Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry

Program Learning Outcomes for PhD in Chemistry Students graduating from this program will: Design and conduct independent and novel experimental and/or theoretical/computational chemical-based research that contributes to the existing body of knowledge in the field. Locate, retrieve, read, and interpret current chemical literature using modern literature search methods. Demonstrate an awareness of the ethical, societal, and environmental impact of chemistry. Effectively communicate to both the scientific community and the general public the results of their work both orally and in writing. Effectively teach chemistry concepts at the university level. Develop interactive skills in chemical discourse, networking, and other professional activities. Requirements for the PhD in Chemistry Research—The PhD in chemistry is awarded for original research in chemistry. During the first semester of residence, students select a research advisor from among the members of the faculty. In some cases, students may choose research advisors outside of the department. Approval of the department chair is required to formalize these advising relationships. The research advisor will guide the student in the choice of an appropriate research topic and in the detailed training required to complete that project. Students must successfully complete CHEM 800 Graduate Research and CHEM 600 Graduate Seminar every semester of residence. Candidates earn a PhD after successfully completing at least 90 semester hours of advanced study in chemistry and related fields, culminating in a thesis that describes an original and significant investigation in chemistry. The thesis must be satisfactorily defended in a public oral examination. The student must pass the thesis defense before the end of the 16th semester of residency. Coursework—Within the first two years, the student must complete six 3-semester-hour graduate-level lecture courses at Rice University, or their approved equivalent. In order to satisfy this requirement, each of these courses must satisfy the following criteria: They must be approved by the department’s graduate advising committee. Chemistry graduate courses must be at the 500 level or higher. Certain 300- and 400-level courses in other departments may be acceptable with prior approval by the department’s graduate advising committee, but a maximum of three lower-level courses in other departments can count towards the six-class requirement, and these do not count towards the university-wide requirement of 90 credits at the 500 level. Courses must be in technical subjects in science or engineering. Courses in teaching, presentation, or management will not be counted toward the six-class requirement. Each course must be passed with a grade of B- or higher. It is possible to repeat or replace a course, upon approval of the department’s graduate advising committee. A maximum of two courses can be repeated/replaced. Students who pursue both the BS and the PhD at Rice need not duplicate course work for the two degrees. However, teaching as an undergraduate does not substitute for the teaching requirements in the PhD program.