PhD in Chemistry and Biochemistry in Norman United States | University of Oklahoma

The major goal of a graduate education in chemistry is to master a significant segment of the existing knowledge, including theories and techniques, and to demonstrate the creative capability to discover new understandings and techniques through research. Accordingly, requirements include an established minimum of classroom course work and studies and completion of original research work presented in a written dissertation. The graduate program at OU is a balance between required and elective coursework and research. Divisions within the areas of chemistry and biochemistry are used at OU to organize teaching assignments, course requirements and degree candidacy requirements. There are six divisions at OU: Analytical, Biochemistry, Chemical Education, Inorganic, Organic, Physical Chemistry, and Structural Biology. Students elect one of these divisions as their major and must fulfill the requirements of that division to earn a degree. Given the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of modern chemistry, students will often fulfill the degree requirements of one division while carrying out research in an overlapping research area. Minimum course requirements are 16 credit hours of graduate level lecture courses. These must include at least four credit hours in two divisions outside the student's major division. Depending on the division, candidacy exams for the Ph.D. degree are given in the second or at the beginning of the third year of graduate studies