Chemistry MS, BS Biochemistry Emphasis Accelerated Master's Degree

The Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry offers an Accelerated MS degree program that allows students to simultaneously earn their BS with the Biochemistry Option and MS in Chemistry with a Biochemistry Emphasis. Students accepted to the Accelerated MS degree program will be permitted to count up to 9 credits toward both degrees. 

Students are encouraged to work closely with their Chemistry & Biochemistry undergraduate advisor and the Accelerated MS advisor to ensure that courses are timed appropriately to maximize their benefits. It is strongly recommended that students meet with the Accelerated MS advisor as soon as possible, ideally before their junior year.

Students in the Accelerated MS program will complete the MS through the non-thesis coursework path. The thesis MS and Professional Science MS programs cannot be combined with this program.

Eligibility

Students need to have fulfilled the core curriculum requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with the Biochemistry Option degree below prior to applying for the Accelerated MS program.

Related Area Courses
MATH 1800Analytic Geometry and Calculus I5
MATH 1900Analytic Geometry and Calculus II5
MATH 2000Analytic Geometry and Calculus III5
PHYSICS 2111Physics: Mechanics and Heat4
PHYSICS 2111LMechanics and Heat Laboratory1
PHYSICS 2112Physics: Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics4
PHYSICS 2112LElectricity, Magnetism, and Optics Laboratory1
BIOL 1831Introductory Biology: From Molecules to Organisms (MOTR BIOL 150L)5
Chemistry Courses
CHEM 1000Chemistry: The Central Science1
CHEM 1111Introductory Chemistry I (MOTR CHEM 150L)5
CHEM 1121Introductory Chemistry II5
CHEM 2223Quantitative Analysis in Chemistry4
CHEM 2612Organic Chemistry I3
CHEM 2622Organic Chemistry II3
CHEM 2633Organic Chemistry Laboratory2
CHEM 3302Physical Chemistry for The Life Sciences3
CHEM 3312Physical Chemistry I: Thermodynamics and Kinetics3
CHEM 3322Physical Chemistry II: Quantum Chemistry and Spectroscopy3
CHEM 3333Physical Chemistry Laboratory I2
CHEM 3412Basic Inorganic Chemistry3
CHEM 3643Advanced Organic Chemistry Laboratory2

Admission Requirements

Provisional Admission

Applicants are considered for provisional admission if they meet the following criteria.

  • Earned 60 hours as an undergraduate
  • Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 with a B or better in all core courses listed above
  • Have approval from both their Chemistry undergraduate advisor and Chemistry MS Program Director

It is recommended to apply for provisional status as a junior, preferably in the first semester of junior year.

Graduate course options for provisional students are listed below. Courses completed by undergraduate students who have been provisionally admitted to the Accelerated MS program can count towards both their BS and MS degrees. Courses in this phase will be charged at the undergraduate tuition rate; however, these courses will count toward the master’s degree. Courses must be approved before the semester starts. Any 4000-level course taken before admission to the Accelerated MS program will apply to the undergraduate requirements.

Seniors who have earned more than 105 credit hours cannot be considered for the Accelerated MS degree program. 

Graduate Admission

Applicants are considered for graduate admission with the following criteria.

  • Are in their final semester in undergraduate status
  • Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 since being granted provisional status
  • Submitted at least one positive recommendation letter from an UMSL Chemistry faculty member
  • Submitted to the Chemistry Graduate Admissions Director a statement of purpose explaining why an advanced degree in Chemistry is of interest and why the applicant merits consideration
  • Have met with the Chemistry Accelerated MS advisor

Based on the above information, the Chemistry undergraduate advisor, Accelerated MS advisor and Graduate Admissions Director will determine whether the student can apply for graduate admission.  Final decisions concerning graduate admission are made by the Graduate Admissions Director and the Graduate School. Students admitted to the graduate program must take graduate courses until the completion of the MS degree.

Completing the BS and MS Degrees

To finish the Chemistry with a Biochemistry Option BS degree, a student must also complete the following requirements.

Two credit hours of advanced elective work2
BIOL 2012Genetics3
CHEM 4233Laboratory in Instrumental Analysis2
CHEM 4612Introduction to Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanoscale Chemistry 1
CHEM 4712Biochemistry3
CHEM 4733Biochemistry Laboratory2
CHEM 4897Seminar in Chemistry2
CHEM 5212Advanced Instrumental Analysis3
CHEM 5722Advanced Graduate Biochemistry3

Courses for Both BS and MS Credit

The following Chemistry courses can count toward both the Chemistry BS and Chemistry MS degree, up to a maximum of 9 credit hours.

CHEM 4733Biochemistry Laboratory2
CHEM 5212Advanced Instrumental Analysis3
CHEM 5722Advanced Graduate Biochemistry3
CHEM 6787Problem Seminar in Biochemistry1
Total Hours9

Other courses may be allowed upon approval of the Graduate Program Director.

Required and elective courses for the MS degree are shown below.

Required
CHEM 6897Chemistry Colloquium (must take 3 times)3
Electives18
Foundations of Physical Chemistry
Directed Readings in Physical Chemistry
Organometallic Chemistry of the Transition Elements
Special Topics in Inorganic Chemistry
Advanced Organic Chemistry I - Physical Organic
Advanced Organic Chemistry II - Reactions And Synthesis
Spectroscopic Identification of Organic Compounds
Special Topics in Organic Chemistry
Advanced Graduate Biochemistry
Advanced Physical Biochemistry
Bioinformatics
Special Topics in Biochemistry
Problem Seminar in Inorganic Chemistry
Problem Seminar in Organic Chemistry
Problem Seminar in Biochemistry
Graduate Research in Chemistry (up to five hours may be taken)
Total Hours21

Awarding of Degrees

The undergraduate degree may be awarded when the student meets the requirements for the BS degree, including at least 120 total credit hours, completion of the Chemistry core, elective, and laboratory requirements, and completion of the associated requirements. The student must work with the undergraduate advisor and/or the Accelerated MS advisor to apply to graduate. In their final semester in undergraduate status, the student must apply and be admitted to the graduate program, to begin he following semester.

The graduate degree will be awarded when the student meets the requirements for the MS degree, which is 30 credit hours of coursework at the graduate level. Required and elective courses for the MS degree are shown below. The student must work with the Accelerated MS advisor and Graduate Program Director to apply to graduate.

If the student fails to enroll for more than one year after receiving the bachelor's degree, the student can still earn the master’s degree, but the graduate-level credits earned as an undergraduate cannot be used for the graduate degree.