Chemistry Graduate Program Handbook

2024-2025
Chemistry Program Graduate Studies Committee
Zachary Schultz, Chair
Jon Parquette, Organic Division
Abraham Badu-Tawiah, Analytical Division
John Herbert, Physical Division
Yiying Wu, Inorganic Division
Venkat Gopalan, Biochemistry Division
Josie Nardo, Chemical Education Division

Chemistry Program Graduate Studies Staff
Zachary Schultz, Vice Chair, Graduate Studies
614 292-8688 | schultz.133@osu.edu

Jennifer Hambach, Graduate Program Coordinator
614 292-8917 | hambach.2@osu.edu

Nicholas Rodgers, Graduate Admissions Coordinator
614 292-5577 | rodgers.217@osu.edu
Graduate Studies Office 202 CBEC
100 W. 18th Ave. Columbus, OH 43210
chemgradstudies@osu.edu

Admissions 614 292-5577 - Prospective Students
Graduate Program Coordinator 614 292-8917 - Current Students
Vice Chair, Graduate Studies 614 292-8688 

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry oversees the Chemistry Graduate Program and the Biochemistry M.S. program.

The Chemistry Graduate Program confers both Ph.D. and M.S. degrees, but the program only admits students to the Ph.D. track. Students move the M.S. track typically to leave the program before completion of the Ph.D.

The Biochemistry M.S. program only admits current OSU students who are transferring from a PhD-only graduate program (such as the Ohio State Biochemistry Program) for the purpose of pursuing a terminal MS degree.

The department also offers a one-year post-baccalaureate Chemistry Bridge Program as an American Chemical Society Bridge Site. The program admits students with the hope that they will transition to the Ph.D. or M.S. program at the completion of the program. There is a separate procedures document for this program.

The Chemistry Graduate Program only admits one time per year for the Autumn semester.

Students must have a baccalaureate or professional degree (or equivalent foreign credential) from an accredited college or university, earned by the expected date of entry into your graduate program. Typically, this means a 4-year bachelor’s degree or a 5-year combined BS/MS degree. A minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for the last degree earned is required.

In general, the program is looking for evidence of academic aptitude especially with strong grades in core chemistry classes and advanced classes in the intended area of study, evidence of successful research experience and aptitude, evidence of strong communication skills, and evidence of perseverance, motivation, goal-oriented behavior, and other non-cognitive factors that presage success in the graduate environment. Chemistry program applicants must have taken courses in general, organic, and physical chemistry--ideally a year of each--as well as at least one course in the divisional area of interest (e.g., biochemistry for students interested in biochemistry studies, inorganic chemistry for students interested in inorganic chemistry, etc.). Consequently, most successful applicants will be Chemistry or Biochemistry majors, but that is not required as long as proper coursework has been taken.

The GRE (general or subject tests) is not required.

The minimum total TOEFL score required in order to be eligible to apply is 79 on the Internet-based test and 550 on the paper-based test. Applicants who achieve a total score of 100 and a 22 or higher on the speaking section of the Internet-Based TOEFL will be most competitive. The minimum allowable score on the IELTS is a 7.0.

Students in the Chemistry Ph.D. program who did not speak English as a first language must demonstrate spoken English proficiency at the level required for a GTA appointment, as established by the English as a Second Language Program. This can be demonstrated with a TOEFL iBT speaking score of 28 or higher, IELTS score of 8.5 or higher, or an Oral Proficiency Assessment score of 4.0 or higher. Certification must be achieved by the end of the first year of study. 3 TOEFL scores must be officially reported to OSU by ETS. If you are submitting scores for the IELTS, those scores must be reported to OSU directly by IELTS.

The Graduate Admissions Committee reviews and makes recommendations on each application for admission to the program. The Vice Chair for Graduate Studies has final approval on all offers of admission. 

Most graduate students in the Ph.D. program receive financial support as Graduate Associates, either Graduate Teaching Associates (GTA) or Graduate Research Associates (GRA), or as Fellows during their tenure in the department. Graduate students supported by any of these appointments may not hold additional employment of any kind without express permission of the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies. Fellowship stipends may be supplemented up to the current GTA stipend; any stipends above that level must have prior approval by the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies. 

The Graduate School sets minimum registration requirements of eligibility for GA and Fellowship appointments (see section 9.1 of the Graduate School Handbook). Students supported by GA should read section 9, Appendix E and Appendix F of the Graduate School Handbook. 

A graduate student’s activities in the department are typically a combination of study and work. In general, GA appointments are 50% effort, meaning they will typically require about 20 hours per week. In rare cases, GAs may be appointed for up to 75% effort. Graduate appointments are salaried (i.e., not hourly) positions paid on a fixed calendar set by the Graduate School. It is common and permissible for salaried positions to require orientation or training even if it does not fit within the normal window of work hours. In a salaried position, the employee is agreeing to do a particular job, but he or she is not compensated for the exact hours the work is carried out. There is no overtime. TAs are considered exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as educators, and the Labor Department has asserted that other relationships like RA and fellowship are principally training and that no employer-employee relationship exists. The department provides appointments so that students do not have to find other outside employment to afford graduate school, and we also are able to provide employment that is relevant to students’ studies and builds students’ resumes in the area of study. The department does everything possible for students to be able to complete TA duties in 16-18 hours per week while classes are in session, because we want students to be able to focus on studies as much as possible. Graduate appointments are continuous throughout the year (i.e., there is no “break” between Autumn, Spring, or Summer terms).

Departmental policies regarding appointments include: 

• Students with a GPA below 3.00 are considered in poor academic standing and may be denied GA appointments by the Graduate School.
• Students who qualify directly from the first-year oral exam are required to advance to candidacy by the end of the Spring term of their second year. Students failing to advance to candidacy by this time must petition the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies for continuation of support regardless of the appointment type (GRA, GTA, or Fellowship appointment). A petition for an extension to the candidacy deadline will generally be accepted in the following circumstances: switching research advisors/groups prior to candidacy, an approved leave of absence from the graduate program, and birth or adoption of a child while in the graduate program.
• Students required to obtain an M.S. degree as a result of their first-year oral exam are expected to complete and defend their thesis by the end of the Spring term of their second year. Students failing to defend their thesis by this time must petition the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies for continuation of support regardless of the appointment type (GRA, GTA, or Fellowship appointment). A petition for an extension to the M.S. degree deadline will generally be accepted in the following circumstances: switching research advisors/groups prior to obtaining the M.S. degree, an approved leave of absence from the graduate program, and birth or adoption of a child while in the graduate program.
• Students required to obtain an M.S. degree as a result of their first-year oral exam are expected to advance to candidacy as soon as possible and certainly by the end of the Spring term of their third year. Students failing to advance to candidacy by this time must petition the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies for continuation of support regardless of the appointment type. A petition for an extension to the candidacy deadline will generally be accepted in the following circumstances: switching research advisors/groups prior to candidacy, an approved leave of absence from the graduate program, and birth or adoption of a child while in the graduate program.
• The Ph.D. degree is a five-year program. Students who expect to enter their sixth year of graduate training must petition the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies to receive support during all or part of their sixth year, and must have the written approval of their advisor and advisory committee in the form of a Post Candidacy Progress Report from an Advisory Committee meeting. In order to qualify for a GA appointment beyond the fifth year of study, Post Candidacy Progress Reports must be received at least one month before the start of the Autumn semester (typically, by July 15). Approval of such petitions will require the demonstration of a reasonable prospect that the degree program can be completed within one year. A petition for an extension of support beyond year five will generally be accepted in the following circumstances: switching research advisors/groups, an approved leave of absence from the graduate program, and birth or adoption of a child while in the graduate program.
• Department policies specify that students who have been enrolled for more than six years may not receive support as a GTA, GRA, or Fellow, from external, departmental, or other funding sources. Only in exceptional instances, which require demonstration of extenuating circumstances, will the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies consider a petition for support beyond six years. Examples of extenuating circumstances that may be considered exceptions include switching research advisors/groups, an approved leave of absence from the graduate program, and birth or adoption of a child while in the graduate program. No GTA appointment will be granted after the sixth year.
• Instructors evaluate their teaching assistants each term with ratings of Excellent (E), Satisfactory (S+, S, or S-), or Unsatisfactory (U). Evaluations are based primarily on overall performance as a GTA, but also include punctuality, attendance of staff meetings, and attitude toward students and staff. Students receiving an unsatisfactory (U) teaching evaluation will be suspended from their teaching appointment for one semester (excluding Summer) and must petition the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies for subsequent reinstatement. No GTA support will be available during such a suspension. Petitions to be supported as a GTA can be made at the end of the semester (excluding Summer) following the term during which the U rating was received. Any subsequent U or S- evaluations following reinstatement will lead to dismissal from the teaching program, and no further GTA support will be available. If a dGRA appointment is due at the end of the student's term in which he or she received the U, the department portion of the stipend will not be available. Two S- ratings are regarded as equivalent to one U rating.
• Faculty advisors are required to grade the performance of students taking research credits under their supervision (e.g., CHEM 8999) each term with ratings of Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U). Evaluations are based primarily on overall progress in research, but also include time spent in the lab, attendance at group meetings or other meetings set by the advisor, and handing in reports required by the advisor in a timely manner. Students receiving an unsatisfactory (U) grade will meet with the advisor and the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies to devise a plan to ensure future success. The Vice Chair for Graduate Studies may require a meeting of the Advisory Committee. In general, two U grades in research will result in withdrawal of support and dismissal from the program for lack of reasonable progress. 

Dissertation research is initiated when a student has selected a research advisor and has been admitted into a research group. The selection of an advisor is a major step in a student's program. The process involves attendance of faculty research presentations during the first half of the Autumn Semester, followed by a formal system of interviews during the second half of the semester. In addition, an informal process for the student to become acquainted with research groups is strongly encouraged; these activities can include attending group meetings, talking to students in the group, touring the lab, and gathering information on publication record, time-to- degree, and level and type of support typically available for group members. Students are required to enroll in a 7-week course designed to introduce them to the ongoing research in the department, CHEM 6780. During this class, each faculty member presents a short (~20 min) talk on their research. Students must meet minimum attendance requirements as specified in the syllabus to obtain a satisfactory grade in the course. These presentations are expected to help students identify at least four faculty members that they wish to interview. Attending presentations from other disciplines will provide students with broader knowledge of ongoing research in the department and has been shown to result in students becoming interested in the research of faculty members they had not previously considered as an option for an advisor. After the end of the course, students will interview individual faculty whose research is of interest to them.

Students in the Biochemistry division are required to undertake three rotations in the first Autumn term on a specified schedule that is approximately 4 weeks per rotation. They must rotate with three different eligible members of the program, and they are not required to join the lab of any of the faculty with whom they do rotations. Students in other divisions are encouraged to do informal rotations on approximately the same schedule, but that is not required.

To initiate the interview procedure, the student will designate a minimum of four (4) faculty members that they wish to interview. Students are encouraged to interview as many faculty as they feel may provide research programs of interest. Students may also have engaged in rotations the Summer prior to start of graduate school or during the semester. These rotations may be considered an interview of a faculty member. The Vice 6 Chair for Graduate Studies may remove faculty members from the students lists of suggested faculty (e.g. if a faculty member is not accepting new students) or assign additional faculty members in related research areas, and will provide the student with an Interview Record Sheet. All faculty members on the Interview Record Sheet must sign the sheet after they have been interviewed. Students then submit a rank-ordered list of their top three choices for advisor to the Graduate Studies Office by a date that is announced at the start of Autumn semester, typically during the middle to the end of November. The Graduate Studies Office then provides the list of student advisor preferences to the division secretaries and all faculty. Following any formal faculty discussion that may be required by a division, the faculty member listed as the first choice must decide whether or not to serve as advisor to the student. The faculty member notifies the division secretary and Graduate Studies Office of his/her decision. If a faculty member decides not to serve as advisor, the faculty member who is the second choice makes a similar decision. This process is repeated until the student has an advisor. In the event a student is not accepted by one of their top three choices, the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies becomes active in helping the student find an advisor, in a manner left to the discretion of the Vice Chair. Once the list of advisor preferences has been distributed, it is a goal of the department to place students in research groups within a two-week period. The process of selecting an advisor must be completed by the end of the second semester in order to remain in good standing in the program and to qualify for a Summer dGRA appointment.

A student must complete their Ph.D. research under the supervision of a member of the Graduate Faculty of the Chemistry Program (i.e., must have “P-status”). Collaborations with faculty outside the department are possible, however, the primary supervision or formal co-advising of the Ph.D. research by faculty outside the department is not permitted. Only regular faculty members of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry may serve as advisors for Chemistry Ph.D. and M.S. students. Auxiliary faculty, Adjunct faculty, Emeritus faculty, Regional faculty, and those whose tenure-initiating unit is not the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry may not serve as advisors to students in the Chemistry graduate program. Any other advising arrangement is subject to approval by the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies, who will request a description of the proposed research and consider whether it is suitable for a Ph.D. thesis in Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Students who wish to be co-advised by two eligible faculty members must formalize the agreement with a Memorandum of Understanding that is signed by the student, co-advisors, and Vice Chair. The agreement is available online. Co-advising relationships can be entered into at the time of the initial advisor matching, or later.

If a student leaves a group, or the faculty advisor resigns his/her position as advisor, the student will have seven weeks to find a new advisor. After this time, financial support will be withdrawn (at the end of the term of enrollment) and the student will no longer be in good standing in the department. 

After selection of an advisor and in consultation with the student and their advisor, the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies will appoint an advisory committee for each student, typically in the Summer at the end of the first year of study. The purpose of the advisory committee is to provide each student with support and guidance during their graduate career. Each year, beginning in their fourth year of study, the student and advisor must provide the advisory committee and the Graduate Studies Office with a short research progress summary in the form of a Post-Candidacy Progress Report. Each member of the advisory committee will provide written comments on the student's progress. Either the student or the advisor can request an advisory committee meeting if they feel that this would be a beneficial exercise, or the student can request to meet individually with their advisory committee members to discuss their post-candidacy progress.

Although the annual progress reports are typically due in the Summer, students are free to meet with any committee member at any time during the year. The department hopes that this process will provide a mechanism for forging closer ties between students and faculty, both before and after graduation, and to provide additional guidance and support to students as they complete their research toward the Ph.D. degree. 

The Advisory Committee must include the advisor and two other members of the Chemistry graduate faculty. One member of the Advisory Committee may be from outside of the Chemistry program provided she or he is a member of the Graduate Faculty of some program at the University (i.e., has P-status in some program). 

At the end of each academic year, all students must prepare an activity report that outlines their progress towards program requirements, presentations, publications, and other academic and professional activities. The template for the report is in the form of a CV that can be updated each year with a section of questions about program requirements. The report and an advising report must be provided to the Graduate Studies Office by the end of the Summer term of each year, with a copy also provided to the advisor. Activity reports are used for advising purposes, but also are used for award nominations and program assessment data. 

There are additional registration requirements imposed by the Graduate School. A student must be enrolled for at least three (3) credit hours during the term in which they graduate. A master’s degree requires at least 30 graduate credit hours, and the Ph.D. requires at least 80 graduate credit hours (at least 50 beyond the master’s). Audited courses do not count toward these minima. In order to meet these minima, it is recommended to enroll in 16-18 credit hours in Autumn and Spring as a pre-candidacy student. 

Students who transfer to OSU must meet specific residency requirements. Of the 50 post-masters credit hours required for the Ph.D., at least 24 must be taken at this university. Candidacy never transfers to a new program; students who transfer to the Ph.D. program must take a candidacy exam in the Chemistry program. Qualification for candidacy will be determined by the Graduate Studies Committee. Students must have a 3.00 GPA or better to apply for the candidacy exam, which typically means they must take the exam no earlier than the term after they take their first graded courses. The Graduate School will accept petitions to waive this requirement for advanced students. 

The Graduate School requires continuous enrollment of post-candidacy graduate students, meaning that the student must be enrolled for at least 3 credit hours each Autumn and Spring. Our department in general requires continuous enrollment throughout the entire time in the program, including pre-candidacy and Summer terms, although occasionally exceptions may be made by petition if the student will not be in residence in 8 Columbus for a term. Students must be enrolled in at least 1 credit hour of appropriate research, such as CHEM 8999 or CHEM 8998, any term they are conducting research in residence.