Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Chemistry/Biochemistry

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

As a PhD student, you will gain broad knowledge in the field of biochemistry, as well as expert guidance in biotechnology and environmental chemistry. Classes are typically small, affording superb ?opportunities for interaction with the faculty and access to state-of-the art equipment and computational resources. Our program provides individualized attention and unique research opportunities.

This full-time program takes approximately five years to complete. You will be eligible for graduate assistantships for research and/or teaching activities.

Areas of Research

bioanalytical chemistry

bio-organic chemistry

protein biochemistry

bioactive natural products

medicinal chemistry

computer modeling of biological molecules

analytical chemistry

marine chemistry

natural products and phytochemistry

energy and materials

organometallic chemistry

x-ray crystallography/structural analysis

Degree requirements

A minimum of 55 course credits is required beyond the BS, including at least 24 credits of formal courses, at least 27 credits of doctoral dissertation research, and 4 credits of Graduate Seminar.

Doctoral students must also successfully pass written qualifying examinations, and the original research proposal-doctoral candidacy examination. The final part of the program is devoted principally to research leading to the doctoral dissertation. Doctoral students are required to successfully defend the dissertation research proposal, pass the dissertation defense, and complete a written dissertation.

Requirements for students with a Master's Degree

If you enter the program with an earned master's degree in chemistry or biochemistry you may be eligible to receive Advanced Standing in the doctoral program. You will complete a minimum of 8 credits from formal courses. The total number of formal course credits required will be determined during individual advisement with the Graduate Program Director and must be approved by the Graduate Program Committee. All other program requirements, including the qualifying examinations, remain unchanged.

UMassD advantages: Bruker AVANCE III 400 MHz NMR spectrometer; Bruker D8 Quest x-ray diffractometer; Waters XevoQ-TOF UPLC-MS system; Thermofisher FOCUS/ITQ-700 GC-MS; a wide range of chemical instrumentation; access to UMass Dartmouth Confocal Microscope facility; access to UMass Dartmouth Scientific Computing Cluster.