Chemistry

Master's and Doctoral Programs

Graduate opportunities

The Department of Chemistry at the University of North Texas offers you an opportunity to change the world.

Cutting-edge research and innovative course work make UNT an ideal place to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy or Master of Science degree in Chemistry.

From designing new optoelectronic or pharmaceutical materials to reducing toxic emissions and the invention of new clean fuels, our combination of internationally recognized faculty members and state-of-the-art facilities have provided alumni with the tools needed to thrive and succeed in the job market.

Our faculty members are committed to excellence and your success. They’ve been recognized in their fields by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Science Foundation, the Inter-American Photochemical Society and the American Chemical Society, among others. They also serve as editors or on editorial boards of major journals and receive extensive citations for their research endeavors.

Gain new perspectives

The Ph.D. program includes the four traditional fields of analytical, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. Students can pursue concentrations in emerging contemporary research fields such as computational chemistry, materials chemistry, and homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysis. Our M.S. program also offers industrial chemistry in addition to the areas above.

New frontiers in chemistry often incorporate two or more traditional areas, and your advisors can help you design unique interdisciplinary study opportunities. A wide variety of research programs are available including:

• Biomedical and pharmaceutical chemistry
• Computational chemistry
• Forensics
• Homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysis
• Mass spectrometry
• Materials chemistry
• Molecular dynamics and kinetics
• Molecular spectroscopy
• Novel instrument design and development
• Synthesis (inorganic and organic)
• Thermochemistry

Research and laboratories

Our research is supported by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the Office of Naval Research, the Department of Defense Battlefield Forensic Program, the Welch Foundation, and other federal and industrial sources.

Research laboratories are housed in the Chemistry Building and the Science Research Building with access to university-wide shared facilities, including those at Discovery Park. Our department possesses numerous modern equipment and instruments for research in:

• Computational chemistry
• Mass spectrometric analysis
• Materials and surface characterization
• Nuclear magnetic resonance
• Organic and inorganic syntheses
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis
• UV-vis-IR and laser spectroscopy
• X-ray structure determination (single crystal and powder)

The department also houses the Center for Advanced Scientific Computing and Modeling, one of the nation’s foremost computational chemistry programs. The state-of-the-art computers are used for extensive quantum chemistry and molecular modeling applications by both computational and experimental research groups in chemistry. The department also maintains:

• The Computational Chemistry Instructional Laboratory, which provides significant resources to predict physical and chemical properties of compounds
• The Laboratory of Imaging Mass Spectrometry, a service facility for local, national and international academic and commercial research communities
• An extensive range of modern instrumentation including 500 and 400 MHz Varian NMR spectrometers with numerous nuclei and solid capabilities, Bruker APEX II CCD-based X-ray diffractometer, and mass spectrometers with MALDI, ESI and APCI capabilities
• A comprehensive inventory of chemicals and laboratory supplies
• A forensics laboratory with instrumentation used to process crime scene evidence and trace evidence identification
• A master glassblower who repairs and fabricates specialized glassware for research
• An electronics shop and master technicians for installation, maintenance and repair

Attending UNT

Admission requirements

You must meet the admission requirements for the Toulouse Graduate School and submit specific materials to the program. A holistic approach is used that considers the following factors and documents:

• Chemistry aptitude (primarily judged by your GPA in a Chemistry B.S. degree)
• GRE verbal and quantitative reasoning scores
• Two letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose
• Curriculum vitae

International students are required to submit a TOEFL score of at least 79 (Internet based). UNT also accepts the IELTS exam (overall band score of 6.5 or higher required).

U.S. applicants may apply directly to the graduate school. International applicants should apply to the International Admissions office. To speed up the application process, you’re encouraged to send copies of your application materials to the department’s Student Services Office.

Degree requirements

Ph.D.

You’re required to complete core courses in three of the four traditional areas of chemistry (analytical, inorganic, organic or physical chemistry), including your research area. You must also finish three additional advanced courses and maintain a B average in all formal chemistry course work.

Research culminates in a written dissertation of demonstrable scientific merit. The department requires that at least one paper from your Ph.D. work be accepted or submitted to a refereed journal by the time of the oral defense.

M.S.

Analytical, inorganic, organic or physical chemistry

You’ll plan your program with an advisory professor and the advisory committee. You must complete 30 credit hours and maintain a B average in all formal chemistry course work.

The program requires completing three of the four core courses, one of which must be in your research area. You’ll also write a thesis describing the research and defend the thesis at an oral exam administered by the advisory committee.

Professional Science Master’s (Industrial Chemistry)

This concentration is available if you have a specific interest in a selected area of applied chemistry. Degree requirements are determined in consultation with the Graduate Affairs Committee.

The program leads to a non-thesis degree requiring 36 credit hours of formal course work, including at least 18 credit hours in chemistry. At least 12 credit hours of non-chemistry courses must be included and approved by your committee. You’re also required to hold an industrial position to receive on-the-job training, which fulfills 3 to 6 credit hours.

Financial assistance

You may apply for teaching or research assistantships and research fellowships through the department. Teaching or research assistants receive a monthly stipend and a health insurance package.

The department also employs graduate students as preppers, graders and tutoring personnel in the Chemistry Resource Center or Computational Chemistry Instructional Lab. All students employed in these positions pay in-state tuition.

You may be considered for a graduate school competitive fellowship and tuition scholarships. New graduate students who have participated in Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate programs are eligible for McNair Fellowships.