- Academic Calendar
- _
- Access and Equity
- _
- Administration
- _
- Calendars
- _
- Campus Life
- _
- Controller's Office
- _
- Email Search
- _
- Emergency Preparedness
- _
- Employers
- _
- Employment
- _
- Financial Aid
- _
- Human Resources
- _
- Human Rights
- _
- Information Technology
- _
- Libraries
- _
- Maps
- _
- Meadows Museum
- _
- News
- _
- Public Affairs
- _
- Registrar
- _
- Saving for College
- _
- Site Index
- _
- Student Accounts
- _
- Substance Abuse Prevention
- _
- Visit SMU
- _
- Webmail
- _
- Academic Calendar
- _
- _
- _
- Career Center
- _
- Health Center
- _
- Leadership & Community Involvement
- _
- New Student Programs
- _
- Parent & Family Programs
- _
- Recreational Sports
- _
- Residence Life & Student Housing
- _
- Services for Students with Disabilities
- _
- Student Activities & Multicultural Student Affairs
- _
- Student Center
- _
- Student Conduct and Community Standards Office
- _
- Student Life
- _
- University Chaplain
- _
- Women’s Center
- _
- Vice President of Student Affairs
- _
- _
CHEMISTRY
Professor Edward Biehl, Department Chair
Professors: John Buynak, Michael Lattman, John Maguire, Mark Schell, Patty Wisian-Neilson; Associate Professors: Werner Horsthemke, David Son; Assistant Professors: Ling Hua, Brent Sumerlin.
Admission Requirements
In addition to meeting the requirements described by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, an applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree with a major in chemistry. Applicants are required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test and are strongly encouraged to take the chemistry subject exam. If English is not the applicant’s native language, he or she must also take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and score 213 computer-based, 79-80 Internet-based or 550 paper-based or higher. Three letters of recommendation from individuals who have worked with the applicant must be submitted to the department of chemistry.
Good Standing
A student must maintain a B average (3.00 on a 4.00 scale) and receive no more than two grades below the grade of B-. Failure to meet these requirements will result in either probation and/or dismissal from the graduate program.
Degree of Master of Science
Degree Requirements
Candidates for the M.S. degree in chemistry must complete 30 term hours of graduate work acceptable to the department, complete and defend a thesis before a committee of faculty and a general audience from the department and satisfy all general requirements of the graduate faculty.
3-Year B.S./4-Year M.S. Combined Degrees
This program is designed for exceptionally well-prepared students who wish to accelerate their studies in chemistry. By combining summer research with the regular academic year, students in this program can complete the B.S. degree in three years and the M.S. degree after an additional year of study. No requirements for either degree are waived in this program. For further details, contact the department of chemistry.
Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Degree Requirements
1. The student must complete the 10 core courses (CHEM 6111, 6112, 6113, 6114, 6115, 6116, 6117, 6118, 6119 and 6130) in the department of chemistry. Additional course hours will be selected from special topics courses based on the student’s interests and research program and in consultation with the student’s adviser and faculty committee.
2. The student will complete at least two terms of teaching practicum (CHEM 7111, 7112) to enhance communication skills.
3. All students must register for Current Topics in Research (CHEM 6120, 6121) for at least the first four terms in the program.
4. The student will take up to 12 cumulative exams until the required total score is obtained.
5. The student will present a departmental seminar (50 to 60 minutes) (CHEM 7121) on a topic that generally is in bioorganic or materials chemistry and that is not related to his or her research, usually during the second year.
6. At the end of the second year, the student will write a paper and orally describe the progress of his or her research, including a plan for the future research program to be completed for the dissertation (CHEM 7233). This will be presented to and graded by a faculty committee that includes the student’s adviser.
7. At the beginning of the student’s third year, the student will write an original research proposal unrelated to the student’s research program and will successfully defend this proposal before the faculty committee (CHEM 7334).
Upon successful completion of items 1 7, the student will be admitted to candidacy. The candidate must then:
8. enroll in a sufficient number of courses to complete at least 48 hours of graduate credit
9. make a presentation at a professional meeting appropriate to the field of research (CHEM 7122)
10. complete his or her research program under the supervision of the faculty
11. successfully write and orally defend before a faculty committee a dissertation (CHEM 8698, 8699) on his or her individual research program
The Courses (CHEM)
5185. Laboratory Methods in Physical Chemistry. Laboratory experiments with emphasis on thermodynamics, chemical kinetics and physical biochemistry. One half-hour of lecture and five-hour laboratory period each week for five weeks. Prerequisite: CHEM 5381 or 5383.
5188. Advanced Physical Chemistry Laboratory. Laboratory experiments with emphasis on chemical kinetics and molecular spectroscopy. One half-hour of lecture and five-hour laboratory period each week for five weeks. Prerequisite: CHEM 5185. Corequisite: CHEM 5384 or permission of the instructor.
5192. Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory. Synthesis and characterization of transition metal and main group element compounds and solid-state materials. Prerequisite or corequisite: CHEM 5392.
5306. Computational Chemistry. Introduction to the techniques of computer modeling of small to medium-sized organic molecules using advanced graphics workstations. Prerequisite: CHEM 3372.
5310. Biological Chemistry: Macromolecular Structure and Function. Introduction to the structure and function of macromolecules of biological importance. Emphasis on nucleic acid and protein structure, enzyme kinetics and carbohydrate and lipid chemistry. Three lecture hours per week. Prerequisites: CHEM 3371 (3373) and 3117 (3119).
5311. Metabolism. Introduction to the pathways and regulatory events in the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and nucleotides. Three lecture hours per week. Prerequisites: CHEM 3371, 3372.
5312. Physical Biochemistry. Physical chemistry of macromolecules and biological membranes, with an emphasis on the thermodynamics of solutions. Prerequisites: MATH 1338 and CHEM 3372, 5310. (CHEM 5381 or 5383 is recommended.)
5333. Introduction to Polymer Chemistry. Provides an introduction to the synthesis, physical properties and solution properties of high molecular weight molecules. Plastics, manufacturing and fabrication of polymers.
5335. Advanced Laboratory Methods and Techniques. Introduces students to advanced techniques and methods in the synthesis of chemical compounds.
5383. Physical Chemistry I. Gas laws, elementary kinetic theory and the four laws of thermodynamics, including applications to phase diagrams and biological processes. Prerequisites: PHYS 1106, 1304 (or 1408) and MATH 2338. Prerequisite or corequisite: CHEM 3351.
5384. Physical Chemistry II. Elements of quantum mechanics and its description of many electron atoms, bonding and spectroscopy, intermolecular forces, structure of solids, chemical kinetics and transport properties of fluids. Prerequisite: CHEM 5383.
5387. Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics of Materials and Solid State Reactions. Examines the relationship between partition function and thermodynamic variables. Transport properties are derived from random-walk models and kinetic theory. Solid-state reactions, transport at interfaces, phase transformations and nucleation are studied using techniques from both microscopic and macroscopic theories.
5390. Environmental Chemistry. An examination of the chemistry of earth’s environment, with emphasis on problems caused by human activity. Topics include aquatic and soil chemistry, nuclear chemistry, combustion, alternative energy technologies, atmospheric chemistry and global warming. Prerequisites: MATH 1338, PHYS 1303 or 1407 and CHEM 1304. Recommended: PHYS 1304 or 1408, CHEM 5381, 5383 or GEOL 6338.
5392. Advanced Inorganic Chemistry. Survey of the bonding, structure and reactivity of inorganic compounds. Coordination, organometallic and main group element chemistry. Three hours of lecture each week. Prerequisite: CHEM 5384.
5393. Advanced Organic Chemistry. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: CHEM 3372.
5395. Advanced Analytical Chemistry. Three hours of lecture each week. Prerequisite: CHEM 5486.
5396. Advanced Physical Chemistry. Three hours of lecture each week. Prerequisite: CHEM 5384.
5397. Biotransformations and Biocatalysis. Covers the history, application and current trends of biotransformations and biocatalysis with emphasis on how biocatalysts are developed and used in pharmaceutical research.
5398. Medicinal Chemistry. Emphasizes the design, mode of action and metabolism of drugs, including antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, anticancer agents, CNS agents and analgesics/anti-inflammatory agents. Prerequisites: CHEM 3371, 3372.
5486. Instrumental Analysis. Involves the theory, operation and application of instrumentation used in the modern chemical laboratory. Two hours of lecture and two three-hour laboratory periods each week.
6000. Research. For students who hold fellowships, but are not enrolled in any credit-hour courses. No tuition.
6049. M.S Graduate Full-Time Status.
6110. Chemical Communications: Literature, Writing and Presentations. Fundamentals of literature searching, scientific writing, oral and poster presentations and research notebooks.
6111. Practical Laboratory Methods. Describes the theory behind and practice of laboratory techniques necessary to perform advanced synthetic chemical research.
6112. Advanced Stereochemistry. Advanced study in molecular geometry and relationships in space between atoms and groups in a molecule.
6113. Practical Aspects of Spectroscopy. Basic theory and practical applications of spectroscopy for chemists.
6114. Chemical Kinetics. Kinetics of gas-phase, surface, condensed-phase, polymer, photochemical and enzyme reactions.
6115. Theory of the Chemical Bond. Covers different descriptions of covalent bonding, including the ability to predict bonding structures in molecules and methods to test these predictions.
6116. Introduction to Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry. Protein structure, enzymes and receptors as drug targets, enzyme inhibitors, design of agonists and design of antagonists.
6117. Chemical Periodicity: Reactivity and Structural Trends in Inorganic and Organometallic Compounds. Explores periodic or recurring trends of the chemical elements in terms of their properties and chemical behavior.
6118. Overview of Materials Chemistry. Surveys the synthesis, characterization and applications of ceramics and glasses, polymers, metals, nanomaterials, semiconductors and conductors, and biomaterials.
6119. Synthetic Strategies. Formation of the carbon skeleton, organometallic reagents and coupling reactions, protecting groups and chemical compatibility, and convergent synthesis.
6120, 6121. Current Topics in Research. Review of current research as presented by visiting lecturers.
6130. Mechanisms in Organic, Organometallic and Bioorganic Chemistry. Fundamental mechanistic concepts in bioorganic, materials, medicinal, organic and organometallic chemistry. Emphasizes mechanistic similarities of seemingly different types of reactions.
6306. Computational Chemistry. An introduction to the techniques of computer modeling of small to medium-sized organic molecules using advanced graphics workstations. Prerequisite: CHEM 3372.
6308. Special Topics in Chemistry. Presentation of advanced special topics that are at the forefront of current chemical interest. Content varies from term to term.
6302. The Chemical Bond.
6312. Theory of Organic Chemistry.
6331. Theory of Analytical Chemistry.
6351, 6352. Methods and Techniques of Research.
6397. Biotransformations and Biocatalysis. Covers the history, application and current trends of biotransformations and biocatalysis with emphasis on how biocatalysts are developed and used in pharmaceutical research.
6398, 6399. Thesis.
7101, 7201, 7301. Advanced Independent Study. Readings in the chemical literature on current research topics related to the student’s area of research.
7108, 7208, 7308. Special Topics. Presentations of contemporary topics in chemistry.
7111, 7112. Teaching Practicum. Discussion and experience in teaching and communication in the laboratory and classroom.
7121. Departmental Presentation. Major presentation to the entire department on a topic developed from the literature.
7122. Meeting Presentation. Oral presentation at a professional meeting.
7151, 7251, 7351. Research.
7233. Research Synopsis and Objectives. A written report of research progress and development of a written research plan for the Ph. D. research program. Must be defended before a faculty committee.
7334. Proposal Methodology. Development of a written research proposal that is defended before a faculty committee.
8049. Ph.D. Graduate Full-Time Status.
8698, 8699. Dissertation.
