Chemistry - Ph.D.
			Description Degree Offered Admission Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry Contact Info

Description

The Ph.D. program in Chemistry will provide doctoral education in three technical focal areas: Materials Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, and Forensic Science, drawing upon the strengths of the Department of Chemistry and other units within the University of Central Florida (e.g., CREOL/School of Optics, AMPAC, etc.). The focus areas meet the ever-pressing demand for the development of new materials and the increasing urgency of addressing crucial environmental and security problems. The curriculum has been developed in collaboration with industrial scientists and represents a response to current and projected competencies needed by industry. The purpose of this training is to provide scientists and educators who are capable of conducting research to solve important problems in contemporary fields of the chemical sciences and prepare a highly skilled work force to ensure the technological and economic health and competitiveness of Central Florida.

Degrees Offered

Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry

Admission

For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Graduate Catalog. Applicants are encouraged to apply online. Please be sure to submit all requested material by the established deadline(s).

Students will normally possess a B.S. degree in the chemical sciences, or closely-related field, and an overall grade point average of at least 3.0. GRE scores, three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and a resume are also required for admission. International applicants, for whom English is not their native language, will be required to achieve at least 220 on the TOEFL exam.

Application Due Dates

All students applying for fellowships or assistantships must apply by the Fall Priority deadline date.

U.S. Applicants

	Program(s)		Fall Priority		Fall		Spring		Summer
	Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry  Feb 1  Jul 15  Dec 1  Apr 15

International Applicants

	Program(s)		Fall Priority		Fall		Spring		Summer
	Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry  Feb 1  Feb 1  Jul 1

Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry

A program of course study is developed for each student in order to provide an appropriate background for his or her research. The academic program of study is developed jointly by the student and the advising committee based on the student’s chosen sub-discipline and his/her performance on the placement exams. Students will then acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to develop expertise in their area of specialization by successfully completing at least 15 credit hours of elective courses and directed research in their chosen area of concentration. One of the primary means of education and training in the Ph.D. program will be achieved through successful completion of an original research project, through close mentorship by their research adviser and the presentation and defense of the Ph.D. dissertation. This intense research experience provides the education and training necessary for the student to substantiate his/her expertise and develop the skills necessary to become an independent professional.

A minimum of 21 credit hours of formal courses are required above the qualifying level (six 3 credit hour graduate-level courses, excluding seminar, research, or independent/directed study). The course work includes four core courses, three additional (elective) courses in the chosen area of concentration (two of which must be taken within the Department of Chemistry), and a minimum of 6 credit of hours of directed research in the area of concentration. Students must maintain a 3.0 average or better in their program of study. Additional courses may be required by the student’s research adviser, depending on the chosen area of research. By the end of the second semester, students will choose a dissertation adviser and establish a program of study.

During the second year, students will take a two-semester seminar course sequence (2 credit hours), presenting a seminar to the department in the second seminar course. A third credit hour of seminar will be taken the year the student intends to defend their dissertation. During this semester, the student will present a seminar to the department on their thesis research. The research adviser and graduate coordinator will establish an advisory committee for each student. A total of 72 credit hours are required, with a minimum of 15 credit hours of dissertation research. A maximum of 27 credit hours are transferable from an approved M.S. degree program.

The program requires a minimum of 72 hours specified as follows:

Core Course—12 hours

• CHM 6710 Analytical Chemistry (3 credit hours)
• CHM 6440 Kinetics and Catalysis (3 credit hours)
• CHS 6251 Organic Synthesis (3 credit hours)
• CHS 6240 Thermodynamics (3 credit hours)

Elective Courses—15 credit hours in chosen concentration including Directed Research

(The student needs only 3 elective courses and 6 hours of directed study. He/she may choose three courses from the departmental offerings or two courses from the departmental offerings and one from outside of the department. Directed research will always be within the department.)

Materials Chemistry Concentration

Choose three courses from the following (except directed research):

• CHM 5225 Advanced Organic Chemistry
• CHM 5580 Advanced Physical Chemistry
• CHS 6260 Chemical Unit Operations and Separations
• CHM 5711 Chemistry of Materials
• CHM 6XXX Solid State Inorganic Chemistry
• CHM 5450 Polymer Chemistry
• CHM 5451 Techniques in Polymer Science
• CHM 5937 Opt Materials Characterization & Process
• CHM 6XXX Photochemistry
• CHM 5305 Applied Medicinal Chemistry
• CHM 6XXX Special Topics
• CHM 7919 Directed Research in Materials Chemistry

Maximum one course from outside the Chemistry Department from the following:

• OSE 5050 Fundamentals and Applications of Photonics
• EMA 5504 Modern Characterization of Materials
• EMA 6518 Transmission Electron Microscopy
• EMA 5108 Surface Science
• EMA 6129 Solidification and Microstructure Evolution
• EMA 6130 Phase transformations in Metals and Alloys
• EMA 6136 Diffusion in Solids
• EMA 6516 X-Ray Diffraction and Crystallography

Environmental Chemistry Concentration

Choose three courses from the following (except directed research):

• CHS 6613 Environmental Chemistry
• CHM 5235 Molecular Spectroscopy
• CHS 6XXX Chemistry of Hazardous Waste
• CHS 6XXX Chemical Aspects of Air and Water Borne Pollutants
• CHM 6XXX Photochemistry
• CHM 6XXX Special Topics
• CHM 7919 Directed Research in Environmental Chemistry

One course from outside the Chemistry Department from the following:

• ENV 5410 Drinking Water Treatment
• ENV 6046 Membrane Mass Transfer
• ENV 6055 Fate and Transport of Subsurface Contaminants
• ENV 6058 Particle Processes in Aquatic Systems
• ENV 6106 Theory and Practice of Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling
• ENV 6126 Design of Air Pollution Controls
• ENV 6336 Site Remediation and Hazardous Waste Treatment
• ENV 6519 Aquatic Chemical Processes
• ENV 6558 Industrial Waste Treatment

Forensic Science Concentration

Choose three courses from the following (except directed research):

• CHS 6XXX Explosives and Accelerants Analysis
• CHS 6XXX Forensic Micro-analytical Techniques
• CHS 6XXX Atomic Spectroscopic Methods
• CHM 5451 Techniques in Polymer Science
• CHM 6XXX Special Topics
• CHM 7919 Directed Research in Forensic Science

Examinations

Qualifying Examinations

Students will be expected to satisfy qualifying (proficiency) requirements (analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry) during the first year by taking exams in each of these four areas. Additional coursework may be required if one or more of the qualifying exams are not satisfied. Satisfaction of this requirement will help ensure that all students are adequately prepared for the core courses.

Ph.D. Candidacy Examination

By the end of the second year, students will take the Ph.D. candidacy oral examination. The candidacy examination consists of writing and orally defending an original research proposal (a topic not directly related to the student’s dissertation research) to the student’s advisory committee, and a presentation of their preliminary dissertation research accomplishments and plans.

Dissertation

• CHM 7980 Doctoral Dissertation (15 credit hours minimum)
• CHM 6938 Seminar (1hour)

Within three months before defending the dissertation, the student will present a seminar on the student’s dissertation research to the Department of Chemistry (the student will register for 1 credit of seminar).

Dissertation Defense

The final requirement for the Ph.D. Degree is completion of a satisfactory written dissertation of his/her research, along with successful presentation and defense of the dissertation to the student’s dissertation advisory committee, including one committee member selected from faculty at the university exclusive of the Chemistry Department.

Financial Support

Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see Financing Grad School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.

Key points about financial support:

• If you’re interested in financial assistance, you’re strongly encouraged to apply for admission early. A complete application for admission, including all supporting documents, must be received by the priority date listed for your program under "Admissions."
• You must be admitted to a graduate program before the university can consider awarding financial assistance to you.
• If you want to be considered for loans and other need-based financial assistance, review the UCF Student Financial Assistance website at http://finaid.ucf.edu and complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, which is available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Apply early and allow up to six weeks for the FAFSA form to be processed.
• UCF Graduate Studies awards university graduate fellowships, with most decisions based on nominations from the colleges and programs. All admitted graduate students are automatically considered in this nomination process. To be eligible for a fellowship, students must be accepted as a graduate student in a degree program and be enrolled full-time. To receive need-based fellowship awards, the student must have demonstrated need as determined by FAFSA. Merit fellowship awards are not affected by FAFSA determination of need.
• Please note that select fellowships do require students to fill out a fellowship application (either a university fellowship application, an external fellowship application, or a college or school fellowship application).
• For information on assistantships (including teaching, research, and general graduate assistantships) or tuition support, contact the graduate program coordinator of your major.

Contact Info

Kevin Belfield, Ph.D. , Associate Professor
Phone Number: 407-823-5728
chemistry@mail.ucf.edu