Phone: 703-993-1070
Web: chemistry.gmu.edu
Professors: Blaisten-Barojas, Cozzens, Davies, Foster (chair), Mose, Mushrush
Associate professors: Born, Davis (associate chair), Honeychuck, Hussam, Schreifels, Slayden, Weatherspoon
Term associate professor: Hatton
Assistant professors: Bishop, Cooper, Couch
Term assistant professors: Kort, Pettigrew
This department offers all course work designated CHEM in the Course Descriptions chapter of this catalog.
BA-CHEM
This program, when coordinated with the necessary courses in education, meets requirements for teacher licensure (see below). It also meets requirements for entrance to medical and other professional schools.
In addition to satisfying the university-wide general education requirements and requirements for the BA degree in COS, students majoring in chemistry must complete the following. (Through the course work below, chemistry majors satisfy the university-wide general education requirements in natural science and quantitative reasoning.)
This program is for students interested in studying chemistry at its interface with the biological sciences. Those interested in health science careers can obtain an excellent science background through this concentration.
In addition to satisfying the university-wide general education requirements and requirements for the BA degree in COS, students majoring in chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry must complete the following. (Through the course work below, majors satisfy the university-wide general education requirements in natural science and quantitative reasoning.)
BS-CHEM
This program is approved by the American Chemical Society; on completion, students are certified to the society. Students planning professional careers in chemistry should choose this degree.
In addition to satisfying university-wide general education requirements for the BS degree, students majoring in chemistry must complete the following with a minimum GPA of 2.00. No more than two courses with a grade of D (1.00) may be applied to the major. (Through the course work below, chemistry majors satisfy the university-wide requirements in natural science, information technology, and quantitative reasoning.)
Students planning professional careers in biochemistry, the pharmaceutical industry, medicine, biotechnology, or related fields with a chemistry emphasis should choose this program instead of the traditional BS in chemistry. This concentration provides students with a focus on biochemistry while retaining a strong chemistry foundation. Students are allowed to tailor the concentration to their interests with 9 credits of electives.
In addition to satisfying university-wide general education requirements for the BS degree, students majoring in chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry must complete the following with a minimum GPA of 2.00. No more than two courses with a grade of D (1.00) may be applied to the major. (Through the course work below, they satisfy the university-wide requirements in natural science and quantitative reasoning.)
Those interested in teaching high school chemistry should choose this concentration. This degree is approved by the American Chemical Society and leads to state licensure to teach in Virginia on completion of the degree.
In addition to satisfying the university-wide general education requirements for the BS degree, students majoring in chemistry education must present the following:
The course work above satisfies university-wide requirements in natural science, information technology, and quantitative reasoning.
During the sophomore year, students should contact the Graduate School of Education to arrange to attend an information session and take the PRAXIS I and II exams.
Mason requires all students to complete at least one course designated as “writing intensive” in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in chemistry fulfill this requirement by successfully completing CHEM 336, 337, or 465.
Chemistry majors who have completed prerequisites for CHEM 455 and 456 Honors Research in Chemistry and have maintained an overall GPA of at least 3.00 in mathematics and science courses are eligible to enter the departmental honors program. To graduate with honors in chemistry, a student is required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 in mathematics and science courses and successfully complete the two semesters of CHEM 455 and 456 with a minimum GPA of 3.50.
The department offers a minor in chemistry. The program requires 16 credits of chemistry at the 300 level or above with a minimum GPA of 2.00. Eight credits of course work must be unique to the minor. For policies governing all minors, see the Academic Policies chapter of this catalog.
CERB-EVCH
The department offers an undergraduate certificate program in environmental chemistry. The program consists of 35 credits of course work dealing directly with environmental studies. To receive the certificate, students must hold a baccalaureate degree in any major or be earning one from Mason at the time they receive the certificate. Substitutions from the following list of required courses are allowed but require permission from the environmental chemistry certificate director: BIOL 377; CHEM 313, 314, 315, 318, 321, 331 or 333, 505, 554; EVPP 301, 454; STAT 344. To optimize employment and graduate school opportunities, students are encouraged to take additional courses in natural science, computer science, and environmental law.
Web: prehealth.gmu.edu
Many students planning medical, dental, pharmacy, veterinary, optometry, or other health professional careers choose to pursue a major in chemistry. These students should consult the health professions advising web site on required course work and overall preparation.
Mason students who are interested in pursuing careers in pharmacy are encouraged to participate in the Prepharmacy Society. This student organization organizes supplemental programming focused toward pharmacy as a career.
The Chemistry Club provides a social and informational network for students. It serves the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry by sponsoring informational programs and allowing students to work at university events.
Students who wish to become teachers should consult the College of Education and Human Development chapter and attend an information session early in their undergraduate career. For more information, call 703-993-2892, e-mail gseadmit@gmu.edu, or go to gse.gmu.edu.
A five-year bachelor’s/accelerated master’s degree program leads to a research-based MS degree following satisfactory completion of 144 credits. It allows academically strong undergraduates with a commitment to research to obtain BS and MS degrees within five academic years plus the summer of the last year. On completion of this program, students will be exceptionally well prepared for entry into a professional school or a PhD program in chemistry or a related discipline. Students can enter this program after completing 90 credits and enroll in graduate courses when they have successfully completed prerequisites. This flexibility makes it possible for students to complete some of their graduate classes during their junior and senior years. Consult the department for details on the program.
Admitted students are able to use up to 6 graduate credits in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the undergraduate degree. On completion of that degree and with satisfactory performance (3.00) in the graduate courses, students are given advanced standing in the master’s program and can complete an additional 24 credits to receive the master’s degree. All other master’s degree requirements must be met.
The department offers an MS in chemistry with a research project (thesis option) or an all-course-work program (nonthesis option). Within the MS, students may pursue a concentration in biochemistry. The PhD in all branches of chemistry is available through the degrees in environmental science and policy, bioscience, and physical sciences. An area of emphasis in computational chemistry is available through the PhD in computational sciences and informatics program offered in conjunction with the Department of Computational and Data Sciences.
MS-CHEM
The MS in chemistry provides advanced training for recent college graduates, professionals in teaching, and technical workers in research organizations who have an interest in chemistry or biochemistry.
To be considered for admission to degree status, students must have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biochemistry, or a related field from an accredited institution and must meet general admission requirements for graduate study. Admission is based on a departmental evaluation of the applicant’s background as evidenced by transcripts and letters of recommendation. Applicants who received a bachelor’s degree more than five years before the application date must submit a résumé.
To receive an MS in chemistry, students must complete 30 credits of graduate work. The thesis option is for students planning to pursue a doctoral degree or a career in the chemical, biochemical, or pharmaceutical industry. The thesis is based on research that must be preapproved by the thesis or advisory committee, which is appointed during the first semester of registration in CHEM 799. Students who select the thesis option complete 6 credits of 799 and present a seminar followed by an oral defense. Students in this option are expected to choose a laboratory advisor during their first semester in the program and begin working on their thesis project no later than the second semester.
The nonthesis option is for those seeking to go on to professional school, teach chemistry in secondary schools, or pursue other careers in which advanced work in chemistry is necessary or advantageous. Students selecting this option are not required to complete a laboratory-based thesis. Instead, they are required to take an additional elective in chemistry (or biochemistry) and complete a research project or gain teaching experience in undergraduate chemistry labs, as described below.
Core courses may be taken as electives beyond the stated credit requirement for each option. CHEM 500 and 501 may not be applied toward the MS degree. CHEM 502 through 510 may be applied toward the MS degree only with prior written approval of the department.
This program is specifically designed for students who wish to pursue a doctoral degree or a career in the chemical industry. Students must complete the following requirements:
This program is specifically designed for students seeking to go on to professional school, teach chemistry in secondary schools, or pursue other careers in which advanced work in chemistry is necessary or advantageous. Students must complete the following requirements:
Any combination of CHEM 670 and CHEM 579 may be used to fulfill the 3-credit requirement listed above. CHEM 579 may be used to fulfill these requirements only with prior written approval of the department and must be used to complete a laboratory- or library-based research project or enhance the student’s teaching skills.
This program is specifically designed for students who wish to pursue a doctoral degree or a career in the biochemical or pharmaceutical industry. Students must complete the following requirements:
This program is specifically designed for students seeking to go on to professional school, teach biochemistry in secondary schools, or pursue other careers in which advanced work in biochemistry is necessary or advantageous. Students must complete the following requirements:
Any combination of CHEM 670 and 579 may be used to fulfill the 3-credit requirement listed above. CHEM 579 may be used to fulfill these requirements only with prior written approval of the department and must be used to complete a laboratory- or library-based research project or enhance the student’s teaching skills.
PHD-PSCI
This interdisciplinary doctoral program is offered by the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The degree focuses on preparing scientists in the separate disciplines listed above or as members of interdisciplinary science teams, primarily involving astronomy, biochemistry and biophysics, chemistry, and physics. The main emphasis is on theoretical, experimental, or laboratory research. The program is not intended to produce graduates who are scientific generalists; however, the areas of specialization often cut across traditional disciplines, as in the research fields mentioned above.
The degree is built on a foundation of several interdisciplinary courses that expose students to fundamental research problems in modern science and provide them with an introduction to each of the general areas that compose the degree (physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biophysics, and astronomy). The program curriculum, however, has been designed to provide enough flexibility to accommodate students seeking a fully interdisciplinary program, as well as those with interests more closely aligned with one of the traditional physical science disciplines. Students who seek a program with a heavy emphasis on computational methods may alternatively consider the doctoral program in computational sciences. This program includes concentrations in computational physics and space sciences and computational astrophysics. See the Department of Computational and Data Sciences section for degree and admission requirements.
The physical sciences PhD program is intended for students who (1) have completed an undergraduate program of study in one of the physical sciences, (2) have taken math to the level of differential equations, and (3) are computer literate.
Applicants are expected to have a BS degree with minimum GPA of 3.00 and acceptable GRE and TOEFL scores. The undergraduate degree should be in a scientific field, such as physics, chemistry, astronomy, mathematics, or engineering. Applicants with insufficient undergraduate records may be accepted provisionally and required to successfully complete selected remedial courses, some of which may not be applicable to the 48-credit total for the PhD course work requirement.
Interested students should submit a completed Mason graduate application, three letters of recommendation, official reports of GRE and TOEFL scores, and a goals statement reflecting their general research interests and career plans. Mason’s Educational Testing Service code is 5827.
The program requires 72 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree. All students in the physical sciences PhD program are required to take 48 credits of course work and 24 credits of dissertation research. For students entering the doctoral program with previous graduate work, the 48 credits of course work may be reduced by a maximum of 30 credits. Of the 48 credits of course work, 9 credits will consist of core courses to be taken by all students in the program, and at least 15 hours will be selected as part of a student’s contract with a three-member faculty committee (explained below). At least five of the contract core courses will be selected from the list presented below. Thus, the program consists of
A three-member predissertation faculty committee will be formed by the student as soon as possible after admission but not later than after completion of the 9-credit core. The composition of the student’s committee must be approved by the program director. At this point, the student is expected to have selected a rather broad area of future research interest; typically, the area may not yet be specific enough to define an actual dissertation project.
Because students entering the program will have diverse backgrounds and goals and the program is explicitly designed to accommodate students preparing for a range of fields of research, it is not possible to have a completely standardized set of degree requirements. Instead, the student and his or her committee will decide on a set of at least five courses (15 credits) that will best meet the student’s goals and future research direction. This portion of the program will be set up in the form of a contract between the student and the committee. The contract will include courses that the student should take and books and articles that should be read. Fifteen of the contract credits must be chosen from the following list; however, no more than three classes can be taken in any one area, unless the student obtains special permission from the program director. Furthermore, no more than two classes at the 500 level can be selected.
Students can choose their elective classes more widely, but these courses need to be approved by the faculty committee in order to be applied toward satisfaction of the degree requirements. As an example, a student planning to pursue interdisciplinary research in the general area of bioinorganic chemistry would form a committee headed by a bioinorganic scientist and would have a contract that probably required taking at least these five courses:
The contract is an interactive document agreed to between the student and the committee. It can be revised, but any revisions must be approved by the program director. For purposes of the written preliminary exam, the scope of the contract will be narrowed to cover particular courses, books, and such as the committee sees fit. The final contract must be signed by the student and by all committee members.