Chemistry

About the Major

Drexel’s Department of Chemistry offers a BS degree certified by the American Chemical Society Committee on Professional Training and a BA degree for those interested in following their undergraduate educations in chemistry with professional school, such as law or medicine.

Each student plans a course of study and selects electives in consultation with an advisor in the Chemistry Department. Students who show initiative and laboratory ability are encouraged to select a research problem and/or other advanced courses in chemistry during the junior and senior years.

Most graduate courses in chemistry are open to qualified seniors. Prerequisites and descriptions of available graduate courses appear in the graduate catalog.
Both a five year co-op degree and a four-year non-co-op degree are offered for the BS. The BA is a 4-year non-co-op degree.

About the Accelerated Bachelors/Masters Dual Degree Program in Chemistry

The Bachelor’s/Master’s (BS/MS) dual degree program is an accelerated program providing the academically qualified student with an opportunity to earn both a BS and an MS degree (two diplomas are awarded) in five years, the time normally required to finish the co-op option BS degree alone.

This is an academically demanding program, but there are several allowances built in to enable the program to be completed in the time allotted. For instance, only 180 rather than 192 undergraduate quarter credits are required. The co-op experience may be adjusted; the student may take two rather than three coop cycles, enabling two additional quarters of on-campus study. If needed, the student may also take evening courses while on co-op.

Eligibility
Exceptional students with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 and who are enrolled in the five-year co-op option program are eligible for the BS/MS program. Students formally apply to the program after they have completed 90 credits but before they have completed 120 credits. Students are strongly encouraged to begin planning for the program as early as their freshman year. Students who have more than 120 credits are not eligible.

Transfer students are eligible to join the BS/MS program, but they must be able to complete the program in the time it would take to complete the BS degree alone. International transfer students must be able to meet the required minimum TOEFL score for the department graduate program (currently 550) in order to be admitted to the BS/MS program.

Application Process
You need to formally apply to the program. Applications are available in the Office of Graduate Admissions or in the College of Arts & Sciences advisor’s office. Your application must be accompanied by a Plan of Study prepared in consultation with the undergraduate and graduate advisor in the department and approved by both the Department Head and the Dean. Entry into the program must be officially approved by both the Department Head and Academic Dean.

Requirements
Students enrolled in the BS/MS dual degree program must complete 180 undergraduate quarter credits for the BS degree and at least 45 graduate quarter credits for the MS degree. All graduate departmental requirements must be satisfied in full, including producing a thesis, if the thesis-option Masters program is elected. Masters thesis requirements may be completed in the summer term of the final year with prior approval of the department. Students in the BS/MS program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in their undergraduate and graduate coursework to remain in the program.

Further questions about the BS/MS degree program should be directed to the departmental graduate advisor.