Applicants for admission to our graduate program are requested to submit the following information to the Chemistry Department:

• Completed application forms for admission and financial aid
  
• A statement of purpose
  
• Three letters of reference
• Transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work
• Graduate Records Examination General test scores
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for all applicants whose native language is not English

All applications are reviewed by the Admissions Committee. A baccalaureate degree in Chemistry from an approved college or university with an academic record meeting the standards established by the University. Students who have majored in related areas will be considered if it is believed that the relevant undergraduate chemistry background can be acquired during the first year of graduate study.

The department is pleased to offer University fellowships and assistantships to all graduate students in good standing pursuing a doctoral degree in Chemistry. Since TCU is a private institution, a separate award covering the cost of tuition is also provided. We feel that our fellowships and tuition awards are extremely competitive with comparable institutions; for current levels please contact the department .

• Original research, culminating in the defense of a dissertation project at the end of his/her graduate career.
• Lecture courses that provide the student with extensive depth and breadth of knowledge in major areas of chemistry.
• A cumulative examination program in the student's major subject area of interest.
• A Seminar program based on presentations given by visiting scholars as well as TCU students and faculty.
• Teaching experience, typically as a laboratory assistant to undergraduate laboratory courses.

The dissertation research project is the single most important undertaking of a student's graduate career. Other requirements, including course work, cumulative examinations, seminars, and teaching, are intended to broaden students' exposure to chemistry and aid in developing the essential skills of oral and written scientific communication.

Choice of a faculty mentor as dissertation research adviser comes early in thc Ph.D. program, typically by the end of the first semester of graduate study. By a series of one-on-one interviews, the student and individual faculty members explore subjects of mutual interest, leading to the student joining a research group and choosing a research topic tailored to individual interests.

Upon joining a research group, the student obtains advice on research, course selection, and career planning from advanced students in the research group as well as from the research adviser. Dissertation research normally begins soon after joining a specific research group and continues until a satisfactory dissertation is completed. Most students entering our program complete the program in approximately 4 and 3/4 years.

Course Work Students take most courses in the first year of graduate study. A wide selection of courses allows students to extend the breath and depth of their chemical knowledge. After selecting a research adviser at the end of the first semester, students select additional courses with the advice of their advisor to suit their needs and interests.

Courses are offered on the semester system and meet for approximately 15 weeks. For courses offered in other departments, see the Graduate School catalog.

The teaching experience is considered an important part of the graduate training program. As a consequence, each student is required to participate in a four semesters of teaching, typically as a laboratory assistant in undergraduate laboratory course(s). However, unlike most chemistry departments in the United States, at the end of this teaching requirement TCU provides full University fellowships and research assistantships to all chemistry graduate students in good standing. As a consequence, teaching by graduate students becomes a rich training experience instead of just part-time employment. This is one of many factors enabling most TCU graduate students in Chemistry to complete the PhD program successfully in approximately 4 and 3/4 years.

To reinforce the importance of the teaching experience as a part of the graduate degree, in 1997 the chemistry department instituted an annual Graduate Student Teaching Award. In addition to a small plaque, the recipient currently receives a honorium of $100.

The department supports an active seminar program at the department, university, and research group levels. Departmental seminars bring distinguished guest lecturers to TCU throughout the academic year. In addition to the main seminar program, special lectureships funded by either the University and/or private endowments permit the department to invite prominent, internationally-known scholars to campus. These include:

• The Cecil and Ida Green Visiting Professorship. Recent participants include Ronald Breslow of Columbia University, Harry B. Gray of Caltech, Johann Diesenhoffer of UT-Southwestern Medical School, and Mark Wrighton, Chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis.
• TCU Research Fund Lectureship. Recent participants include Thomas Meyer of UNC-Chapel Hill, Harry Allcock of Penn State, and Allen Bard of the University of Texas-Austin.
• The Ruth Evelyn Saunders Lectureship. Recent participants to this recently endowed departmental lectureship include Mary Good, former Assistant Secretary of Commerce, and Karen Morse, President of Western Washington University.

In addition to the departmental seminars, weekly divisional and research group meetings are open to all graduate students and considered a vital part of any student's graduate training.

The department maintains degree requirements to ensure that students gain a solid, fundamental background in chemistry and related fields. These include:

• Core course requirements in three out of four areas of chemistry. This may be accomplished through course work or examination.Courses are selected from the following: Biochemistry (5133), Organic Chemistry (5223), Physical Chemistry (5282 and 5291), and Inorganic Chemistry (5163). A student may satisty the requirement by making a grade of "B" or better in the appropriate course or by successfully passing examinations in each of the fields. The examinations are at the level expected for an ACS-accredited B.S. degree. Normally, these examinations are given during the week prior to the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. A student may take a given examination no more than twice. All graduate students must satisfy the requirements in two areas within the first 12 months and all four requirements by the end of the second year. All graduate students are also required to complete satisfactorily a course in laboratory safety.
  
  
• A cumulative examination program designed both to inform the faculty of the student's knowledge and ability specifically in his / her field major area of study and to guide the student in his or her own development. These examinations are given four times per semester during the academic year in each of the areas of inorganic, organic, physical chemistry and biochemistry. In general, they are based on advanced course work and/or the current chemical literature. A student is expected to begin taking cumulative examinations no later than the beginning of the third semester. Once the cumulative examinations are begun, the student must pass three during the first three semesters and a total of five within four semesters.
  
  
• Graduate students are required to present one departmental seminar on a topic selected from the current literature but not related to his/her research. This is normally given in the third semester and a second seminar describing the student's Ph.D. work is given in the last semester in residence.
  
  
• An original research proposal covering a feasible research plan within their area of interest but outside their current research efforts. The proposal is to be evaluated by a given students' supervisory committee on a pass/fail basis, defended in oral presentation before the supervisory committee, and should be completed by the end of the semester following completion of the cumulative exams. Upon completion of the proposal defense, a student is formally admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.
  
  
• Each student is required to participate in four semesters of teaching, normally as an assistant in an undergraduate laboratory course. During these semesters, he/she will be enrolled in Chemistry 5120.
  
  
• Upon completion of their dissertation research, each student will defend their dissertation in an oral examination before his/her supervisory committee

While the overwhelming majority of graduate choose to pursue the Ph.D. degree, there are two different degree plans available to students interested in a Master's degree. The time required for part-time students to meet requirements may be modified upon recommendation of a committee composed of the chair and two faculty advisers.

• M. S. (thesis option): A total of at least 30 approved hours including at least 15 in chemistry and 6 in thesis. Each student will defend his/her thesis in an oral examination.
  
  
• M. A. (non-thesis option): A total of 36 approved hours including at least 24 in chemistry with no more than 6 hours of credit in Chemistry 5120, 5230, 6110, 6240, 6260, 6270 and 6280. Each student is also required to pass an oral examination based upon his/her program of study.

The Chemistry Department, located in the Sid W. Richardson Physical Science Building (directions), boasts a number of research facilities:

• Highfield NMR spectrometers ( 300 and 400 MHz);
• a new Bruker-AXS SMART-1000 CCD X-ray diffractometer with  low temperature device ;
• a Hewlett Packard 5989A mass spectrometer with 5890 Series II gas chromatograph;
• The world-renowned Gosting Diffusiometer (acquired from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories);
• Gilson GPC and Perkin Elmer DTA/DSC instruments;
• Machine Shop, Electronic Repair Shop, and Glassblowing shops.

Other common laboratory instrumentation includes several FTIR spectrometers, HPLC, GC, fluorescence and UV/Vis absorption spectrophotometers, an ESR spectrometer, and electrochemical potentiostats. For molecular modeling and computation, DEC Alpha and Silicon Graphics UNIX workstations are available.