UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS Department of Chemistry GRADUATE POLICY BULLETIN October 27, 2016 Page Numbers Typical Sequence for M.S. Students (Thesis Option)...1 Typical Sequence for Ph.D. Students...2 I. INTRODUCTION...3 II. ADMISSION PROCEDURES...3 III. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS...3 A. Undergraduate Proficiency...3 IV. GRADUATE CURRICULUM...5 A. Core Requirements...5 B. Other Course Requirements...5 1. M.S. Students:...5 2. Ph.D. Students:...6 C. Selection of a Major Professor and Advisory Committee:...6 D. Function of the Ph.D. Advisory Committee...7 E. Records...8 F. Research and Final Comprehensive Examination...8 G. Other General Policies...8 1. Seminar Program...8 2. DELSE Requirements...9 3. Student Load and Graduate Requirements...9 4. Financial Assistance...9 V. SPECIFIC DEGREE REQUIREMENTS... 10 A. Master's Degrees... 10 1. M.S. in Chemistry... 10 2. M.S. in Chemistry Education... 10 a. Non-thesis option... 11 b. Non-thesis problems in lieu of thesis... 11 c. Thesis... 11 3. M.S. in Industrial Chemistry... 11 4. Pass-through Masters.. 12 B. Ph.D. Degree... 12 1. CHEM 6010, Qualifying Examinations, Admission to Ph.D. Candidacy... 12 2. Dissertation Enrollment... 14 VI. FINAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION RULES... 14 VII.POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR TERMINATION OF A STUDENT FROM THE CHEMISTRY GRADUATE PROGRAM... 15 APPENDIX A - DIVISIONAL QUALIFYING EXAMINATION (CHEM 6010) RULES... 16 A. Analytical Chemistry... 16 B. Inorganic Chemistry... 18 C. Organic Chemistry... 19 D. Physical Chemistry... 20 APPENDIX B - PROFICIENCY AND CORE COURSES... 22 APPENDIX C - PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION OF AN ADVISOR... 23
1 Typical Sequence for M.S. Students (Thesis Option) 6 months - 1 year before intended admission date Apply to Graduate Program (apply directly through the department) Week before classes begin First Year Second Year Semester of Graduation Attend Orientation for new graduate students Take Proficiency Exams Take Proficiency Courses Choose Major Professor (middle of 1 st semester) Begin Research Choose Masters Committee (end of 2nd semester) File Degree Plan (end of 2nd semester) Take Core Courses Take 1 Special Topics Course Begin writing Thesis File for graduation with the Graduate School Defend Thesis Details of sequence and timing will depend on your progress and will be arranged between you and your major professor.
2 Typical Sequence for Ph.D. Students 6 months - 1 year before intended admission date Apply to Graduate Program (apply directly through the department) Week before classes begin First Year Second Year Third Year Fourth Year Semester of Graduation Attend Orientation for new graduate students Take Proficiency Exams Take Proficiency Courses Choose Major Professor (middle of 1 st semester) Begin Research Choose Ph.D. Committee (end of 2nd semester) File Degree Plan (end of 2nd semester) Take Core Courses Take Ph.D. Qualifying Exams (CHEM 6010) Give 25 minute seminar Take Special Topics Courses Take Ph.D. Qualifying Exams (CHEM 6010) Choose External Advisory Committee (no later than 2 months before defense) Begin writing Dissertation Give 50 minute seminar File for graduation with the Graduate School Defend Dissertation Details of sequence and timing will depend on your progress and will be arranged between you and your major professor.
3 I. INTRODUCTION This bulletin provides information about the current practices and policies of the Department of Chemistry concerning graduate studies. It is the responsibility of each Graduate Student to familiarize himself or herself with these practices and policies and to ensure that all procedures relating to his or her degree have been fulfilled. Additionally, the student is expected to be thoroughly familiar with general requirements as detailed in this Graduate Bulletin. The Department of Chemistry offers four graduate degrees: M.S. (Master of Science), Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy), M.S. in Chemistry specializing in Chemistry Education and M.S. in Chemistry specializing in Industrial Chemistry. Where not otherwise specified, a "Master's Degree" referred to below will include all three types of Master's Degree. II. ADMISSION PROCEDURES In order to expedite applications, it is strongly recommended that all application materials be sent directly to the Chair of the Graduate Affairs Committee (GAC). The application will be forwarded to the Graduate Office for processing, as outlined below. Application is made to the Graduate Office, and this application is forwarded to the Chemistry Graduate Affairs Committee for approval. It is sent back to the Dean and filed in that office and a copy is sent to the Chair of the Graduate Affairs Committee for filing. The student should have taken the GRE prior to application. The minimum acceptable score for conditional admission is 146 on both the verbal and quantitative sections (391 verbal and 555 quantitative on the exam administered before August 2011). Any applicant with a score lower than these listed should retake the examination and apply for admission at a later date. Departmental forms for applying for financial aid are obtained from the GAC Chair. III.GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Undergraduate Proficiency Ph.D. students must demonstrate proficiency at the baccalaureate level in the four areas of Analytical, Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry. M.S. students must demonstrate proficiency in three of the four areas, one of which must be the student's area of research specialization. Proficiency in a given area will usually be demonstrated in either of two ways. These are: (1) passing a proficiency examination presented by the chemistry division of the designated area, or (2) taking and passing with a grade "B" or better a designated chemistry course. Ph.D. students are allowed one C in a proficiency course provided that the student has received an A in another proficiency course. Proficiency must demonstrated in the student's area of research specialization either through passing the ACS exam or by making an A or B in the proficiency course.
All proficiency requirements must be completed within twelve months for beginning fulltime graduate students. (Part-time students must complete the undergraduate proficiency requirements within 15 hours of formal graduate chemistry courses.). Examinations will be administered two times a year, in the week prior to the beginning of the Fall and Spring Semesters. A graduate student is given no more than two attempts to pass a proficiency examination in any area. For Fall admits the exam and course sequence would be as follows: 1st Attempt 2 nd Attempt 3 rd Attempt Area (Orientation Week) (1 st Fall semester) (1 st Spring semester) Inorganic Examination CHEM 5560 Examination* Physical Examination CHEM 5200 Examination* Analytical Examination Examination* CHEM 5460 Organic Examination Examination* CHEM 5380 4 For Spring admits the exam and course sequence would be as follows: 1st Attempt 2 nd Attempt 3 rd Attempt Area (Orientation Week) (1 st Spring semester) (1 st Fall semester) Analytical Examination CHEM 5460 Examination* Organic Examination CHEM 5380 Examination* Inorganic Examination Examination* CHEM 5560 Physical Examination Examination* CHEM 5200 *If required due to making a C or below in the class or from not passing the proficiency exam during orientation week. Entering graduate students are required to take the proficiency examinations prior to registration (failure to take the examinations upon entrance will be counted as one of the two attempts). On the basis of scores on these examinations, the student will be counseled and advised as to his or her appropriate curricula. The Proficiency Examinations are two hour multiple choice tests developed by the American Chemical Society and comprise material taught in standard undergraduate courses in each area of chemistry. Calculators may be brought to the examinations; no other materials are permitted. The examinations are administered and graded by a designated faculty member from each division. Percentiles are calculated from
5 standardized tables supplied by the ACS. The passing percentile, typically between 55%ile and 65%ile is determined by each division. A student is notified of his/her performance on the examination by the GAC Chair. A student will be notified of his/her progress in satisfying the proficiency requirements at the end of their first semester and at the end of the twelve month period. A student who satisfies only three proficiency requirements (including their own area of research specialization) will be notified in writing by the GAC Chair that he/she is limited to a M.S. degree. A student satisfying fewer than three proficiency requirements, including the proficiency in the student's area of research, will be notified that they are no longer in the chemistry graduate program. A student who does not satisfy all proficiency requirements for a given degree may appeal to the GAC for an extension. However, extensions are almost never granted. During the first year of graduate study, the record of each student is reviewed each semester by the GAC (Graduate Affairs Committee). The committee will make recommendations to the Chair of the Department regarding a student whose record does not meet minimal requirements. IV. GRADUATE CURRICULUM A. Core Requirements Except for certain cases delineated below, M.S. students must take the Core Chemistry courses in the three areas in which they have demonstrated proficiency, and including their area of research. Ph.D. students must at least three Core courses, including their area of research (i.e. the division in which they take their cumulative CHEM 6010 exams). B. Other Course Requirements 1. M.S. Students: The core courses consist of: Chemistry 5570 - Advanced Analytical Chemistry Chemistry 5710 - Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry 5500 - Advanced Organic Chemistry Chemistry 5210 - Advanced Physical Chemistry A minimum of 12 hours of formal (lecture) courses are required above the proficiency level, i.e. the three required core courses plus one other three-hour advanced* course (this could be a fourth core course or some other chemistry class). Students must maintain at least a 3.0 G.P.A. in their 12 hours of advanced courses.
6 2. Ph.D. Students: A minimum of 18 hours of formal (lecture) courses are required above the proficiency level, which includes a minimum of three core courses and three additional advanced* courses. One of the advanced courses may include the fourth core course. One of the six advanced courses may be in another department if the student s Ph.D. advisor and advisory committee approve. Students must maintain at least a 3.0 G.P.A. in their 18 hours of advanced courses. *An "advanced" course means one above the proficiency level in the department, and excludes seminar and research courses. M.S. or Ph.D. students who have completed graduate courses elsewhere may use these courses to fulfill the above requirements with the approval of the student's committee and of the appropriate chemistry division in the case of core courses. The graduate courses in chemistry and in related areas that are taken by the student are designated by the major professor with approval from the student's advisory committee. A student is expected to demonstrate proficiency in a given area prior to taking additional graduate courses in that area. If a student does take such an additional course without first satisfying the proficiency requirement, then this additional class does not itself satisfy the proficiency requirement and cannot be counted towards the number of core courses completed, until proficiency is demonstrated. C. Selection of a Major Professor and Advisory Committee: Usually by the end of the initial semester in graduate school, and certainly by no later than the end of the first year, the student will be expected to determine his or her specialization and choose a major professor. The selection of a major professor for a M.S. or Ph.D. student must be done only after having interviewed all of the research faculty in the student's major area of interest. The student must obtain a form from the Chemistry Student Services Office to be completed during these interviews. This form also provides further details about the selection process. When the selection has been made, the direct supervision of the student's program and progress toward the degree sought will be transferred to his major professor. Students who arrive in the Fall semester cannot begin working in research groups until after November 1. Students who arrive in the Spring semester cannot begin working in research groups until after March 15. After consultation with the student, the major professor will propose an advisory committee to the GAC for approval; the GAC will then submit the committee names to the Graduate Dean for approval. It is imperative that this committee be selected and approved as soon as possible after selecting a major professor because the committee
(which includes the major professor as chair) determines the course curriculum for the student. The minimum committee requirements for a M.S. Degree must be at least three members (including the major professor) (all must be tenured or tenure-track) from the Department of Chemistry. The minimum requirements for a Ph.D. Advisory committee must be at least four members (including the major professor) of which three must be from the Department of Chemistry. Two members of the committee must be from within the student s area of research and two must be from outside the student s area of research. Ph.D. Committees are also required to have an individual from outside the university who is knowledgeable in the student s area of research to serve in an advisory capacity to the committee. The external examiner should not be a collaborator or close colleague of the candidate s major professor, and the selected individual is to be approved by the candidate s Ph.D. Committee. If the committee and individual so choose, he/she may be made a formal fifth member of the committee. This would require that the person be granted graduate faculty status by the Toulouse Graduate School. During the semester in which the student's committee is formed, a degree plan will be drawn up for the student. The GAC will ensure that all graduate requirements are being met. Although the major responsibility resides with the major professor and the advisory committee in academic decisions concerning the student's status in graduate school, the GAC will monitor the student's progress to ensure minimal standards are being met. D. Function of the Ph.D. Advisory Committee The UNT members of the Advisory Committee will officially meet with the student at least once each year, beginning with the second year, until the student graduates. The external committee member may also be invited to participate. The committee members and student will discuss his/her academic (research and coursework) progress to date and the committee will issue a formal, written assessment of this progress. This written assessment will be via a form obtained from and provided to the Student Services Office and will be placed in the student s permanent file. During the student s third year, the meeting with the committee will be preceded by a formal department-wide seminar in which a topic related to student s research is presented to all of the graduate students, to the committee and to other faculty in the department. This talk will be part of the department s CHEM 5940 seminar program and should be coordinated with the Seminar Chair. Following the seminar, the committee will meet privately with the student to assess his/her overall progress. Students pursuing a pass-through masters degree program or for some other reason does not choose his/her committee and file a degree plan before the end of the second year, then the student will also be required to give seminars during the third year. 7
8 E. Records It is the responsibility of the student, together with the major professor, to report all additions and changes to a student s record to the Student Services Office to ensure that the student s record is current. These reports should include: (a) Choice of a major professor (b) Formation of the Advisory Committee (c) Filing of a degree plan (d) Results of the yearly assessments of the student s progress by the Advisory Committee (e) Results of Divisional 6010 examinations (f) Results of the final oral examination and the date of the student s departure Grades need not be reported since they are directly available to the Student Services Office. F. Research and Final Comprehensive Examination A comprehensive examination is required by the University for all graduate students at the completion of their graduate studies. This examination is administered by the student's committee and the results are reported to the Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School. Each student should check the University calendar to meet required deadlines. Ph.D. dissertations and Master's theses must be of scientific significance and suitable for publication in refereed scientific journals. A final oral examination is required which will be primarily a defense of the thesis or dissertation. For a Ph.D. candidate, it is required that at least one paper will have been accepted in or submitted and under review to a refereed journal by the time of the oral defense on a topic related to his/her dissertation. A copy of the manuscript published or under consideration should be submitted with the dissertation to his/her dissertation committee. G. Other General Policies 1. Seminar Program: The seminar program is a valuable part of a student's training, as it gives direct exposure to research areas outside the student's immediate interest. All full-time students who receive departmental or research support are required to enroll in the seminar course (CHEM 5940, 1 credit hour). All Ph.D. students will give a departmental wide seminar during his/her third year. The seminar should be on a topic related to student s research is presented to all of the graduate students, his/her committee and to other faculty in the department. This talk will be part of the department s CHEM 5940 seminar program and should
9 be coordinated with the Seminar Chair. Attendance at Departmental Seminars (defined as those given by UNT faculty and visiting speakers and student seminars) is compulsory unless the student has a conflict with a class or teaching assignment, in which case the Seminar Chair should be informed in advance. 2. DELSE Requirements: International students are required to pass the Diagnostic English Language Screening Exam before being allowed to work as a TA or in the Chemistry Resource Center (tutoring lab). The DELSE exam is administered during orientation week which is held the week before classes begin in the Fall and Spring semesters. International students who were guaranteed some type of departmental support and do not pass the DELSE Exam upon entrance to the program will typically receive a prepper or grader position during their first semester at UNT. During this first semester students attend additional training through the Intensive English Language Institute (IELI) and are retested again at the end of the semester. Students who do not pass the DELSE exam are not guaranteed any type of support after their first semester. In addition, International students must pass the DELSE exam within 2 years of their entrance in the program to be considered for any type of department financial assistance. 3. Student Load and Graduate Requirements: All full-time graduate students are required to take a full load, as determined by the Department. Students receiving departmental or grant support must be full-time students. An average of "B" must be maintained in all formal chemistry graduate courses taken by graduate students. Special Problems, Seminar, Thesis, or Dissertation courses are not included in computing the grade point average. Graduate School policy states that a student who does not maintain a "B" average (as defined above) may be suspended. Such a decision is made by the Toulouse Graduate School, after consultation with the Chemistry Department. The Chemistry Department further stipulates that a student cannot graduate with two semesters of "F" in any pass-fail graded courses (research and/or seminar courses.) 4. Financial Assistance Financial support for graduate students is provided in a number of ways: (a) Chemistry Department which include: teaching or laboratory assistantships, preppers, graders, employment in the Chemistry Resource Center (CRC) and Computational Chemistry Instructional Laboratory (CCIL), (b) research
fellowships made available through research grants to individual faculty members, (c) individual student scholarships or awards available to qualified students from a variety of agencies both public and private, and (d) a number of fellowships and scholarships are often awarded through the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Toulouse Graduate School and the Department of Chemistry. Normally, first-year graduate students are supported by the Chemistry Department for two semesters as half-time teaching assistants during their first year of graduate study. In the second year the student is encouraged to seek research support through his/her major professor and after the second year the predominant source of support should be of this same nature (e.g. research fellowships). The Department cannot guarantee support after a student's first two long semesters in graduate school. In addition, continued financial assistance is dependent upon the student maintaining a satisfactory grade point average and good standing in graduate school. As full-time students in the department, TA s, preppers, graders, CRC and CCIL employs not only fulfill their work obligations, but work on their courses and research. All of these combined are considered to be a full-time activity. Therefore, students employed through department financial assistance, are not permitted to have other simultaneous outside employment unless prior approval has been obtained from the Department. V. SPECIFIC DEGREE REQUIREMENTS A. Master's Degrees There are no Foreign Language Requirements for Master's Degrees. 1. M.S. in Chemistry This degree is a research degree which requires an average grade of "B" or better in three core courses, and a minimum of 18 hours in formal courses for which letter grades rather than pass-fail grades are given. A minimum of 30 hours of courses which include CHEM 5950, Master's Thesis, are required. 2. M.S. in Chemistry Education This degree is primarily designed for teachers of chemistry who wish to return to the University to broaden their knowledge, but who may have weaknesses in their background. In order to qualify for this degree, a student must have received teaching certification or obtain this certification prior to receiving the degree. This degree is rather flexible, so that it can accommodate various types of backgrounds, but the degree needs to be chosen from the following possibilities: 10
11 a. Non-thesis option: A student can take 36 hours of formal graduate courses, which may include seminar courses, but which cannot include CHEM 6940, 5920-30 if no thesis is to be written. b. Non-thesis problems in lieu of thesis: A student can take 36 hours of formal graduate courses, 3 or 6 hours of which must be CHEM 5920-30 (Research Problems in Lieu of Thesis). Under this option, a paper must be submitted for each course. No research courses can be included in the 36 hours. Seminar courses can be included for credit. c. Thesis: A student can conduct a research problem with a thesis and the accompanying final oral exam. Under this option, a student may take research courses for credit. A total of 30 hours can be taken, six hours of which must be CHEM 5950 (Thesis) and at least 18 hours of which must be formal graduate courses, not including seminar courses. However, seminar courses may be used for credit. Under each option above, a minimum of 18 hours of the formal graduate courses must be in the Chemistry Department and students must meet the normal proficiency requirements for a M.S. student. If you are thinking about switching from another degree track into this Chemistry Education Degree program you must give written notice to the Student Services Office of your intention to switch at least one week before the first day of class of the semester you plan to switch. 3. M.S. in Industrial Chemistry This degree is designed to broaden a student's experience in fields other than chemistry to prepare him/her for an industrial career. The program leads to a nonthesis degree requiring 36 semester hours of coursework, at least one half of which (18 semester hours) must be in chemistry. Supplemental non-chemistry courses must include at least 12 hours and may include business administration, economics, computer science, political science, environmental science, and others as deemed important by the student's committee. Seminar courses may be counted towards the degree. Either 3 or 6 hours of the total 36 hours must comprise on the job research training in an industrial position (or equivalent research environment). Research conducted at UNT cannot be used for this training. To receive credit for this training, the student should sign up for CHEM 5900 (Special Problems) or any other research course. The student must receive approval from the GAC before enrolling for credit for on the job training. The remaining 30-36 hours for this degree must be in formal courses. In order to qualify for the M.S. in Industrial Chemistry, a student must meet the normal proficiency requirements for a M.S. student.
12 If you are thinking about switching from another degree track into this Industrial Degree program you must give written notice to the Student Services Office of your intention to switch at least one week before the first day of class of the semester you plan to switch. 4. Pass-Through Masters Degree This option is available to students who were admitted to the Ph.D. program and did not successfully complete the required four proficiency courses during their first year of graduate studies. Students under this track must first complete the necessary work for the M.S. degree including successfully completing all of the required coursework and successfully defending his/her thesis. A student would retake the proficiency course not originally passed and continue with the other Ph.D. course requirements. Please note, the proficiency course or exam can be retaken only once and can be retaken while still enrolled as a Pass-Through M.S. student. If a student retakes the class or exam while a pass-through M.S. student, they cannot change to a Ph.D. student and discontinue with the Pass-through Masters degree. Students under this option are NOT allowed to take any of the CHEM 6010 cumulative exams until after the M.S. degree has been obtained. Admission to the Ph.D. program through this route is not automatically granted. Ph.D. students who do not successfully complete the four proficiency courses during his/her first and wish to must first consult with his or her major advisor and committee about the possibility of getting this degree. After consultation with his or her major advisor and committee, students must notify the Chemistry Student Services as immediately as possible after consulting with his/her research advisor about their desire to obtain this degree. Appropriate paperwork a for admission to this program must then be filled out and submitted to the Chemistry Student Services Office for processing through the Toulouse Graduate School. B. Ph.D. Degree The Ph.D. degree indicates that an individual has demonstrated the ability to do independent research in an area of chemistry and has a solid understanding of the fundamentals of chemistry related to that area at a professional level. 1. CHEM 6010, Qualifying Examinations, Admission to Ph.D. Candidacy Full-time students should begin the CHEM 6010 (Seminar for Doctoral Candidates) no later than the earlier of: (a) the Fall semester following the completion of the core course in their research area; or (b) the start of their third year in the graduate program because the student s progress has been delayed by having to take multiple proficiency courses. (However, a Division may require
13 that all students start the CHEM 6010 sequence earlier (e.g., at the start of the second-year), in which case the guidelines for students who take the sequence in their second year must be followed.) This 6010 course is designed to determine competency at the graduate level in a specific area of chemistry. CHEM 6010 consists of a series of 9 written cumulative examinations over selected topics, a paper, plus an oral examination. Students are required to pass 5 written cumulative exams out of a total of 9 exam offered. 4 of the 5 exams passed must be in the student s research division (Analytical, Inorganic, Organic, or Physical). The remaining pass may be from any of these four areas. If an exam outside of the student s primary division will be pursued, the specific outside exam must be chosen with approval by the student s faculty mentor and the Graduate Advisor, and should be selected based upon a topic relevant to the student s research program. Each academic year, a series of 9 exams will be offered, approximately one per month. If a student decides to omit an exam, then this will still be considered as one of the 9 attempts. A schedule of the months the exams will be given and the faculty contact for each exam will be provided to the students by the start of the Fall semester. Students are required to notify the faculty contact of their intent to take the faculty member s exam at least 30 days prior to the month in which the exam will be given. Once a student passes 5 exams*, no further written cumulative 6010 exams are required. (* Each Division may have guidelines as to which of the cumulative exams are required. For further information, see Appendix A.) Full-time students must finish their written portion of their 6010 exams by the end of their second year in the graduate program, and must finish the oral portion of their 6010 exams no later than the first semester of their third year. The exception to this is for full-time students who must postpone the core class in their research area because of a delay due to the need to take multiple proficiency courses in their first year. These students must finish their written portion of their 6010 exams by the end of their third year in the graduate program, and must also finish the oral portion of their 6010 exams no later than the end of the Spring semester of their third year. A student who fails CHEM 6010 in one of the divisions is not eligible for admission to Ph.D. candidacy in the Department of Chemistry. After satisfactory completion of CHEM 6010 and the foreign language requirement, a student is admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. Admission to candidacy must precede graduation by at least one year. 2. Dissertation Enrollment No dissertation enrollment is allowed until after a student has successfully completed all of the 6010 requirements. 9 credit hours of dissertation enrollment is required and must be completed over 2 consecutive semesters. Once enrollment in
14 dissertation has begun, students must remain in dissertation enrollment until the dissertation has been accepted by the Graduate School. If there is a break in dissertation enrollment, the 9 credit hours of dissertation enrollment must begin again. (See graduate catalog for complete rules regarding the continuous enrollment policy.) VI. FINAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION RULES A comprehensive examination is required by the University for all graduate students at the completion of their graduate studies. This examination is administered by the student's Advisory Committee and the results are reported by the Research Advisor to the Dean of the Graduate School. Each student should check the University calendar to meet required deadlines. Ph.D. dissertations and Master's theses must be of scientific significance and contain new material suitable for publication in refereed scientific journals. A final oral examination is required which will be primarily a defense of the thesis or dissertation. For a Ph.D. candidate, it is normally required that at least one paper will have been accepted in a refereed journal by the time of the oral defense. The thesis or dissertation must be submitted to the student's committee at least two weeks prior to the oral examination. The student will give a short presentation (typically 20-30 minutes) of the research contained in the thesis or dissertation. The committee members will then ask questions on the student's research and other aspects of his or her area of chemistry. Following the oral examination, the committee will decide, by majority vote, whether the student has passed the defense. The committee will also provide any required revisions in the thesis or dissertation, which must be completed before it is accepted by the committee. If a student does not perform satisfactorily in the oral defense, the committee may request that the defense be completed at a later date.
15 VII. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR TERMINATION OF A STUDENT FROM THE CHEMISTRY GRADUATE PROGRAM There are several circumstances under which a student may be removed from either the M.S. or Ph.D program in Chemistry. 1. Proficiency Requirements - If a student does not satisfy at least three of the proficiency requirements by examination or course within 12 months of entrance (for full-time students), the student will not be eligible to continue in either the M.S. or Ph.D. program. A student who satisfies three of the four proficiency requirements (including his/her own area of research) will be eligible to continue in the M.S., but not Ph.D., program. Details of the proficiency requirements are given above. The student will be notified of his or her status by the Chair of the Graduate Affairs Committee. 2. CHEM 6010 - If a student does not satisfactorily complete the written and oral qualifying examinations in his or her chosen area of Chemistry, he or she will be terminated from the Ph.D. program. The student will be notified by either the Research Advisor or the Chair of the Division. Details of the qualifying examination requirements in each Division are given above. 3. Dissertation Defense - If the student's Advisory Committee decides that the student has failed in the defense, the Research Advisor will so notify the student and the Toulouse Graduate School. As noted in earlier sections, students may appeal any negative decision to the appropriate appeals committee, (a) Proficiency requirements - Graduate Affairs Committee; (b) Qualifying Examinations - members of his or her Division of Chemistry; (c) Dissertation Defense - the student's Advisory Committee. Updated 7/3/14
APPENDIX A - DIVISIONAL QUALIFYING EXAMINATION (CHEM 6010) RULES A. Analytical Chemistry The Analytical Division's Chemistry 6010 examination policy consists of a series of written examinations (called cumulative examinations) plus the oral defense of an original research proposal on a topic not related to the student's Ph.D. dissertation research. Since Chemistry 6010 is a formal course, the student enters the program by enrolling in Chemistry 6010. Nine examinations are given within the following academic year. No written examinations are given during the summer. It is the responsibility of all students enrolled in Chemistry 6010 to notify the Analytical Division Chair if they wish to take the Analytical Examinations for that semester. Written examination dates and times are arranged by mutual agreement between the enrolled students taking the examination and the individual faculty member responsible for administering the examination. For the oral examination, it is the responsibility of the graduate student to make all arrangements for the examination, including finding a date and time which is convenient to over 50% of the faculty members in the Analytical Division plus the graduate student s research advisor (the established examination committee). An effort must be made to be inclusive to all the division faculty. The graduate student must also make arrangements for the room. At least two weeks prior to the oral examination, the graduate student must distribute his/her research proposal to all members of the Analytical Division. The original research proposal must be written up in a form suitable for submission to the National Science Foundation (with proposed budget) or other appropriate national funding agency. The 6010 subject exams are to begin no later than the January after a division student completes the Analytical Core (Chemistry 5570). Students may begin the year prior with advisor approval. A student enters the oral examination portion of the Chemistry 6010 requirements after he/she passes five of nine written examinations. Once a student begins the written examination sequence, he/she must take all subsequent examinations until either passing five written examinations or until failing five written examinations. Exams must be taken on the date issued; however, if circumstances arise that force a student to miss an exam due to illness, death in the family, or excused conflict, the student must contact both the proctoring faculty and analytical division head. If the conflict is deemed valid, under university policy, the faculty proctor and division head can either offer a rescheduled date, or give a grade of I and the student will be allowed to extend the 6010 for the following semester, if a 10th exam is needed to pass. In the oral portion of the Chemistry 6010 examination, the student must write an original research proposal not related to his/her doctoral research, and must successfully defend the research proposal. A graduate student is given only two opportunities to pass the oral examination. In the oral portion of the Chemistry 6010 examination, the student must write an original research proposal related or not related to his/her doctoral research, and 16
must successfully defend the research proposal. A graduate student is given only two opportunities to pass the oral examination. The content of the written examinations, as well as a reading list, is distributed to graduate students at least one month prior to the examination. The reading list will identify articles and material from the chemical literature and/or chapters from books that the student should read and will be responsible for on the examination. The time that the student will be given to complete each written examination varies according to the nature of the examination questions. Students will be informed at the time the examination is scheduled how many hours will be required. As a general "ruleof-thumb", the examination will last about three hours. Calculators may be brought to all written examinations. If for any reason additional items are needed, then graduate students will be informed of this at the time the topic is announced and the reading list is distributed. One faculty member, as selected by the Analytical Division, is responsible for writing, proctoring and scoring a given written examination. The faculty member assigns an actual numerical score to the examination, and a grade of either Pass or Fail. In assigning grades, the faculty member may consult with other faculty members in the Analytical Division. The oral examination proposal is presented before the entire Analytical Division and defended in front of examination committee, who collectively decide if the research proposal was successfully defended. On the written examinations, grading scheme or protocol is consistent with that used in formal lecture classes. Partial credit is based upon the work shown and the completeness of the student's response. Only "Pass" and "Fail" grades are assigned. [So-called "Half-Passes" are not used by the Analytical Division.] Graduate students are informed in writing of their examination outcome. Any student may examine his/her examination, if desired, and discuss the grading with the individual faculty member responsible for administering and scoring the examination. A student must pass 5 out of 9 written examinations. If a student fails five written examinations or fails to successfully defend his/her original research proposal after two attempts, then the student has failed Chemistry 6010. Except in unusual circumstances, the written portion of the Chemistry 6010 is completed within two long semesters after the student formally starts the examination sequence. Except in unusual circumstances, the oral defense of the original research proposal is to be completed by the end of the first long semester after the student has passed the four written cumulative exams. For example, if the student passes his/her fourth written examination during the Spring semester, then the oral examination is to be completed by the end of the following Fall semester. 17
When a graduate student fails Chemistry 6010, either the written or oral portion, then the Analytical Division Chair notifies both the graduate student and Chair of the Graduate Affairs Committee. Chemistry 6010 is a formal course, and the Analytical Division's appeal procedure is in accordance with written University policy concerning grade appeals. (Analytical Division Appendix rules updated 11/2/15) B. Inorganic Chemistry The Inorganic CHEM 6010 Exam sequence is composed of two parts: (1) A series of 10 written cumulative exams, written by individual faculty members on a rotating basis; (2) an oral presentation. Specific rules for each examination are given below. Cumulative Examinations A student will take a maximum of 10 tests. These examinations are offered once per month and will be administered by individual members of the division, and may cover any aspect of Inorganic Chemistry. The faculty member in charge of the exam will announce in advance there are particular study guides which the student should review and whether the student may bring additional materials to the examination room.. The time given for the exam depends upon the individual instructor, and is usually 3-5 hours. The examination will be graded by the individual faculty member, and will be distributed to other faculty for advice, comments and approval. The faculty member will give a grade of either pass, 1/2-pass, or fail. A student must pass 5 of the 10 examinations; two grades of 1/2-pass count as 1 passed exam. A student who has not passed 5/10 examinations will not be permitted into the Ph.D. program, and will be so informed by the Research Advisor. Oral Presentation The student will give an oral presentation following successful completion of the cumulative exam sequence. The presentation is scheduled on an individual basis, usually within three months of completing the cumulative exams. The student will prepare a written report on his/her research progress to date and future research plans. He/she will give an oral presentation lasting 20-30 minutes to a committee consisting of members of the Inorganic Division, and will then be required to answer questions on the report/presentation and all other aspects of Inorganic Chemistry. 18
The student is permitted to bring overhead transparencies, their report and other notes to the presentation. This oral examination/report will be graded by oral discussion of the quality by all members of the committee. The grade will be based upon the content of the presentation, the report, answers to questions and the quality of the student's communication. After faculty discussion, the student will be informed of the decision, and comments of the committee, by the Research Advisor. Two attempts will be permitted to pass the presentation. If the presentation is good, but the report is poor, the student will be allowed to rewrite the report, and not required to give a second presentation. If the student fails both attempts, he/she will not be permitted to continue in the Ph.D. program and will be so informed by the Research Advisor. All Examinations Appeals of a failing grade in any of the three examinations in the qualifying sequence will be considered on an individual basis. Nothing affects the usual Departmental or University rights of the student. (Inorganic Division Appendix rules updated 7/20/12) C. Organic Chemistry The initial written exam is given at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. The Organic Chair must be contacted by each student wishing to take the exam and an exam date is then scheduled that best accommodates the student(s) and the Chair. This first exam is a multiple choice test based on material from a comprehensive undergraduate course. This exam must be passed before a student may continue with the remaining 6010 exams. Two attempts to pass this exam are permitted. Upon the successful completion of the entrance exam, the student is then allowed to participate in the monthly cumulative exams. The following sections deal with the monthly cumulative exams and the oral examination. The nature of the written exam, length, materials required for the exam, and specific scheduling of each cumulative exam is decided on by the faculty member giving the exam. The cumulative exams will be graded on a pass, 1/2 pass, or fail basis by the faculty member responsible for giving the exam. Two 1/2 passes will be counted as one full pass. Excluding the entrance exam, at least one exam must be passed with a full pass. After the exam has been graded, the Division members view the exam before the results are reported to the student. After the Division members have reviewed the exam, the grade is transmitted, in writing, to the Division Chair, after which the exam is returned to the student with any comments the examining faculty member wishes to make 19
20 regarding the student's deficiencies. Typically, an answer sheet accompanies each returned exam. A student may not repeat an exam after receiving a failing grade. While there are no specific consequences for a single unsatisfactory performance, the student will be notified by the Chair in the event that four full passes have not been achieved after nine attempts. The student may appeal any individual exam grade by contacting: 1) the faculty member responsible for the exam in question, 2) the Organic Chair, and/or 3) the Graduate Affairs Committee. After the student has received written notification of failure to qualify for entrance to the Ph.D. program through the written portion of the 6010 sequence, a formal appeal may be made to the Organic Division. Additional Information 1. After a student has accumulated five full passes on the monthly exams an oral examination will be scheduled. At this examination the student will present to the Organic Division a report on the progress of his/her research, and plans for the completion of his/her dissertation work. In order to pass the oral examination and complete the 6010 sequence both concrete demonstration of research progress and the ability to correctly answer questions asked by the Division members are required. Questions are not limited by material contained in the student's presentation. Two attempts are allowed for the oral portion of the 6010 sequence. 2. Effective 1/2017, all organic students will be required to prepare and defend an original research proposal at the time of their CHEM 6010 oral examination. This proposal, which cannot be based on the student s current dissertation work, must be submitted to the members of the organic division at least two weeks before the oral examination. The format of the written project will follow the guidelines that are employed by the National Science Foundation for the submission of research proposals (i.e., 10-15 typed pages with the appropriate font and line spacing). 3. For each semester in which a student is participating in the 6010 sequence, the Organic Division will meet to discuss the progress of the student. The student will be informed in writing of the results of this evaluation. D. Physical Chemistry (Organic Division Appendix rules updated 10/27/16) The Physical CHEM 6010 Exam sequence is composed of (a) written cumulative examinations, and (b) an oral presentation accompanied by a report, and is administered according to the department s guidelines (section V.B.2). Specific rules are given below:
21 Written Cumulative Examinations Each examination is scheduled by the faculty member writing the exam. The topics for each exam are announced to the student at least one month in advance and may be broad in its coverage (e.g. chemical kinetics or quantum mechanics) or narrow (e.g. Fouriertransform NMR of Organometallic Complexes). Faculty members may assign specific reading materials at their option. These references are provided at the time of the exam announcement. The testing environment is decided by the faculty member in charge of the exam being administered. This includes matters such as amount of time allowed for completion of the exam, time and site of exam, materials and other aids needed or recommended. Each exam is graded by the faculty member who compiled it. Partial credit is generally given for multi-section problems, but this is a fully discretionary matter for the faculty member in charge of the exam. In general, grades are pass, no-pass and provisional pass. Provisional passes require additional work or study, or re-examination, at the discretion of the individual faculty member who assigned the grade of provisional pass. All grades must ultimately be pass or no-pass. Exam results are generally reported to students within one or two weeks following the completion of the exam. After satisfactory completion of a specific exam, a student is then provided information about the next exam as described above. This stage of CHEM 6010 is completed when the student has satisfactorily completed (with a grade of A or B) all the necessary exams offered by the division members within departmental time limits. If not, he or she will not be admitted into Ph.D. candidacy and will receive a grade of C, D, or F in CHEM 6010. The student may appeal a non-passing grade to a committee consisting of all members of the Physical Chemistry Division. Oral Presentation/Report Once a student has completed the written cumulative examination sequence, the student will prepare a presentation, accompanied by a written report, on either (a) an original research proposal on a topic in physical chemistry, or (b) a progress report on his or her current research project and future plans. The oral presentation will be given to a committee consisting of members of the Physical Chemistry Division. The presentation will last 20-30 minutes and will be followed by questions by members of the committee. The questions may concern the report, the presentation, and any other aspects of graduate Physical Chemistry.