The Graduate Program - Graduate Guide

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY & CHEMICAL BIOLOGY

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

"A GUIDE TO GRADUATE STUDY"
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Latest revisions, 2003

I. INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Rensselaer and the RPI Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology. Although it may be difficult to appreciate the transition while it is in progress, it is certain that the next several years will represent a period of exceptional growth for you. You will be exposed to new ideas and developments in science, you will become involved in an outstanding program in undergraduate education, you will sharpen your communication skills and, most importantly, you will learn how to carry out independent research in the chemical sciences.

To earn an advanced degree, various institute and department academic requirements must be met. The timely fulfillment of all requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry is the responsibility of each graduate student. In other words, you are expected to be aware of not only the requirements of our graduate program but also when these requirements must be met. Of special importance is the selection of a thesis advisor and the beginning of active research. The thesis advisor and student have the joint responsibility of ensuring satisfactory progress. The thesis advisor and student must consult with the Graduate Standings Committee and the department chairperson when any of the departmental requirements cannot be met or a major deviation from the program is anticipated.

The major goal of the graduate program in chemistry is to provide an environment suitable for development of the potential of each student as a creative research scientist. This guide outlines the minimum requirements of the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, some of which are mandated by the Graduate School. A brief summary of the requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees is presented in Table I, and the forms that must be filed are listed in Table II. If this Guide does not answer all your questions, please contact the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology office.

Table I. Summary of Requirements

Requirement	M.S.	Ph.D. (after B.S.)	Ph.D. (after M.S.)
Placement examinations	yes	yes	yes
Plan of study	yes^1,2	yes^1,2	yes^1,2
Department seminar	attend	present	present
Qualifying examination	no	yes	yes
Total credit hours	30¹, includes 6-9 credits of thesis	90¹	60¹
Residency requirements	2 semesters, 24 cr hrs¹	45 cr hrs¹	45 cr hrs¹
Time limit	2.5 years¹	7 years¹	5 years¹
Candidacy examination³	no	yes (within 5 semesters)	yes (within 5 semesters)
Thesis⁴	yes	yes	yes
Oral thesis defense	no	yes	yes
Minimum grade average (excludes research)	3.0¹	3.0¹	3.0¹

¹ Graduate School requirement.
² Required courses will be specified on an individual basis.
³ A single written exam or a series of cumulative exams, depending on the division.
⁴ A bound copy of each thesis must be given to the department. This is in addition to Graduate School requirements.

Please note: Two passed cumulative exams are required for the M.S. in the Organic Division; four passed cumulative exams are required for the Ph.D. in the Organic Division.

Table II. Forms to be Completed

M.S. Candidates	Ph.D. candidates	Time
Thesis advisor selection	Thesis advisor selection	By end of first semester
Plan of study	Plan of study	Beginning of 2nd year
	Nomination of Doctoral Committee	Beginning of 2nd year
	Record of Candidacy	By end of 5th semester
Degree Application Form	Degree Application Form
	Record of Thesis Exam

Graduate Change of Status Form needed if changing from M.S. to Ph.D. or Ph.D. to M.S.

All forms except Degree Application (Registrar's Office) must be processed through the Departmental Administration Office.

II. OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A GRADUATE STUDENT

The requirements for success in a graduate program in chemistry are quite different from those for an undergraduate degree. Many beginning graduate students are not aware of this difference, and take some time to adapt. The relation between the student and the faculty advisor changes from student-teacher to student-mentor and then to that of colleagues. They must become familiar with the area of their research by following the current literature in appropriate journals, going into their own specialty in depth, but also with breadth. They must use this knowledge to formulate their own ideas and develop independence. They must show the highest standards of professional honesty.

Some of the responsibilities that a graduate student must consider are the following.

1. Research is the most important component of a PhD program in Chemistry. It is the research results and the thesis and publications that accompany them that establish your credentials as a scientist and your preparation for your future career. Research is a smaller component in a research MS program, but still the key component.

The PhD degree requires 90 credits, the majority of which will be research. You may be registered in anything from 0 to 15 credits of research in any semester, but it is important to realize that the time you spend on research has no relation whatsoever to the number of credits of research you are registered for. Research credits are a bookkeeping device to ensure payment of a certain amount of tuition. Your thesis and degree are based on the quantity and quality of your research results, irrespective of how many hours were required to obtain them. Neither does the time relate to the number of hours you are nominally paid for on a research assistantship. The "20 hours" is another bookkeeping number; your stipend is to cover your living expenses while you work for your degree; it is not pay for time worked. (Consider it this way; 20 hours is for your services as a technician; the rest of your work is for your degree.) Your research advisor and the department are investing more in you than just your stipend and tuition; we expect our investment to pay off in the form of research results. Most research projects will take considerable time in the laboratory, much of it learning what doesn't work. The time that you spend doing the research may vary with your other obligations, but do not expect to be successful on a 9 to 5 basis. You should be prepared to work in the laboratory on evenings, weekends, and holidays - not every one, but frequently. Summers and semester breaks are when you can do research most efficiently; they are not time off for graduate students. (This does not mean you can't take vacations - just not too many or too long.)

2. Course work must be satisfactory; if it is not, you will not be permitted to continue in the graduate program. A "B" average is required by the Graduate School. To that extent, attention to courses sometimes must take precedence over research. Some of the courses that you will take are intended to ensure adequate breadth in your formal training. The others provide depth in the field of your research and related areas. You should select your courses in consultation with your research advisor.

3. In your first year, and perhaps later, you will probably be supported by a teaching assistantship. This involves a professional level of responsibility and this responsibility must be met in a professional manner. While your primary interest may be in your research, we have an equal concern about the teaching program, and as long as your support is provided from the teaching program, we expect an equal commitment from you. In fact, you will find that your teaching activities can be an enjoyable, educational, and useful experience. Not all teaching assignments will be equivalent, but the expected commitment should average out to no more than 12 hours per week contact, grading, or setup (some weeks may be more, but others should be less.) Let us know if you have an assignment that you think is excessive.

4. Examinations are required, some for specific courses and later the qualifying and candidacy exams which are meant to ensure an adequate level of knowledge in your discipline generally, and in the case of the candidacy, to test that you are developing the approach and reasoning necessary for science at the PhD level.

You must learn to balance your time among these various obligations. In your first semester, your primary responsibilities will be for your teaching and your course work, and possibly exams. You will select a research advisor and probably a project. You will not be expected to do very much in this area, but you should do some background reading and start attending group meetings and generally getting familiar with the laboratory and your co-workers. You should plan to use the break between semesters to do some serious reading on your project, and/or learning some techniques; your advisor should give you some suggestions, but also you should try to use your own initiative, because that is what graduate studies are all about. In your second semester, you should work on developing sufficient background and experimental skills to be able to make a serious start on actual laboratory experiments at the beginning of the first summer.

III. DEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATION

The department is organized in several Divisions. These are:

Analytical/Physical Chemistry
Biochemistry
Inorganic Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
Polymer Chemistry

The primary purpose of these divisions is to organize the educational activities of the department. Many faculty members are members of more than one division. Each graduate student is asked to become affiliated with whichever of these divisions that best suits his or her research interests as related to the research project that he or she is working on. This affiliation will determine the nature of some of the examinations.

IV. PROGRAMS

Two graduate degrees are offered in Chemistry. The Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees are research based. Students who are admitted to the Ph.D. degree program may transfer to the M.S. degree program at will; an M.S. degree is not required for the Ph.D. Most students admitted to our research based graduate program will be admitted at the Ph.D. level.

Dual M.S.-Ph.D. degree programs with other departments may be possible in some cases.

V. STATUS

1. Registration

Students are expected to register for courses or research each semester after admission. If a student does not register for one or more semesters, he or she should request a leave of absence. Students who do not register for two consecutive academic semesters without having requested a leave of absence will be deemed to have dropped the program. If they wish to return, they must apply to the Graduate Admissions Committee for reinstatement. The committee may review this as a new application. Students who have completed all requirements except the thesis defense and are not on campus, or who need to be off-campus as part of their research assignment, may be allowed to register "in absentia."

2. Part-Time Status

Students with full-time employment may be admitted to the graduate program as part-time students. They must complete all of the requirements of full-time students, but the timing may be modified to meet individual needs. Students who change from part-time to full-time status, or vice versa, should ask the Graduate Standings Committee about the time frame expected from them.

VI. MAINTENANCE OF GOOD STANDING

Students must remain in good standing or they may be dropped from the program. Except in cases of serious misconduct, such students will be allowed to finish the semester. Good standing requires:

1. Maintaining at least a "B" average - see other restrictions below. A reasonable time will be allowed for a student to make up for a deficiency.

2. Performing satisfactorily in research. This is determined by the research advisor. The advisor may drop a student from his or her research group at any time for non-satisfactory performance. A dropped student has the option of finding another advisor. Any student who does not have a research advisor after the first semester will be deemed not to be in good standing.

3. Satisfactory performance in teaching or other assigned duties.

4. Satisfactory completion of examinations according to the established time frame.

Students also may be dismissed for dishonesty, plagiarism, falsifying research results, or violating other Rensselaer regulations.

VII. ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

1. Placement Examinations

Incoming students take examinations in four of a possible five major undergraduate areas of chemistry: analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. The Graduate Standings Committee uses the results of these examinations with prior courses and research interests to specify the courses that need to be taken (usually in the first year) to provide an adequate grounding in Chemistry at the graduate level.

2. Curriculum

The Graduate Standings Committee will indicate the courses that each student will take to satisfy department requirements. Beyond this, the selection of courses to be taken becomes the responsibility of the student, his/her advisor, and in the case of a Ph.D. candidate, the doctoral committee. The department will authorization tuition for CHEM and BCBP courses but not those from other departments unless they are approved by the research advisor. In any semester, at least half the credits taken should be in Chemistry.

A first-semester graduate student will typically register for 9 credit hours of course work and (if holding a teaching assistantship) 1 credit of Chemistry Teaching Seminar (CHEM-6910). Additional credits to make up the Institute requirement of 12-15 for full time status may be taken as CHEM-9990 Dissertation (or CHEM-6990 Master's Thesis). Every new graduate student should devote a significant effort to becoming familiar with the research activities of the faculty. The selection of a thesis advisor and the commencement of thesis research should occur as soon as possible and before the end of the first semester of residence at RPI.

Students will be expected to take at least five courses (or 15 credits of courses) in the first year, although incoming Ph.D. students with an M.S. who are well prepared may have fewer courses to take. At the end of the first year, students must be in good standing, defined as having at least a B average, with no more than 2 grades of C. They must also have selected a research advisor. Students who do not have the required "B" average at this time will be allowed another semester in which to make up this deficiency. Students with more than 2 C's, or a C and an F, will be dropped from the program.

At all times after the first year, a student must remain in good standing

3. Thesis Advisor

During the first semester at Rensselaer, students should meet with faculty involved in research of mutual interest and discuss possible research problems. Students are expected to select the thesis research advisor before the end of the first semester of graduate study. The student will determine his/her top three choices for a thesis advisor and will submit a list ranking the top choices to the department chairperson. The chairperson will make every effort to place the student with his or her first choice for an advisor. However, support beyond the second year is expected to come from faculty research funds, so that faculty who do not have adequate resources may not be able to take on students.

With permission from the chairman, students may elect to work for a faculty member in another department while still obtaining a degree in Chemistry. Such students must complete the usual Chemistry & Chemical Biology department requirements, including having at least three Chemistry & Chemical Biology faculty on the Ph.D. committee. Support must come from the research advisor.

For the Ph.D. degree, a doctoral committee of at least four RPI faculty members (one from outside the department) is to be selected in consultation with the student's thesis advisor and with the approval of the Graduate School. One or more members of the committee may be from outside Rensselaer, but at least 4 members from RPI are still required. The doctoral committee should be formulated prior to preregistration for the second year so that the entire committee may participate in the selection of the student's course work for the third and subsequent semesters. The thesis advisor and doctoral committee are also responsible for the student's plan of study, candidacy examination and oral thesis defense.

Commitment to a thesis advisor implies a commitment of time on the part of the student to become familiar with the research topic and the research group which he or she is joining, and a similar commitment of time and resources on the part of the advisor. Choice of advisor should not be taken lightly. Students should discuss the project and the advisor's expectations thoroughly in advance. A student has the right to change advisors, but must find a new advisor who will accept him or her. Changing advisors will usually result in lost time.

A student who does not have a thesis advisor by the end of the first academic year will not be eligible for departmental financial support until an advisor is chosen.

4. Plan of Study

Each new graduate student must file a plan of study on forms available in the Chemistry & Chemical Biology office. This plan of study should be formulated by the student with the help of the thesis advisor and doctoral committee. The Plan of Study should be submitted to the Graduate School before preregistration in the student's second semester of graduate study. The plan may be modified later if necessary.

A Ph.D. degree may be obtained without first submitting a M.S. thesis. In general, one should be able to achieve the M.S. degree in 18 to 24 months and the Ph.D. degree in 4 to 5 years. These times depend to some extent on the area of research and the preparation which is necessary.

5. Transfer of Credits

Credits for graduate courses taken at other institutions may be transferred if they (1) were not used to meet degree requirements elsewhere, and (2) are acceptable substitutes for courses recommended for graduate study. A maximum of 6 credit hours of graduate courses taken during undergraduate training, but not used toward the B.S. degree, may be transferred. No more than 6 credit hours may be transferred toward the M.S. degree and 45 credit hours toward the Ph.D. degree¹. However, students admitted to the full-time graduate program who were formerly enrolled under the special non-degree seeking status may transfer a maximum of 12 credit hours taken under this special status.

¹ Request for a transfer of more than 30 credit hours will be considered by the Graduate Standings Committee and Graduate School only under special circumstances.

A Transfer of Credits form is obtained from the department office and upon completion submitted to the Graduate Standings Committee for approval and transmittal to the Registrar. Application for transfer of credits should be made during the first semester.

6. Divisional Requirements, Qualifying Exam and Candidacy

Courses taken during the first year are intended to ensure a good understanding of chemistry in general. Divisional requirements are intended to encourage depth of knowledge in the area of division in which the student specializes. A permanent divisional affiliation should be selected when the student chooses a thesis advisor and thesis topic. The selection of a divisional affiliation must be made in consultation with the thesis advisor. The divisional affiliation cannot be changed except for change of advisor or major change in the research project.

A qualifying examination and a candidacy examination are requirements for all students in the Ph.D. program. A passed candidacy exam signals that the student is a qualified candidate for the Ph.D. degree.

Qualifying Examination: Depending on the division, the qualifying examination will consist of a set of cumulative exams, or a single written exam, covering basic material in the student's general field of specialization. The qualifying examination must be completed within 18 months of beginning the program; that is, for students entering in the Fall semester, before the beginning of the second Spring semester. For students entering in the Spring semester, this would be by the beginning of the second Fall semester. If a single written examination is given, it may be repeated within one month in case of failure. Failure to pass this exam or the cumulative exams will require that the student transfer to the MS program, or withdraw from the program. Students changing to the MS program at this point will be eligible for no more than one additional academic year of departmental support.

Candidacy Examination: An oral candidacy exam will be required to be completed by the end of the 5th academic (not summer) semester. That is, students entering in September will be required to complete the requirement by the end of their third fall. A second attempt, taken within 2 months of the first, may be allowed at the discretion of the candidacy committee. Failure to take this exam on time will result in termination of support (see criteria for good standing). Extension of these time limits must be requested from the Graduate Standing Committee with written justification by the research advisor. Failure of this exam will require the student to transfer to the MS program; support will not be given beyond the end of the sixth semester in this case.

Students may consult with their research advisor or division chairperson for more details. Part-time students or those with special circumstances should also consult with their advisor with regard to timing of the requirements.

Analytical-Physical Division: The qualifying exam will be a single written exam. The candidacy exam will be a "research" examination, either on the candidate's doctoral thesis research or on a research proposition, as chosen by the doctoral committee.

Biological Chemistry Division: The qualifying exam will be a set of cumulative examinations. Students must pass four out of a total of eight cumulative examinations by the end of the third semester of residence. These examinations are given approximately one per month during the academic year and must be started no later than the beginning of the second semester. For the candidacy examination, a research proposal different from the thrust of the student's thesis research topic will be prepared. The student will follow the outline prescribed by either NSF or NIH for a research proposal and adhere to the designated limitations on length.

Inorganic Division: Students affiliated with this division will take a single written qualifying exam. The candidacy examination will consist of an oral discussion and defense of either the doctoral thesis research project or of a research proposition, as approved by the doctoral committee.

Organic Division: The qualifying exam will be a set of cumulative examinations. Students must pass four out of a total of ten cumulative examinations by the end of the third semester of residence. These examinations are given approximately one per month during the academic year and must be started no later than the beginning of the second semester. The Candidacy examination will consist of an independent proposition to be presented as a written document and defended orally.

Polymer/Materials Division: The qualifying exam will be a set of cumulative examinations. Students must pass four out of a total of eight cumulative examinations by the end of the third semester of residence. These examinations are given approximately one per month during the academic year and must be started no later than the beginning of the second semester. The oral candidacy will be based on the defense of a written research proposal.

7. Degree Requirements

Note the degree requirements given in the Graduate Catalog. These are minimum Institute requirements. The department may set additional ones. A "B" average is required in course work.

M.S. Degree: To receive the M.S. degree, the candidate must complete 30 credit hours, including courses specified by the Graduate Standings Committee and submit a research thesis. No more than half the credits can be at the 4000 level, and the thesis must be at least 6 but not more than 9 credits. Two passed cumulative exams are required for an M.S. degree in the Organic Division.

An M.S. thesis must be approved by one other Chemistry faculty member besides the advisor.

The M.S. degree is not a prerequisite for the Ph.D. degree.

Ph.D. Degree: For the Ph.D. degree, the student must accumulate 90 credit hours of course work and thesis research (60 beyond the M.S. degree). Satisfactory performance in the written qualifying examination and an oral candidacy examination (the format of which is set by the doctoral committee) completion of the departmental seminar requirement and successful oral defense of the thesis complete the requirements.

The oral thesis defense is to be open to the entire department. At least two weeks before the oral defense, the completed thesis is to be submitted to the doctoral committee. At least one week prior to the oral defense the candidate must announce the thesis title and the date, time and place of the thesis defense. Announcements are to be posted on departmental bulletin boards and distributed to the department faculty.

For all degrees, students must be registered in the semester the degree is awarded.

8. Change of Degree Program

Occasionally graduate students in the Ph.D. program may wish to transfer to the M.S. program, and students admitted to the M.S. program may wish to transfer to the Ph.D. program. A Ph.D. candidate wishing to transfer to the M.S. program must simply inform his thesis advisor and complete the change of status form. Transfer from the M.S. program to the Ph.D. program, however, requires the formal approval of the Graduate Committee. A student initially admitted to the M.S. program wishing to transfer to the Ph.D. program must formally apply to the Graduate Admissions Committee no later than the start of the semester preceding the semester he/she wishes to enter the Ph.D. program. His/her request will be considered on a competitive basis with those of outside applicants for admission and for financial aid.

9. Graduate Student Seminar

Graduate students must become familiar with the skills of seminar preparation and presentation. These skills will help the student learn how to organize scientific data for effective public presentation. Effective public speaking will be especially important for the student's future activities, such as during the job interview process. All students in the Ph.D. program must present one seminar, ordinarily before the end of the third year of graduate study.

The graduate student seminar is a part of the departmental seminar program. Faculty and all graduate students are expected to routinely attend the seminar series. The student will register for CHEM-6900 (one credit) during the semester he/she will present the seminar. The departmental seminar chairperson will be responsible for arranging the student seminar schedule. Seminar topics will be selected by the student with approval by the student's thesis research advisor. A short abstract (approximately 1 page) with leading references must be prepared by the student and distributed to the entire department at least one week prior to the seminar presentation.

10. Assessment of Progress

The student's academic progress will be evaluated by the Graduate Standings Committee at the end of every semester. If the QPA is below 3.00, the Graduate Standings Committee will recommend corrective measures. Should the committee anticipate that the student's performance will improve, he/she will be allowed to continue; otherwise, withdrawal from the graduate program will be recommended. If there are any questions about his/her status after self-evaluation, the student should consult with his/her advisor, the Graduate Standings Committee chairperson, or the department chairperson. Failure to complete degree requirements in a timely manner will cause the Graduate Standings Committee to reevaluate the student's potential to continue in the degree program.

Application for special consideration to continue in the graduate program must be made to the chairperson of the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, the Graduate Standings Committee, and the thesis advisor. They jointly will appraise the situation and render a decision.

VIII. REQUIREMENTS OF RECIPIENTS OF FINANCIAL AID

1. Teaching Assistants

Recipients of half-time teaching assistantships (T.A.'s) normally are assigned to teach studio sections or laboratories for a total of 9-10 contact hours per week. Taking into account preparation time for this assignment and grading of notebooks, quizzes, etc., one should anticipate spending up to 20 hours per week at the maximum load periods on the duties associated with a teaching assistantship. The average over the course of the semester should be 12-15 hours per week. Graduate students whose native language is not English must undergo testing of their English language abilities before their teaching assignments are made. Those who do not meet the language requirement for teaching assistants by the beginning of the second year will no longer be eligible for support as teaching assistants.

Students must realize that assignment as a teaching assistant involves professional responsibility and that they are expected to approach their duties accordingly.

2. Research Assistants

Recipients of research assistantships (R.A.'s) are under the direct supervision of their thesis advisors. Research assistantships generally are directly tied to the faculty research grant process. To support his/her research program, a faculty member (the principal investigator) will prepare a research grant application and submit it to a granting agency. The grant application then undergoes a competitive peer review, and if it is approved, the principal investigator is awarded funds to support personnel (students, postdoctorals, technicians), supplies and sometimes major equipment. These funds are administered by RPI, but, within the constraints of the grant award, are spent at the discretion of the principal investigator. The principal investigator is responsible for the evaluation of the student's progress in thesis research. Unsatisfactory research progress may be grounds for a faculty member asking a student to leave his or her group.

3. Fellowship Recipients

Fellowships are awarded to graduate students of exceptional merit. The recipient has the responsibility to conform to all conditions of the award. Fellowships may provide full stipend and/or tuition support, and they are usually awarded on an annual basis.

IX. TUITION AND FEES

Graduate assistants are generally awarded a tuition grant of up to 30 credit hours for the academic year. University fees must be paid by the student. These fees are listed in the Graduate Bulletin.

X. SUMMER SUPPORT

Graduate students are expected to remain on campus during the summer months to continue their thesis research. Financial support for the summer will be available from (1) research assistantships, (2) summer teaching assistantships, and (3) special fellowships, if the student's progress is satisfactory.

The award of summer research assistantships is the responsibility of the thesis advisor. Students should consult them directly. Applications for summer teaching should be made to the Associate Chairman of the department through the thesis advisor.

Special fellowships are awarded in open national competition by the National Science Foundation. Students with an adequate background are strongly recommended to apply for these fellowships. Applications are available in the Graduate School Office.

XI. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Graduate students are assigned mailboxes located in Room 120 next to the main office in Cogswell Laboratory. The boxes should be checked regularly.

The student is advised to consult the bulletin boards regularly for current information, job opportunities, and seminar notices. Other matters of general interest to the department are posted in the main lobby of Cogswell Laboratory, and those of specific relevance to graduate students are posted near their mailboxes.

All graduate students will be issued a key to Cogswell which will open the main doors, the mail-room, the conference room (238) and the graduate student lounge (307). Other keys necessary for teaching assignments and for access to the research labs that you will work in are issued as required. A $5.00 deposit which is returned when the key is returned will be charged.

XII. ASSISTANCE AND INFORMATION

The following people can provide information and assistance when questions arise:

All questions relating to employment, pay, tuition, forms, regulation and keys - Ms. Bornt, Cogswell 120.

Questions relating to academic requirements, transfer credits, other academic problems - Prof. Bailey, Cogswell 117

Advice on course selection etc. should be given by your advisor. Students who have not selected an advisor will be assigned a temporary advisor, usually the head of the division in which they are most likely to do research. Prof. Bailey may also be consulted.