Program Overview

The Department of Chemistry at the University of South Dakota offers Master of Science and Doctoral degrees. Graduate students are supported through teaching and research assistantships, and complete coursework, teaching, seminar, and intensive research experiences within their degree work. Our award-winning faculty lead projects that span the major subdisciplines of chemistry, and investigate topics within the fields of computational chemistry, nanostructured materials, supramolecular chemistry, organofluorine chemistry, theranostic applications, and more. Students use modern chemical theory, techniques, and instrumentation to produce original, high-impact science. Students network with the global scientific community and develop critical skills to become the next generation of chemists.  Graduate students may begin their program at the start of either the fall or the spring semester. Completion of requirements for the Master of Science in Chemistry generally takes two years for students who enter with the equivalent of an American Chemical Society approved Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. The Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry is designed to allow students to complete both Master of Science and Doctoral requirements within five years.

Student Learning Outcomes for Chemistry (M.S.)

• Learn to use literature search tools and to critically evaluate the chemical literature. 
• Learn to teach university undergraduate-level students in a laboratory setting.
• Learn technical writing skills that include abstracts, summaries, manuscripts, and a thesis.
• Learn advanced research methodologies, such as the use of instrumentation, laboratory techniques, or computational methods. 
• Learn to perform research within a group and gain specialization within an area of chemistry.
• Develop presentation skills, including seminar, poster presentations, and oral presentations at technical conferences.