This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
Program goal
The Department of Chemistry is committed to the dual mission of teaching and research at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level. In teaching, the purpose is to provide high quality education in chemistry to students in preparation for professional careers at all levels. In research, the goals are to advance the science of chemistry, to keep faculty on the forefront of the field and to maintain an educational program consistent with the latest technology and development of the discipline. Service to the chemical profession is also an important aspect of the department’s activities.
Student learning outcomes
- Demonstrate expertise (breadth and depth) in chemistry
- Demonstrate appropriate ability to design and conduct experimental research
- Demonstrate ability to analyze data critically and to design experiments independently
- Develop competency in the responsible conduct of research
- Develop effective oral and written communication skills
VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs
The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.
It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.
Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.
Degree candidacy requirements
A graduate student admitted to a program or concentration requiring a final research project, work of art, thesis or dissertation, must qualify for continuing master’s or doctoral status according to the degree candidacy requirements of the student’s graduate program. Admission to degree candidacy, if applicable, is a formal statement by the graduate student’s faculty regarding the student’s academic achievements and the student’s readiness to proceed to the final research phase of the degree program.
Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following degree candidacy policy as published in the VCU Graduate Bulletin for complete information and instructions.
Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on degree candidacy requirements.
Graduation requirements
As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.
Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.
Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on graduation requirements.
Other information
The Department of Chemistry graduate handbook is available online.
Admission requirements
| Degree: | Semester(s) of entry: | Deadline dates: | Test requirements: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ph.D. | Fall | Mar 15 | GRE-General |
| Spring | Nov 15 |
In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, the following requirements represent the minimum acceptable standards for admission:
- Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with 30 credit hours in chemistry or in physics.
- Admission on a provisional basis is possible for a student temporarily lacking this expected chemistry background or in physics.
Degree requirements
In addition to general VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, students are required to complete course work in core and elective courses and to conduct significant research.
- Credit hour requirements: Students in the Ph.D. in Chemistry program are required to earn a minimum of 60 graduate-level credit hours beyond the baccalaureate. At least one-half of the credit hours presented for graduation must be at the 600 level or higher.
- Proficiency exams: Students entering the chemical physics concentration must pass proficiency examinations in two areas of chemistry and two areas of physics (mechanics, electricity and magnetism). Students entering with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in chemistry who have not taken the courses previously may satisfy the physics requirement with an A or B in PHYS 301 Classical Mechanics I and PHYS 302 Classical Mechanics II and PHYS 376 Electromagnetism I. Students entering with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in physics who have not taken the chemistry courses previously may satisfy the chemistry requirement with an A or B in two of the four courses, CHEM 301 Organic Chemistry-CHEM 302 Organic Chemistry; the two-course sequence counts as one course only), CHEM 406 Inorganic Chemistry II, CHEM 409 Instrumental Analysis or CHEM 510 Atomic and Molecular Structure.
- Doctoral candidacy: The student is required to complete written and oral examinations in his/her major field to become a doctoral candidate. The written examinations consist of a series of cumulative exams based on the chemistry literature. The oral examination includes the presentation and defense of the proposed dissertation research.
- Dissertation: The student must conduct a substantial original investigation under the supervision of his/her adviser and must prepare a dissertation reporting the results of the research and analyzing its significance in relation to existing scientific knowledge. An oral defense of the dissertation will be held. Full-time students should complete the degree requirements in four to five years.
Curriculum requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required didactic courses 1 | ||
| CHEM 510 | Atomic and Molecular Structure | 3 |
| or PHYS 580 | Quantum Mechanics | |
| CHEM 511 | Chemical Thermodynamics and Kinetics | 3 |
| CHEM 612 | Modern Statistical Mechanics: Fundamentals and Applications | 3 |
| PHYS 576 | Electromagnetic Theory | 3 |
| PHYS 641 | Solid State Physics | 3 |
| Recommended electives | ||
| Select nine credit hours of the following, in consultation with adviser | 9 | |
| Applied Molecular Modeling | ||
| Introduction to Polymer Chemistry | ||
| Topics in Chemistry | ||
| Applied Quantum Chemistry | ||
| Molecular Spectroscopy | ||
| Chemical Thermodynamics | ||
| Chemical Kinetics | ||
| Advanced Inorganic Chemistry I | ||
| Surface Science | ||
| Spectrochemical Analysis | ||
| Topics in Chemistry | ||
| Experimental Techniques in Nanoscience I | ||
| Experimental Techniques in Nanoscience II | ||
| Techniques in Material Research | ||
| Theoretical Mechanics | ||
| Analytical Methods in Physics | ||
| Surface and Materials Physics | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Other required courses | ||
| CHEM 690 | Research Seminar in Chemistry 3 | 1-8 |
| or PHYS 690 | Research Seminar | |
| CHEM 692 | Chemistry Seminar Presentation 3 | 2 |
| CHEM 693 | Chemistry Perspectives and Ethics 4 | 1 |
| CHEM 697 | Directed Research 5 | 30 |
| or PHYS 697 | Directed Research | |
Students are expected to enroll in CHEM 693 within their first year of enrollment.
Students are expected to enroll in CHEM 697 or PHYS 697 (one credit hour minimum) every spring and fall semester. Up to 15 credit hours of PHYS 697 can be used to satisfy the minimum requirement of 30 credit hours of directed research. If the required 60 credit hours for the degree is not fulfilled after completion of all other course requirements, then additional credit hours of CHEM 697 can satisfy the remaining credit hours for the degree.
The minimum total of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 60.
Contact
Soma Dhakal, Ph.D.
Associate professor and graduate program director
sndhakal@vcu.edu
(804) 461-3131
Additional contact
Indika U. Arachchige, Ph.D.
Associate professor and chair of graduate admissions
iuarachchige@vcu.edu
(804) 828-6855
Program website: chemistry.vcu.edu