Chemistry (PhD)

Program Overview

The Chemistry PhD program at the University of Central Florida offers a comprehensive curriculum that emphasizes advanced research in areas such as materials, environmental, forensic, and biochemistry. The program prepares students for careers in research, academia, industry, and government through a rigorous coursework, seminar, and dissertation experience. The curriculum is designed in collaboration with industry, government, and academic scientists to ensure alignment with current and projected competencies.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Chemistry PhD program at the University of Central Florida (UCF) focuses on all areas of modern chemistry, with faculty actively engaged in research across interdisciplinary fields like Materials Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Forensic Science, Biochemistry, and Chemistry Education Research. The program aims to prepare future scientists and educators for research in contemporary subjects, equipping graduates with the skills and knowledge to be highly competitive in industry, government, and academic positions. The program's objectives are:

• To develop scientists and educators capable of conducting research to solve important problems in contemporary fields of the chemical sciences.
• To prepare a highly skilled workforce to ensure technological/economic health and competitiveness in Central Florida and the nation.

Outline:

The Chemistry PhD program requires 72 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree, including:

• Core Courses (12 credit hours): Students must complete at least 4 courses from a list of core courses, including Applied Analytical Chemistry, Kinetics and Catalysis, Applied Organic Synthesis, Chemical Thermodynamics, and Advanced Biochemistry.
• Seminar (7 credit hours): Students must complete 7 credits in Graduate Chemistry Seminar, taken consecutively over the first 3 years of the program.
• Directed Research (6 credit hours): Students must complete 6 credits in Research Report, supervised by their research advisor.
• Required Elective Courses (12 credit hours): Students must complete 12 credit hours in one of the following concentrations:
• Materials Chemistry Concentration:
Students must earn at least 12 credits from a list of courses in Materials Chemistry, including Green and Sustainable Chemistry, Chemical Synthesis of Nanomaterials, Radiochemistry, Bioinorganic Chemistry, Bioconjugate Chemistry, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Advanced Physical Chemistry, Chemistry of Materials, Solid State Inorganic Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry, Techniques in Polymer Science, Special Topics, Applied Molecular Spectroscopy, Advanced Instrumental Analysis, Frontiers in Chemistry, and Directed Research in Materials Chemistry. Students can also choose courses from outside the Chemistry Department, such as Biomedical Nanotechnology, Nanofabrication and Characterization, Nanotechnology and Energy and Sustainability, Nanotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture, Geometrical Optics, Materials for Optical Systems, Fundamentals of Optoelectronic Devices, Modern Characterization of Materials, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Surface Science, Solidification and Microstructure Evolution, Advanced Phase Transformations in Materials, Diffusion in Solids, X-ray Diffraction and Crystallography, Selected topics in biophysics of macromolecules, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Advanced Biology Laboratory Techniques.
• Environmental Chemistry Concentration: Students must earn at least 12 credits from a list of courses in Environmental Chemistry, including Radiochemistry, Current Topics in Environmental Chemistry, Advanced Mass Spectrometry for Forensic Science, Applied Molecular Spectroscopy, Advanced Physical Chemistry, Advanced Instrumental Analysis.
Students can also choose courses from outside the Chemistry Department, such as Bioanalytical Technology, Nanotechnology and Energy and Sustainability, Nanotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture, Water Treatment, Membrane Mass Transfer, Fate and Transport of Subsurface Contaminants, Theory and Practice of Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling, Design of Air Pollution Controls, Site Remediation and Hazardous Waste Treatment, Aquatic Chemical Processes, Industrial Waste Treatment.
• Forensic Science Concentration: Students must earn at least 12 credits from a list of courses in Forensic Science, including Radiochemistry, Forensic Analysis of Explosives, Forensic Analysis of Ignitable Liquids, Advanced Instrumental Analysis, Techniques in Polymer Science, Special Topics, Forensic Molecular Biology, Forensic Analysis of Biological Materials, Population Genetics and Genetic Data, Frontiers in Chemistry, and Directed Research in Forensic Science.
Students can also choose courses from outside the Chemistry Department, such as Bioanalytical Technology.
• Biochemistry Concentration: Students must earn at least 12 credits from a list of courses in Biochemistry, including Radiochemistry, Bioinorganic Chemistry, Bioconjugate Chemistry, Applied Molecular Spectroscopy, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Advanced Physical Chemistry, Forensic Molecular Biology, Forensic Analysis of Biological Materials, Population Genetics and Genetic Data, Frontiers in Chemistry, and Directed Research in Biochemistry.
Students can also choose courses from outside the Chemistry Department, such as Biomedical Nanotechnology, Bioanalytical Technology, Nanotechnology for Sustainable Agriculture, Selected topics in biophysics of macromolecules, Applied Microbiology, Microbial Metabolism, Laboratory Methods in Molecular Biology, Foundation of Bio-Imaging Science, Cancer Biology, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, X-ray Diffraction and Crystallography, Transmission Electron Microscopy.
• Chemistry Education Research Concentration: Students must earn at least 12 credits from a list of courses in Chemistry Education Research, including Advanced Organic Chemistry, Advanced Physical Chemistry, Chemistry of Materials, Solid State Inorganic Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry, Techniques in Polymer Science, Optical Materials Processing and Characterization Techniques, Photochemistry, Bioconjugate Chemistry, Special Topics, Applied Molecular Spectroscopy, Advanced Instrumental Analysis, Frontiers in Chemistry, and Directed Research in Chemistry Education.
Students can also choose courses from outside the Chemistry Department, such as Fundamentals of Discipline Based Education Research in STEM Disciplines, Non-parametric Data Analysis, Statistics for Education, Statistical Analysis, Multilevel Data Analysis, Qualitative Research in Education 1, Qualitative Research in Education 2, Case Studies in Research, Fundamentals of Graduate Research in Education, Quantitative Foundations of Education Research, Analysis of Survey, Record and other Qualitative Data, Public Policy Analysis and Management, Assessment in Science Teaching and Learning, Professional Issues in Science Education, Professional Writing/Grant Writing in Science Education, Teaching Theory and Research in Science Education, Design of Post Secondary Science Curriculum, Science, Technology and Society.
• Additional Electives (20 credit hours): Students who enter the program without a master's degree must complete 20 additional credit hours in the same concentration as their required electives.
• Dissertation (15 credit hours): Students must complete 15 credit hours in Doctoral Dissertation, including a dissertation research seminar.
• Qualifying Examinations: Students must pass qualifying exams in four out of five areas (analytical chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry) during their first year.
These exams may be waived for students with an MS degree in the Chemical Sciences.
• Candidacy Examination: Students must pass a candidacy exam before their sixth semester, which involves writing and orally defending an original research proposal to their faculty advisory committee.
• Dissertation Defense: Students must complete a satisfactory written dissertation and successfully defend it to their advisory committee, including one doctorate-holding non-program faculty member.

Assessment:

The program's assessment methods include:

• Qualifying Examinations: Students must pass qualifying exams in four out of five areas (analytical chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry) during their first year.
• Candidacy Examination: Students must pass a candidacy exam before their sixth semester, which involves writing and orally defending an original research proposal to their faculty advisory committee.
However, it is implied that the program involves a combination of coursework, seminars, directed research, and dissertation work. The program's faculty are actively engaged in research in their respective fields, providing students with opportunities to learn from experts in the field.

Careers:

The Chemistry PhD program prepares graduates for a variety of career paths in industry, government, and academia. Potential career opportunities include:

• Research Scientist: Conducting research in various fields of chemistry, including materials science, environmental science, forensic science, biochemistry, and chemistry education.
• University Professor: Teaching and conducting research at universities and colleges.
• Government Scientist: Working for government agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health.
• Industry Scientist: Working for companies in various industries, such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and biotechnology.

Other:

The program's curriculum has been formulated in collaboration with industrial, government, and academic scientists, ensuring that it meets the current and projected competencies needed by industry and the scientific community. The program emphasizes the development of a highly skilled workforce to ensure technological/economic health and competitiveness in Central Florida and the nation.