Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. For questions regarding the application process, applicants should contact the graduate coordinator (chemgrad@uic.edu). Complete transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate coursework must be submitted. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

• Baccalaureate Field Chemistry or biochemistry. Other fields are considered on an individual basis.
• Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 in mathematics and science courses (excluding independent study or research courses) and at least 2.75 for the final 60 semester hours (or 90 quarter hours if the university follows the quarter system) of undergraduate study.
• Tests Required None.
• Minimum English Competency Test Score
  • TOEFL iBT 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21, OR,
  • IELTS Academic 6.5, with 6.0 in each of the four subscores, OR,
  • PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
• Letters of Recommendation Three letters are required.
• Personal Statement Required as part of the Application for Graduate Appointment. The form is accessible online (click the down arrow in the top right corner to make it a fillable PDF). Statement should be submitted on a separate sheet. Research background and interests should be emphasized, and a discussion of the applicant's suitability to our graduate program should be provided.
• Nondegree Applicants Nondegree applicants must submit a transcript from their baccalaureate institution and a statement regarding their future plans.

Degree Requirements

After admission, all entering students must take placement examinations. The placement examinations, which are at a level of typical terminal college courses, are offered in the areas of analytical, inorganic, organic, physical, and biochemistry. All graduate students must show proficiency in three areas of their choice. A deficiency in an area must be remedied by taking an advanced undergraduate or a graduate-level course in the area.

The MS degree is not a prerequisite to the PhD degree in Chemistry. Students are normally admitted directly to the PhD program. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements to be awarded a master's degree, students must meet the following program requirements:

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 32. At least 24 of the 32 hours must be within the Department of Chemistry.
• Thesis, Project, or Coursework Only Options Students elect one of three options: course work only, course work plus examination, or course work plus thesis.
  • Coursework-Only: As stated above, at least 24 of the 32 coursework hours must be within the Department of Chemistry. All courses from outside the Department of Chemistry must be approved by the Graduate Advising Committee. At least four lecture courses must be taken at the 500 level. No more than 8 semester hours of seminar or research courses may be applied to the master’s degree. If the CHEM 592 research course is used, a project report must be submitted and approved. Students in the coursework-only option must complete all coursework for the master’s degree within three semesters, excluding summers; those who fail to do so may pursue the thesis option.
  • Coursework plus Thesis: Students may elect to submit and defend a thesis based on their research in addition to 24 hours of graduate-level coursework in chemistry, as described above.