Chemistry and Biochemistry

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Program Description

Research Programs
The Department’s research programs fall into the thematic focus areas of bio-organic chemistry with a particular emphasis on biophotonics, environmental chemistry and green chemistry, and chemical education. Within these multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary focus areas, students can select research projects that involve the traditional subdisciplines of chemistry; analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic and physical. Currently active research projects in the Department focus on various aspects of analytical chemistry, drug discover and delivery, organic synthesis, materials chemistry and self assembly, chromatography, the chemistry and biochemistry of cell membranes, environmental and green chemistry, chemistry of climate change, photophysical chemistry, natural products chemistry, sensor development, biophysical chemistry, computational chemistry, and solid-state NMR.

Research Instrumentation
The Department is equipped with modern instrumentation core facilities to support its research program. These facilities are readily available to graduate students for “hands-on” experience after successfully completing a short training course.

NMR core facility includes 600, 400, and 200 MHz solution FT-NMR spectrometers and 400, 300, 100 MHz wide-bore solid-state NMR spectrometers
Core campus mass spectrometry facility consists of a 7T ESI FTMS; a high-resolution magnetic sector mass spectrometer with EI and CI sources and GC, HPLC, pyrolysis and fast-atom bombardment capabilities, a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer; a Eksigent/Thermo LTQ ESI LC-MS/SM dedicated to “bottom-up” proteomics studies and an Applied Biosystems SCIEX QTRAP ESI LC-MS/MS dedicated to small molecule and metablomics characterizations.
Core campus proteomics facility has all the necessary equipment to prepare samples for mass-spectrometry-based proteomics characterizations; and a Varian GCMS.
Optical Spectroscopy lab containing 2 FT-IR spectrometer with far-IR capabilities; time-resolved spectrofluorometer; atomic absorption and diode-array UV-Vis spectrophotometers.
Powder x-ray diffractometer

In addition to these departmental resources, individual research groups also maintained instrumentation including supercritical fluid chromatography and extraction, for FRET microscopy, laser light scattering, and computational chemistry. Campus super-computer facilities and on-line computer access to Web of Science, Chemical Abstracts Services and other on-line information sources are readily available.

Facility

The Department is housed in the newly constructed Avera Health Science Center South and newly renovated Avera Health and Science Center North. Combined, these connected facilities provide 100,000 sq. ft. of research and instructional space.

Available Options for Graduate Degrees

Master of Science	Option A
	Option B
Doctor of Philosophy	60 Credit Plan
	90 Credit Plan

Core Requirements

Master of Science

Students are required to complete 21 credits of course work, including 12 credits of core coursework and 9 credits specific to the research project; 2 credits of seminar; and 7 credits of research.

Doctor of Philosophy

Students are required to complete 21 credit hours of coursework beyond a Bachelor’s degree and 3 credit hours of seminar. The remaining credits in the 60-90 credit plan of study are dissertation research. Students must develop their program of study in consultation with their graduate research advisor during the first semester in residence.

Candidacy Examinations
The Department uses a cumulative examination process as its written candidacy (comprehensive) examination for the doctorate. A student must pass a total of 5 cumulative examinations in at least 3 subdisciplines over a period of two calendar years (24 possible tests). The oral candidacy (comprehensive) exam usually takes place within 6 months of completion of the cumulative exams. Student is required to develop an original research proposal, written and defend it orally. In order to successfully defend such a proposal the student must be able to integrate their course work into a research environment, and its defense reflects that expectation.

Additional Admission Requirements

GRE: General and subject score are recommended but not required
TOEFL: Score of 580 paper-based, 237 computer-based, 92-93 Internet-based

*The TSE score is recommended for international students seeking an assistantship.

General Requirements (Master’s and PhD)

Graduate students must consult with their advisor before registering for graduate work.

For additional information see Masters Degree Requirements and Doctor of Philosophy Degree Requirements .

Course Offerings

Chemistry and Biochemistry (CHEM, CHST) Courses