To assure that graduate students have adequately assimilated their knowledge at the master's level, written comprehensive examinations are given in each of the four basic areas of chemistry. The examinations are taken after completion of the appropriate core courses. All majors must pass the comprehensive exam in their selected area of study. In the event that a student does not pass the comprehensive exam on the first attempt, the exam may be retaken as early as the next scheduled time with the approval of the student's advisory committee. However, remedial course work for the student may be required by the advisory committee before approval is given.
Students are limited to two attempts of each comprehensive exam.
Failure to pass an exam after two attempts will result in the student being ineligible to continue in the program. After successfully completing all other requirements for the master's program, a final oral examination is administered to the student by the student's advisory committee. The oral exam is the defense of the candidate's thesis and is open to all interested faculty and students. Questions from the committee, while centering around the candidate's thesis work, are not limited to the research involved, but may cover other related topics of chemistry that a student would be expected to encounter in a master's program. All graduate courses are offered on a rotation basis.