Chemistry, Ph.D.
Prepare yourself for employment as a professional chemist in academia, industrial, or government research laboratories, or in other vocations where specialized knowledge in chemistry is desired or required.
About the Ph.D. in Chemistry
The Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry in the College of Liberal Arts offers the Ph.D. in Chemistry. It is designed for those who intend to seek employment as a professional chemist in academia, industrial, or government research laboratories, or in other vocations where specialized knowledge in chemistry is desired or required.
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Program Information
Program Type
Doctorate Program
Area of Study
Sciences, Mathematics, and Technology
School
Degree
Ph.D. in Chemistry
Program Location
Required Credit Hours
54
Academic Requirements
Along with 54 semester hours of graduate credit, your curriculum must must include 3 hours of Chem 700, 18 hours of formal nonremedial lecture courses, 3 hours of seminar (Chem 750 and Chem 759), and 18 hours of dissertation (Chem 797). Credit for previous graduate-level course work may be applied toward these requirements at the discretion of the student’s advisory committee and with approval by the department chair. A minimum grade of B is required in each course in the student’s area of specialization.
All M.S. and Ph.D. students must take one CORE COURSE from each of four of the five specialty areas. Core courses for each area are:
Speciality Areas |
|---|
| Analytical Chemistry (Chem 512, 514, 519) |
| Biochemistry (Chem 534, 771) |
| Inorganic Chemistry (Chem 544, 701, 702) |
| Organic Chemistry (Chem 527, 528) |
| Physical Chemistry (Chem 531, 532, 536) |
A cumulative average of not less than B is required in the core courses. A minimum grade of B is also required in each course in the student’s area of specialization. These course and credit requirements are minimum requirements and may not be satisfied with remedial courses. Specific requirements for individual students in excess of the minimum may be imposed by the adviser and the student’s advisory committee.
Graduate Courses – Approval of the department is prerequisite to registration for all graduate chemistry courses. Generally, physical chemistry based on calculus is prerequisite to all 500-level courses except 545, 546, and 547 and the intermediate level courses 513, 524, and 535. Upon recommendation by the instructor and approval by the department chair, prerequisites for a course may be waived in individual cases. Graduate courses in medicinal chemistry are considered an integral part of the graduate program in chemistry.
Application Process
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry welcomes student applications with the following materials.
- Complete the Graduate School’s Online Application.
- Pay the application fee ($60).
- Submit official transcripts.
- International applicants whose first language is not English may be required to submit scores from an acceptable English language proficiency test.
- Upload Supplemental Application materials for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry to the link provided on the application.
- Statement of purpose.
- Three letters of recommendation: provide contact information for three recommenders.
To be admitted to a graduate degree program in full standing, a student must have completed a B.S. degree in chemistry with an average grade of B. Exceptionally qualified students who have not completed a B.S. degree in chemistry but have a degree in a related field (such as biology, engineering, physics, pharmacology, or pharmacy) may be admitted. However they should expect to present a clear case in their personal statement for admission. Additionally, they should expect to be provisionally admitted until specified conditions are satisfied such as prerequisite coursework or other expectations.
Teaching and research assistantships are available to qualified applicants. They are $25,000 per year minimum for 12 months and will be renewed on an annual basis for up to five (5) years if the student is deemed to be making good progress.
Students with a graduate assistantship funded in the department receive a scholarship that covers some or all of the tuition and non-residency fee, if applicable, for regular semesters and subsidized health insurance.
The Graduate School’s financial aid webpage lists a variety of funding possibilities, including summer support and a recruiting fellowship program that promotes academic excellence. Exceptionally qualified candidates may be nominated for:
- The Elite Scholars Program
- Recruiting Fellowships for Academic Excellence and Excellence in Inclusivity
FAQ: Admission to the Ph.D. in Chemistry
For admission in full standing to either the M.S. or Ph.D. programs, applicants must have completed a baccalaureate degree in chemistry or a closely related subject.
All applicants should have completed the following undergraduate core requirements before enrollment in the graduate program:
- Organic Chemistry I & II
sophomore-level - Physical Chemistry I (Thermo & Kinetics)
junior-level - Analytical Chemistry (Quantitative Analysis)
sophomore/junior-level - Physical Chemistry II (Quantum) courses
junior-level - Instrumental Analysis courses
senior-level - Inorganic Chemistry courses
senior-level - Biochemistry I courses
senior-level
Applicants who have not completed the above core requirements may still be admitted on a case-by-case basis. However, these students are required to remedy all deficiencies.
The Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry does not have a minimum TOEFL, IELTS, etc. score for admission; it is set by the International Office and Graduate School.
See the Graduate School's requirements:
English Language Proficiency Requirements
Additionally, all TAs will be required to be evaluated for their English proficiency in a separate assessment.
The department offers Teaching Assistantships to qualified applicants. The stipend is at least $25,000 for 12 months. There are also honors fellowships for highly qualified applicants and minority fellowships available through the graduate school.
Please find more information here:
- For full consideration of your application for Fall admission, please have all of your materials submitted by December 1 of the previous year.
- The deadline from the Graduate School is April 1, but offers are likely to have already been made by early Spring.
We require three (3) letters of recommendation and one (1) statement of purpose outlining your background, career aspirations and motivation for graduate studies.
Contact information for the letters are entered during the online application. The statement of purpose is uploaded directly during the online application process.
Apply online through the Graduate School:
You can check on the receipt of your GRE, transcripts, and for international students, the TOEFL score through the Graduate School’s website:
Your application is not complete and cannot be reviewed for admission until the Graduate School has received official scores and transcripts.
The Department then reviews the applications, makes admissions decisions and Teaching Assistantship offers.
If all of your official documents have been received by the graduate school, you can check on the progress of your application in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry via email:
The Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry is located in Coulter Hall on the Oxford, Mississippi campus.
No, you do not need to secure an advisor before applying. All students are admitted independent of any potential research advisor. However, seeing what research is ongoing and contacting those faculty members can be useful in crafting your application materials, but securing a commitment is not required.
- McNair Scholars do not have to pay the application fee per Graduate Student policy.
- Former Ole Miss Physical Chemistry REU students also do not have to pay the application fee; they should contact the department about setting this up.
Neighborhoods surrounding the campus offer city conveniences, quiet residential streets, and numerous parks. Affordable student housing is readily available through both University-owned and private apartments that are located within easy walking distance of the university.
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We’re Here to Help!
If you have any questions about the Ph.D. in Chemistry, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Ryan Clifton Fortenberry
Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
DIRECT Program
The Diversifying Interdisciplinary Research Expertise through Community Building and Training (DIRECT) Program is a National Institutes of Health funded program offering financial, technical, operational, and professional resources for Ph.D. students interested in careers in the biomedical field. DIRECT trainees receive annual stipends, fully paid tuition, health insurance, conference travel support, and childcare cost reimbursement. The program emphasizes cohort building, mentoring, networking, and skill development.
Video: Get to Know the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Hear firsthand from students and faculty about the Chemistry program.Next Steps
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