MSc in Chemistry and Chemical Biology - Polymer in Ithaca United States | Cornell University

The M.S. program requires completing 30 credit hours of study. While some students may finish within one academic year, most need additional time. Given the varied educational backgrounds and career objectives of applicants, we expect each student's curriculum to be unique. Rather than enforcing strict prerequisites, we typically recommend that most credits come from advanced chemistry and related disciplines. Your personalized study plan, developed with guidance from the M.S. Graduate Program Director, may incorporate courses from different departments across Cornell University.

This program caters to individuals seeking advanced knowledge in the chemical sciences while enhancing their research, analytical, and teaching skills. Research-focused students must demonstrate initiative by designing and executing their own projects, with the M.S. degree granted upon successful completion of a research project documented in an archival thesis submitted to both the student's committee and the Graduate School. First-year students typically enroll in Chem 5110 during fall semester, which introduces diverse chemical research resources available within our department and university-wide.

Cornell's polymer chemistry research focuses on fundamental investigations of biological and synthetic macromolecular systems. Combining experimental approaches with theoretical modeling of biomolecular structures like proteins, our work advances knowledge about macromolecular behavior while informing the development of novel synthetic materials. Our synthetic chemistry efforts have produced numerous innovative organic and inorganic polymers with distinctive molecular architectures relevant to cutting-edge technologies. Through advanced experimental methods and specialized instrumentation, we examine polymer surface phenomena, interfacial properties, diffusion processes, and fracture mechanics. These breakthroughs in understanding polymer systems, their molecular interactions, and dynamic behaviors point toward exciting future developments in Cornell's polymer research.