gilman Hall
Home to the Department of Chemistry. Gilman Hall houses the bulk of the teaching and research facilities for the department. Additional research and office space is housed in Spedding and Wilhelm Halls.

Ames Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy
Ames Laboratory began as part of the Manhattan Project. The project developed an entirely new technology for the conversion of uranium ore to high-purity uranium metal and then used that technology to produce more than 2 million pounds of uranium by the end of World War II. Today, Ames Lab provides a unique collaborative opportunity for researchers, particularly in the general areas of materials, catalysis, environmental management and computational science. See their web page for more information: http://www.external.ameslab.gov/

Carver Co-Lab
This lab is dedicated to plant genomics, with the goal of conducting the basic biological investigations needed to help others improve crops. Current research in the lab includes several maize and rice genome projects, including the high-throughput discovery and mapping of maize genes, and microarrays. See their web page for more information: http://schnablelab.plantgenomics.iastate.edu/

Plant Sciences Institute
The Plant Sciences Institute is an umbrella organization over a group of centers, each focused on specific areas of the plant sciences. The research initiatives undertaken within the Institute include Genomics, biopharmaceuticals, nutrition, biorenewables, and crop protection. More than 225 faculty members from across the University are affiliated with PSI. See their web page for more information: http://www.plantsciences.iastate.edu

Who are our graduate students?

Iowa State is home to more than 26,000 students from all 50 states and 110 countries. The Department of Chemistry currently has approximately 190 students in various stages of the degree program. Our students represent the US, Canada, China, Taiwan, India, Korea, Poland, Turkey, Jordan, Romania, Serbia, Yugoslavia, Russia, the Philippines, Mexico, and Costa Rica.

Recent PhD's: Where are they now?

Here is a sampling of where our Ph.D. students have been employed:

Other questions? Feel free to contact out Graduate Admissions office at 800-521-2436 or send us an email at chemgrad [at] iastate [dot] edu