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The Department of Chemistry at Nevada offers graduate degrees in Chemistry (M.S. and Ph.D.) and Chemical Physics (Ph.D.). The department hosts 65-75 graduate students that work towards their degree completion under the supervision of research-active faculty in their area of study.

1. Master’s (M.S.) degree program

The Department of Chemistry offers two , a research-based Thesis Master's degree (Plan A), and a non-Thesis Master's Degree (Plan B). The general requirements of the Graduate School must be satisfied by all candidates for the M.S. degree with a major in chemistry.

• Plan A: 30 units for Plan A, or 32 units for Plan B

Program objectives/student learning objectives (SLOs)

Outcome 1: Theoretical knowledge

Students will possess:

• a broad factual knowledge at the advanced level in all subfields of chemistry (Physical, Inorganic, Organic, and Analytical).
• a deep factual and theoretical understanding of their area of specialization, including an awareness of modern research methods and technology, and problems of intense current interest.
• advanced cognitive skills in areas such as mathematics and physics that are necessary to understand and advance chemical theories.

Outcome 2: Research methods, planning and experiment design

Students will:

• independently design experiments to investigate scientific hypotheses.
• carry out experiments safely, using proper equipment and techniques.
• independently conduct analysis, along with evaluation of experimental or computational uncertainties and noise.
• interpret experimental results in the context of their uncertainties.

Outcome 3: Literature research and communication skills

Students will be able to:

• present their work by effective written communication in the form of scientific papers and reports, and by oral communication in the form of scientific seminars.
• train others in basic scientific knowledge and techniques and in advanced knowledge and techniques in their field of expertise.
• use scientific databases and the scientific literature to research a new topic.
• critically analyze and extract information from papers in the scientific literature.

Outcome 4: Scientific creativity and independence

Students will:

• understand the societal and general scientific significance of their work.
• possess the ability to identify key issues within their research area and independently propose new research directions and meaningful, testable hypotheses.
• be able to draw from their general scientific training to synthesize new problem-solving approaches.

Outcome 5: Professional and career success

Graduates will:

• be successful in their professional careers as demonstrated by their abilities to solve important chemistry problems, to solve problems in areas different from their training, and to develop new and valuable ideas.
• be able to work in a variety of professional environments as demonstrated by the abilities to work both in teams and independently, to provide project leadership, to mentor junior coworkers, and to communicate scientific results effectively to the chemistry community and the public.
• possess professional character as demonstrated by their ethical behavior, their pursuit of continuing education and involvement in professional associations, and their commitment to safety and protection of the environment.

Contact information

Matthew J. Tucker
Graduate Director, Chemistry
Email: mtucker@unr.edu
Phone: (775) 784-4376

Note: This handbook lists graduate program academic policies and procedures. It includes information on graduate school policies, degree requirements, timeline for degree completion, committee selection guidelines and comprehensive exam/thesis requirements. Every effort has been made to make this handbook accurate as of the date of publication; however, this handbook does not constitute a contractual commitment. Graduate programs may not offer all of the courses as described, and policies are subject to yearly review and changes with program director and Graduate Council approval.

2. Ph.D. degree program

The Department of Chemistry offers a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry, and a separate Ph.D. degree in Chemical Physics, administered jointly with the Department of Physics. The general requirements of the Graduate School must be satisfied by all candidates for the Ph.D. degree with a major in chemistry.

• 72 units required

Program objectives/student learning objectives (SLOs)

• Theoretical knowledge
• Research methods, planning and experiment design
• Literature research and communication skills
• Scientific creativity and independence

Contact information

Robert S. Sheridan
Graduate Director, Chemistry
Email: rss@unr.edu
Phone: (775) 784-6730

3. Ph.D. in Chemical Physics (interdisciplinary degree - refer to separate graduate handbook)

The Ph.D. degree in Chemical Physics provides an interdisciplinary curriculum for those students whose primary research interests are in atomic and molecular physics and physical chemistry. While requiring the student to complete a rigorous selection of courses that outline the foundations of modern chemical physics, the program also offers extreme flexibility in the choice of dissertation topic as the student may choose any of the affiliated faculty in either the Department of Physics or the Department of Chemistry to serve as a research adviser. The program is offered by the College of Science.

• 72 units required

Program objectives/student learning outcomes (SLOs)

• Theoretical knowledge
• Research methods, planning and experiment design
• Literature research and communication skills
• Scientific creativity and independence

Contact information

Sergey Varganov
Director, Chemical Physics Program
Email: svarganov@unr.edu
Phone: (775) 784-1406

Visit the Chemical Physics webpage to learn more about the degree program, or call (775) 784-6041.