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The Chemistry Department at Texas A&M University welcomes applications to its internationally recognized PhD program. Assistantship stipends are $29,400 for twelve months. In addition, tuition and mandatory fees are paid for PhD students in good standing, both domestic and international, for at least 5 years of graduate study. Applicants are automatically considered for supplemental department and university-wide fellowships.
The priority date for Fall 2025 applications is December 1, 2024. However, applications submitted after this date will continue to be reviewed until the class is filled.
Graduate Advising & Admissions | |
Dr. Lei Fang Graduate Advisor Dr. Tamara Powers Associate Graduate Advisor Ms. Sandy Horton Academic Advising Program Coordinator Ms. Stacy Hernandez Program Coordinator Dr. Jonathan Sczepanski Admissions and Recruiting Coordinator |
Location: 114 Chemistry Building Hours: Monday – Friday 8 a.m.-12 p.m.; 1-5 p.m. Email: gradmail@chem.tamu.edu Phone: (979) 845-5345 |
Successful completion of the graduate program requires that certain milestones be reached in a timely fashion. It is the student’s responsibility to know the rules, timeline and pertinent procedures of the program and to meet its standards and requirements.
Selecting a research advisor is one of the most important things you will do during your first semester as much of your training will involve group and mentor interactions. This decision will affect the next four to five years; therefore, the choice of advisor requires careful consideration.
The research you will perform is the most important part of graduate school. When selecting an advisor, you should explore a broad range of faculty in many different areas, even those who are peripheral to what you believe are your main interests. The Department currently requires you to talk to at least five faculty members.
You should gather information about potential research advisors and groups. For example:
A small percentage of students reconsider their choice in research group. Changes should occur early to minimize the time it takes to graduate. Changing research advisors should be done with very serious consideration and it is highly recommended that you contact the Graduate Advisor before beginning the process.
Teaching is an integral part of the mission of the Department of Chemistry. As a Teaching Assistant, you will develop and improve your teaching and communication skills by interacting on a one-one basis with undergraduate students.
In order to provide an appropriate learning atmosphere for undergraduates students, it is imperative that laboratory courses be properly instructed and that all assigned duties be carried out conscientiously. Graduate students assigned for teaching must be present during each assigned class period, as well as during the week prior to the start of the semester for required training. Substitutions, such as to allow a TA to participate in other program related activities, may be possible and require prior approval of the instructor or laboratory coordinator.
The following evaluation procedures are designed to provide you with information to develop and improve your teaching effectiveness. Evaluations are also used to nominate outstanding graduate students for departmental and university teaching awards.
The following actions will be taken when a GAT fails to perform assigned duties:
Procedures for Resolving Student Concerns
The Chemistry Graduate program of study consists of a combination of coursework and scholarly research. The objective of an advanced degree is to provide students with the knowledge base and specific training necessary to advance science and their career. The purpose of coursework is to provide a strong foundation in a broad area of chemistry. Coursework prepares students to evaluate the scholarly research of others and provides the knowledge base needed to identify scientific problems and construct a programmed approach to solve those problems.
Students who would like to request dropping a course must contact the Chemistry Graduate Advising Office early in the semester. Dropping a course can only be done with the approval from the Graduate Advisor. Special considerations must be applied since a graduate student who is registered for less than full-time is not eligible for a teaching or research assistantship or an in-state tuition waiver.
The research advisor or advisory committee, in consultation with the student, will develop a degree plan which lists the basic academic course requirements for a given degree. The degree plan will also establish your formal advisory committee with the Graduate and Professional School (GPS).
All Chemistry graduate students are admitted into the Ph.D. program. However, with approval, a student in the program may choose to pursue a M.S. degree (thesis option or non-thesis option) instead. Students who would like to switch to the M.S. program must contact the Chemistry Graduate Advising Office before applying for a degree change.
Every international student in the Department of Chemistry must pass an Oral English Language Proficiency Examination (ELPE) to be eligible for a Teaching Assistantship. International students may be exempted from taking the ELPE if they have completed a 4-year undergraduate degree from a US institution or achieved a minimum score of 26 (speaking) on the TOFEL.
The ELPE is administered upon arrival at TAMU. Students who do not pass the ELPE will be required to enroll with the Center for Teaching Excellence's English Language Proficiency program (CTE-ELP). There is no cost to the student for this program.
The Department of Chemistry will support a student who has not passed the ELPE for the first semester only. Students have until the end of their first year to fulfill the English requirement.
During the first two years of study, students are required to attend the Chemistry Graduate Seminar. During the second year, students will present a research seminar as a part of their Preliminary Exam. The course consists of presentation instruction and student seminars. The skills learned will also assist students in making future presentations at scientific meetings and job interviews.
Doctoral and Thesis-option Masters students are required to submit a research proposal. A Research proposal should be prepared in a professional manner with proper literature citations and provide background information and preliminary results as well as the future direction of the dissertation project.
The purpose of the preliminary examination is to determine whether students are prepared to complete an original, intellectual, and scientific investigation that will culminate in a doctoral dissertation. The preliminary examination consists of a public presentation and oral exam. CHEM 681 Seminar will serve as the public presentation part of the exam. Admission to candidacy for a doctoral degree requires all students to pass a preliminary examination and submit a research proposal.
The progress report is used to summarize the status, progress, and prospect of a student's research and to encourage communication, feedback, and collaboration between a student and their research committee.
All Chemistry doctoral and master's students must submit a thesis or dissertation that complies with university rules. The university guidelines for writing a dissertation are listed below.
TAMU students must adhere to the Aggie Honor Code when preparing the ETD. The ideas or data of others must be properly used and acknowledged, and when necessary, permission must be secured from copyright holders. All research must be conducted following appropriate ethical standards for the responsible conduct of research. For further information see the following.
The following prerequisites must be completed prior to the scheduling of the final defense.
Students must have:
Students will need to meet with the Chemistry Graduate Advising Office no later than 30 days before the proposed exam date.
Graduate awards honor the outstanding contributions of our students to research and teaching. Awards are also available to support travel for our students to present their work at scientific meetings. The below sections outline how to nominate or apply for our departmental awards. A description of external awards, in some cases requiring nominations to be forwarded through the department, is further included.
Upcoming Professional Development Activities | |
May 20 | Harthcock Professional Development Symposium 8:00am - 6:00pm |
The Texas A&M Chemistry graduate experience is greatly enhanced by the social, outreach and professional development activities organized by student associations. Many members of our diverse student population are affiliated with several associations.