Department of Chemistry Requirements for the M.S. Degree
A student needs to complete 30 credits and achieve an accumulative GPA of 3.0 or above to be awarded the Master of Science (M.S.) degree by the Graduate School. Half of the credits must be at the graduate level and 16 credits must be taken at the UW–Madison campus to satisfy the residency requirement.
The Department of Chemistry designates two types of M.S. degrees: a coursework-based M.S. degree and a research-based M.S. degree.
- A coursework-based M.S. degree requires a minimum of 22 credits in lecture courses. A maximum of 8 credits can be obtained in research courses (Chem 99x). The Department of Chemistry requires that 24 of the 30 credits are from chemistry courses. The Graduate School requirements also apply.
- A research-based M.S. degree requires a minimum 15 credits in research courses (Chem 99x). The student must submit either a formal thesis or a research report that is approved by the research advisor. The Department of Chemistry requires that 24 of the 30 credits are from chemistry courses. The Graduate School requirements also apply.
A full-time M.S. degree is typically completed in 3-4 semesters.
More Information
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Suggested Courses by Path
There are 7 paths in the chemistry department. Students usually chose a path according to their interest. The department recommends core and minor courses according to the student’s path of interest. The courses by path or interest can be found here.
Enrollment Credit Requirements
Fall and spring enrollment: Full load is 8 – 15 credits*; Minimum load is 2 credits.
Summer session: Full load is 4 – 12 credits; Minimum load is 0 credits.
Graduate students must be enrolled at least at the minimum requirement in the semester in which they receive a degree; master’s degree students expecting a summer degree must enroll in a minimum of 2 graduate credits in any summer session.
For additional information see the Graduate School Enrollment Requirements