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Chemistry & Biochemistry

Master of Science in Chemistry

A degree program designed to prepare students for a career in the chemical industry or for continued graduate study.

Earn A Master of Science in Chemistry from Mississippi College

Prepare for your future with state-of-the-art laboratories, intelligent and passionate faculty, a relationship with the American Chemical Society, distinguished alumni and convenient tutoring services.

The Master of Science in Chemistry program is designed to prepare students for a career in the chemical industry or for continued graduate study. The progrom is available in both thesis and non-thesis options.

The Master of Science in Chemistry, Non-Thesis Option, is a course-based degree. Students successfully completing up to ten (10) hours in this option may be invited to pursue the research-based Thesis Option M.S. Degree. Opportunity for this change will be based on performance and the availability of space in the Thesis-Option Program.

Non-Thesis Program

Any student with an ACS accredited Bachelor's degree with a GPA of 3.0 or greater out of 4.0 (or equivalent) will be accepted. Other applicants need to have demonstrated that they have had sufficient background in chemistry (24 semester hours or greater), calculus (6 semester hours or greater), and physics (6 semester hours or greater) with a GPA in these courses of at least 2.8 out of 4.0 (or equivalent). Applicants without the required GPA may demonstrate their ability to perform graduate work by scoring 155 or greater on the Quantitative portion of the GRE.

Thesis Program

Students who enter in the Non-thesis option may be invited to enter the Thesis option after adequate course work has been successfully completed.

Admission Requirements

  1. All general requirements for admission to the graduate school of Mississippi College must be met. Ordinarily, applications will be invited and received prior to June 30 for admission in the fall semester. Students will be notified by mail concerning their admissions status.
  2. Minimum criteria: Applicants must have achieved a B.S. in chemistry at an accredited institution. The Graduate Record Examination must have been taken not more than two years following the bachelor's degree or not more than five years prior to the entrance date into this program. The applicant shall have a score at or above the 40% percentile in each section of the examination.
  3. Provisional admission: Applicants with a B.A. in chemistry, B.S./B.A. in biological sciences, physics, mathematics, computing sciences, environmental science or equivalent and 24 semester hours of chemistry may be considered for provisional admission. The graduate faculty will evaluate the undergraduate course transcripts of the prospective student and determine whether a need exists for additional upper-division preparatory course work in any area of evaluated deficiency. A background in mathematics and physics (minimum: 6 semesters hours of calculus/analytic geometry, 6 semester hours physics) are required. Upon provisional admission, deficiencies must be completed within the first 18-months of entry into the program. Some courses taken to remediate deficiencies may not receive graduate credit.
  4. Transfer credit: Up to 6 semester hours of graduate course work in chemistry shall be allowed, but due to the thesis emphasis of the program, no research or thesis credit earned at another institution will be considered. Graduate credit at another accredited institution may offset deficiencies for purposes of provisional admission.