Five-Year MS Program
The Department of Chemistry offers a special, research-based master’s degree program, available only to University of Rochester undergraduates. In this program students can complete their MS degree one year after the BS program by taking advantage of the intensive curriculum in the BS program and by integrating BS and MS research.
Both BS and MS theses are required. The bachelor’s degree research will serve as the basis of the master’s degree thesis, which will be submitted and defended in the final semester of the BS/MS program.
Since the program is based on an integration of the fourth and fifth years of study, careful planning is required. Students should discuss this program with a faculty advisor by spring of their junior year.
Formal application to the graduate school and admission to the program follows in the fall of the senior year.
BS/MS Program Information
The BS/MS program is 30 credit hours total:
- Graduate lecture courses: 16 credits
- MS research: 12 credits (CHEM 495)
- Graduate seminar: 2 credits (CHEM 511)
Typically, this means two graduate courses each semester (fall and spring).
Students will also need to complete at least ten weeks of full-time research over the summer after the BS degree is earned.
Students can take undergraduate classes through the first semester of the fifth year.
Student can use up to 10 credits from the BS degree toward the MS degree as long as those credits were not used toward the BS degree.
Download the Program Information PDF
Application Requirements
Students must confirm the following information with the chemistry graduate coordinator:
- Confirmation from a chemistry department faculty member stating they will host the student in their lab for the fifth year
- Confirmation from the chemistry undergraduate coordinator or undergraduate committee chair that the student is on-track to complete the BS degree per the program of study document
Students must upload the following to the online application, along with the 30-dollar application fee*:
- Unofficial transcript
- Resume
*Fee waivers can be requested from the graduate coordinator.
Apply to the Accelerated MS Program
Costs
There is a 50 percent tuition discount for the MS year. Students are responsible for health insurance and health fees. Students are ineligible for stipends and fellowships from the department.
Example Program of Study
Senior year: Student takes at least one additional 400-level course is applied to the MS degree. *
Summer after completing BS: Student performs full-time research over the summer for at least 10 weeks.
Fall and spring semester of MS year: Student completes two graduate courses, graduate seminar, and master’s research each semester.
Final semester: Student writes MS thesis and undergoes an oral exam with their research advisor and two other faculty members to assess the MS research thesis.
*One 400-level course is required for the BS, so this would be the second 400-level course taken prior to entering the MS program.
MS Thesis and Oral Defense
Students will write their MS thesis following the thesis formatting requirements and the graduate studies’ thesis writing guidelines, under the guidance of their advisor.
Once completed, students will be responsible for assembling a three-person defense committee that includes:
- Their faculty advisor
- One additional chemistry faculty member
- One external faculty member (not in chemistry)
The external faculty member can be affiliated with chemistry but must not have any academic/research relationship with any other members of the committee or the student.
Once the defense committee is finalized, students will schedule a two-hour oral defense at a date and time that works for the committee (one hour for oral defense, one hour for Q&A).
After the defense, students must email a copy of the final thesis to the graduate coordinator.
Helpful Links
Online Application—Once you fill this out, the link to the actual program application will be emailed to you.
Preparing for a Master’s Defense
Dissertation Manual (including formatting requirements)
Important Contacts
Chemistry Graduate Coordinator
chemgradrec@ur.rochester.edu
(585) 275-0635
Chemistry Undergraduate Coordinator
chemugradadm@ur.rochester.edu
(585) 276-3663