Doctoral Program

The goals of the program are to provide students with a broad base in advanced topics in chemistry and substantial depth in one or more areas of expertise through an in-depth research experience. Students earning a Ph.D. in chemistry are intellectually functional as independent scientists and sufficiently technically skilled to perform advanced scientific research.

They are able to instruct others in their discipline. They have highly developed communications skills to allow the efficient dissemination of scientific information in both a written and verbal format.

A. STUDENT ORIENTATION, PRIOR TO INITIAL REGISTRATION

PROFICIENCY or ENTRANCE EXAMS
All entering students will be given proficiency exams, usually of the ACS type. Currently, these exams are in the following areas: Inorganic, Organic, and Physical. The results of the examinations will provide the Chemistry Department with information regarding the entering class as a group and the Graduate Studies Committee with information about the scientific backgrounds of individual members of the entering class.

GRADUATE ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH MENTORING (GrAM)
GrAM’s mission is to provide first-year graduate students with resources and support as they navigate graduate school. Incoming graduate students are matched with current graduate students in a mentoring group composted of 2 mentors and 3-4 mentees. GrAM mentors will serve as a resource and develop their mentoring skills while positively contributing to the climate of the department.

B. PERMANENT COMMITTEE

1. CONSTITUTION
All committees must be comprised of a majority of Chemistry faculty per Graduate School policy. Eligible committee members include, but are not limited to, faculty from other departments and members of staff (see https://gradschool.unc.edu/policies/faculty-staff/faculty/ for details).

A. QUALIFYING EXAM COMMITTEE
The Qualifying Exam committee will be comprised of 4 members, including the advisor as prescribed by the Graduate School requirements.

B. DISSERTATION COMMITTEE
The Dissertation Committee  will be comprised of 5 members, including the advisor as prescribed by the Graduate School requirements. This committee will oversee the Prospectus, 4th year check-in, and Final Oral Defense. Substitutions are allowed as needed.

C. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE Ph.D. DEGREE

*Click here to view PhD requirements for the Fall 2020 class and subsequent years.
*Click here to view PhD requirements for the Fall 2016 – Fall 2019 classes.