Department of Chemistry

Ph.D. Program

Overview and Common Requirements

A program of study must be selected from a "group program" that will include at least 20 hours of graduate course work, which may include courses from all areas of chemistry, and must include at least 16 hours of graduate course work in Chemistry. A total of 90 semester hours is required, including at least 50 hours of research for students entering with a bachelor's degree and 36 hours for students entering with a master's degree.

The preliminary exam for the Ph.D. degree consists of a series of written cumulative exams beginning in the second or third semester of residence on topics within the student's area of specialization, and an oral research proposition examination that the student must prepare and defend before his or her supervisory committee by the end of the third year or the middle of the fourth year. Completion of the Ph.D. degree requires the submission of a written dissertation and its oral defense before one's supervisory committee.

Group Programs

There are six programs of graduate course work that can be followed for the Ph.D. degree: the Analytical , Biological , Inorganic , Materials , Organic , and Physical groups. The curriculum is different in each program, but they all have the following common features:

  • Departmental Requirements: Two credit hours of common course work are required for all group programs.
  • Credit Seminar Programs: Two credit hours of credit seminar are required together with attendance at a seminar program throughout the entire program of study. Students register for 0 credit hours in the seminar course when the seminar program is not taken for credit.
  • Group Programs:
    • Substantive Group Courses: A number of credit hours are required in course work specific to a particular group.
    • Other Chemistry Department Courses: A number of credit hours are required in chemistry department courses.
    • Additional Courses: A number of credit hours may be required that may be taken from chemistry department courses and sometimes from courses offered in other departments.
  • Cumulative Examinations: There are separate cumulative examinations in the Analytical, Inorganic, Materials, Organic and Physical groups.

Department Requirements (2 credit hours)

Every student in the Chemistry Department is required to take the following one credit hour courses:

  • CHM 601 - Safe Chemical Laboratory Practices
  • CHM 700 - Practicum in Teaching Chemistry

Credit Seminar Programs (2 credit hours)

All students in the Chemistry Department are required to attend the appropriate group seminar program every semester (registering for 0 or 1 credit hour), and to register for a total of 2 credit hours during their Ph.D. program. When the seminar program is taken for credit, the student will be evaluated on a 50 minute seminar.

  • Analytical Group Program - CHM 901 Graduate Seminar in Analytical Chemistry
  • Biological Group Program - one from CHM 901, CHM 902, CHM 903, CHM 904
  • Inorganic Group Program - CHM 902 Graduate Seminar in Inorganic Chemistry
  • Materials Group Program - one from CHM 901, CHM 902, CHM 903, CHM 904
  • Organic Group Program - CHM 903 Graduate Seminar in Organic Chemistry
  • Physical Group Program - CHM 904 Graduate Seminar in Physical Chemistry

^ back to top

Group Programs (16 credit hours)


Analytical Group Program

Substantive Group Courses: 9 credit hours required, consisting of at least three 3-credit-hour analytical group courses that can be chosen from the following courses:

  • CHM 937 - Applications of Surface Science to Chemistry
  • CHM 940 - Chemical Microscopy
  • CHM 944 - Electroanalytical Chemistry
  • CHM 947 - Applied Molecular Spectroscopy

Other Chemistry Department Courses: 3 to 6 credit hours are required consisting of one or two 3-credit-hour courses chosen from the following courses:

  • CHM 711 - Inorganic Chemistry I
  • CHM 712 - Inorganic Chemistry II
  • CHM 752 - Advanced Organic Chemistry
  • CHM 801 - Chemical Thermodynamics
  • CHM 854 - Theoretical Chemistry I
  • CHM 856 - Chemical Kinetics
  • CHM 862 - Organic Spectroscopy
  • CHM 929 - Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry
  • CHM 954 - Theoretical Chemistry II
  • CHM 965 - Physical Organic Chemistry

Additional Courses: The remaining 1 to 4 credit hours may be taken from the two previous lists or from

  • Any Science or Engineering courses at the 600 level or higher in any department other than chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture, Human Ecology, or Engineering.
  • CHM 600 (Scientific Glassblowing), CHM 650 (History of Chemistry), CHM 657(Inorganic Techniques), CHM 800 (Chemistry in Outer Space and in the Laboratory),CHM 930 (Homogeneous Catalysis).


^ back to top

Biological Group Program

Students must meet the group requirement by completing one of the other group programs (Analytical, Inorganic, Materials, Organic or Physical). In addition, students in the biological group may select additional courses offered either inside or outside the Department of Chemistry. A list of possible courses that students may choose to take which are offered outside the department include the following:

  • BIOCH 755 - Biochemistry I (3 credits).
  • BIOCH 765 - Biochemistry II (3 credits).
  • BIOCH 790 - Physical Biochemistry (3 credits).
  • BIOL 719 - Biomembranes (2 credits).
  • BIOL 855 - Molecular Biology of Cellular Membranes (3 credits).
  • BIOL 860 - Molecular and Cellular Biology (3 credits).



^ back to top

Inorganic Group Program

Substantive Group Courses: 9 credit hours required consisting of the following courses:

  • CHM 711 - Inorganic Chemistry I
  • CHM 712 - Inorganic Chemistry II
  • CHM 929 - Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry

Other Chemistry Department Courses: 3 to 6 credit hours from the following courses:

  • CHM 752 - Advanced Organic Chemistry
  • CHM 801 - Chemical Thermodynamics
  • CHM 854 - Theoretical Chemistry I
  • CHM 856 - Chemical Kinetics
  • CHM 862 - Organic Spectroscopy
  • CHM 935 - Topics in Inorganic Chemistry
  • CHM 937 - Applications of Surface Science to Chemistry
  • CHM 940 - Chemical Microscopy
  • CHM 944 - Electroanalytical Chemistry
  • CHM 954 - Theoretical Chemistry II
  • CHM 965 - Physical Organic Chemistry

Additional Courses: The remaining 1 to 4 credit hours may be taken from the two previous listsor from:

  • Any Science or Engineering courses at the 500 level or higher in any department other than chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture, Human Ecology, or Engineering.
  • CHM 600 (Scientific Glassblowing), CHM 650 (History of Chemistry), CHM 657(Inorganic Techniques), CHM 800 (Chemistry in Outer Space and in the Laboratory),CHM 930 (Homogeneous Catalysis).

^ back to top

Materials Group Program

Substantive Group Courses: 3 credit hours required consisting of the following course:

  • CHM 820 - Materials Chemistry

Other Chemistry Department Courses: 9 to 12 credit hours from the following courses:

  • CHM 711 - Inorganic Chemistry I
  • CHM 712 - Inorganic Chemistry II
  • CHM 752 - Advanced Organic Chemistry
  • CHM 801 - Chemical Thermodynamics
  • CHM 854 - Theoretical Chemistry I
  • CHM 856 - Chemical Kinetics
  • CHM 862 - Organic Spectroscopy
  • CHM 929 - Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry
  • CHM 935 - Topics in Inorganic Chemistry (which can be up to three different courses: Nanostructured Materials or Supramolecular Chemistry or Metal-Ligand Multiple Bonds)
  • CHM 937 - Applications of Surface Science to Chemistry
  • CHM 940 Chemical Microscopy
  • CHM 944 - Electroanalytical Chemistry
  • CHM 947 - Applied Molecular Spectroscopy
  • CHM 954 - Theoretical Chemistry II
  • CHM 965 - Physical Organic Chemistry

Additional Courses: The remaining 1 to 4 credit hours may be taken from the two previous lists or from

  • Any Science or Engineering courses at the 500 level or higher in any department other than chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture, Human Ecology, or Engineering. Special consideration should be given to the following courses:
  • PHYS 564 - Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics (3 credits).
  • PHYS 655 - Physics of Solids (3 credits).
  • CHM600 (Scientific Glassblowing), CHM650 (History of Chemistry), CHM657 (Inorganic Techniques), CHM800 (Chemistry in Outer Space and in the Laboratory), CHM930 (Homogeneous Catalysis).


^ back to top

Organic Group Program

Substantive Group Courses: 13 credit hours required consisting of the following courses:

  • CHM 752 - Advanced Organic Chemistry (3 credits)
  • CHM 860 - Synthetic Organic Chemistry (4 credits)
  • CHM 862 - Organic Spectroscopy (3 credits)
  • CHM 965 - Physical Organic Chemistry (3 credits)

Other Chemistry Department Courses: 3 credit hours from any Chemistry Department courses with numbers above 710, excluding seminar courses.
Additional Courses: No additional courses are required. However, a greater number of credit hours than the minimum 20 can be obtained. They may be any graduate level course at a 600 level or greater at Kansas State University that is applicable to the overall Ph.D. program being pursued by the student.

^ back to top

Physical Group Program

Substantive Group Courses: 3 credit hours consisting of the following course:

  • CHM 854 - Theoretical Chemistry I and 3 credit hours from the following list of courses:
    • CHM 801 - Chemical Thermodynamics
    • CHM 856 - Chemical Kinetics
    • CHM 937 Applications of Surface Science to Chemistry
    • CHM 947 - Applied Molecular Spectroscopy
    • CHM 950 - Chemical Statistical Mechanics
    • CHM 954 - Theoretical Chemistry II
    • CHM 955 - Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry

Other Chemistry Department Courses: 6 credit hours from any Chemistry Department courses with numbers above 710, excluding seminar courses.
Additional Courses: The remaining 4 credit hours may be taken from the two previous lists or from

  • Any Science or Engineering courses at the 600 level or higher in any department other than chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, Agriculture, Human Ecology, or Engineering.
  • CHM600 (Scientific Glassblowing), CHM650 (History of Chemistry), CHM657 (Inorganic Techniques), CHM800 (Chemistry in Outer Space and in the Laboratory), CHM930 (Homogeneous Catalysis).

^ back to top

M.S. degree

A minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate credit is required for this degree program, of which no less than 22 hours will be earned in course work. The program of study for the master's degree will normally include up to 15 hours in the student's major area of study, 6 to 12 hours in related areas, and one hour of graduate seminar. At least two semester hours of credit must be earned at the 700 level or higher in each of three of the following areas of study: analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry. A master's thesis that is based on 6 to 8 semester hours of original research must also be defended before one's supervisory committee.

^ back to top

General Chemistry Courses

Undergraduate and graduate credit in minor field

CHM 599. Undergraduate research. (1, 2, 3) I, II, S. Analytical, inorganic, organic, or physical chemistry. A final, formal written report is required.

Undergraduate and graduate credit

Unless otherwise stated, all chemistry courses numbers 600 or above require the following as minimum prerequisites:

CHM 550 Organic Chemistry II; CHM 532 Organic Chemistry Laboratory; CHM 595 Physical Chemistry II; and CHM 598 Physical Chemistry II Laboratory.


CHM 600. Scientific Glassblowing. (1) II. The basic techniques of bending, sealing, and blowing glass used to fabricate scientific glassware. Three hours of laboratory including one lecture demonstration a week. Pr.: Senior or graduate standing inphysical sciences.

CHM 601. Safe Chemical Laboratory Practices. (1) I. A general safety course for persons working or teaching in a chemical laboratory. One hour of lecture per week. Pr.: CHM 371 and 350 or equivalents.

CHM 700. Practicum in Teaching Chemistry. (1) I. Principles and methods of instruction in laboratories and recitation classes in chemistry, including one semester of supervised experience as an instructor in a chemical laboratory. This is a required course of all teaching assistants in the Department of Chemistry. May be taken only once for credit. Pr.: Senior standing in chemistry.

CHM 799. Problems in Chemistry. (Var.) I, II. S. Problems may include classroom or laboratory work. Not for thesis research. Pr.: Consent of instructor.

Graduate credit

CHM 899. Research in Chemistry. (Var.) I, II, S. Research in analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry for the M.S. degree.

CHM 999. Research in Chemistry. (Var.) I, II, S. Research in analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry for the Ph.D. degree.

^ back to top

Analytical Chemistry Courses

Undergraduate and graduate credit in minor

CHM 545. Chemical Separations. (2) II. Principles of modern separation techniques. One hour. lec. and three hours lab a week. Pr.: CHM 250 or 371, or both CHM 532 and CHM 550.

CHM 566. Instrumental Methods of Analysis. (3) I. Introduction to theory and practice of electrochemical methods, molecular and atomic spectroscopy, surface science, mass spectrometry, separation methods, and electronics in analytical chemistry. Three hours lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 550, PHYS 114 or 214, and MATH 221.

Graduate credit

CHM 901. Graduate Seminar in Analytical Chemistry. (0-1) I, II, S.

CHM 920. Analytical Separations. (3) II. The theory, instrumentation, and application of classical and modern separation techniques are covered in this lecture course. Pr.: CHM 566 and CHM 595.

CHM 937. Applications of Surface Science to Chemistry. (3) II, in even years. Chemical bonding in the solid state. Surface science and related techniques as applied to chemical problems. Special topics including data analysis and corrosion studies.

CHM 940. Chemical Microscopy. (3) II, in even years. The theory, instrumentation, and application of modern microscopic methods are covered in this lecture course. Emphasis is given to the study of chemically-important phenomena in material systems.

CHM 944. Electroanalytical Chemistry. (2-3) II, in odd years. Theory and applications of electrochemical methods; chronoamperometry, chronopotentiometry, cyclic voltammetry, coulometry, polarography, potentiometry, and instrumentation.

CHM 947. Applied Molecular Spectroscopy. (3) II, in odd-numbered years. Experimental, and theoretical methods associated with ultraviolet and visible absorption, fluorescence, Raman scattering, and nonlinear optical spectroscopies. Pr.: CHM 854.

^ back to top

Inorganic Chemistry Courses

Undergraduate and graduate credit

CHM 650. History of Chemistry. (2) II, in even years. Traces the beginnings of chemistry from 3500 B.C. to 1920 A.D. Early metallurgy, Greek thought about atoms, alchemy, atomic theory, discovery of gases, definition of elements, chemical bonds, organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry. Pr.: CHM 585.

CHM 657. Inorganic Techniques. (1-2) II. The preparation, characterization, and study of transition metal, main group, and organometallic compounds using techniques commonly encountered in industrial and academic research. Three to six hours lab a week. Pr.: CHM 585

CHM 711. Inorganic Chemistry I. (3) I. Atomic and molecular structure, bonding concepts used in the practice of inorganic chemistry. Applications of symmetry and group theory to structure, bonding, and spectra. Three hours lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 550, 595.

CHM 712. Inorganic Chemistry II. (3) II. Structure, reactivity, and mechanistic aspects of main group and transition metal complexes. Organometallic reactions, catalysis, and bioinorganic chemistry. Three hours lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 550, 595.

Graduate credit

CHM 800. Chemistry in Outer Space and in the Laboratory. (2) II, in odd years. The generation of reactive atoms and molecules in outer space and in the laboratory is covered, as well as their chemical reactions and spectroscopy. Extreme conditions of high and low temperatures, synthesis using atoms, nanoscale particles of inorganic materials, and matrix isolation are discussed. Pr.: CHM 712.

CHM 902. Graduate Seminar in Inorganic Chemistry. (0-1) I, II, S.

CHM 929. Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry. (3) II. Theory and application of infrared, Raman, visible, ultraviolet, NMR, ESR, NQR, Mossbauer, and mass spectrometry to inorganic chemistry. Three hours lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 711.

CHM 930. Homogeneous Catalysis. (2) II, in even years. The study of industrially important and synthetically useful catalysis of organic reactions by soluble metal complexes. Two hours lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 712 or consent of instructor.

CHM 935. Selected Topics in Inorganic Chemistry. (1-3) I, II. A lecture course in inorganic chemistry in areas of specialization of the faculty, with emphasis on current developments. Specific topics will be changed from semester to semester, so a student may take the course for credit more than once. Pr.: Consent of instructor.

^ back to top

Materials Chemistry Courses

Graduate credit

CHM 820. Materials Chemistry. (3) II. Concepts of materials chemistry developed from an understanding of the chemical composition and structure of materials, and their relationship to the properties of matter. Students will be introduced to the structures and composition of materials and the diverse range of materials, including metals, metal clusters, semiconductors, nanomaterials, supramolecular materials, sol-gel materials, liquid crystals, glasses, polymers and composites. Pr.: Consent of instructor.

^ back to top

Organic Chemistry Courses

CHM 531. Organic Chemistry I. (3) I, II. Topics to be covered include fundamental concepts in organic chemistry such as hybridization of molecular orbitals, structure and bonding, acids and bases, kinetics and thermodynamics, stereochemistry and chirality, and conformational analysis. The basic knowledge will be used to study the syntheses, reactions, and mechanisms of functional groups such as alkanes, haloalkanes, and alkenes. Structural determination using infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance will also be included. Three hours of lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 230 or 250.

CHM 532. Organic Chemistry Laboratory. (2) I, II. One five-hour lab and one hour of lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 550 or conc. enrollment.

CHM 550. Organic Chemistry II. (3) I, II. A continuation of Organic Chemistry I (CHM 531). CHM 550 represents the second semester of a two-semester survey of organic chemistry. Topics to be discussed include syntheses, reactions, and mechanism of alkynes, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids and their derivatives, amines, benzene and its derivatives, organometallic chemistry, conjugated unsaturated systems and pericyclic reactions, polymers, carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Structural identification will be studied using various current spectroscopic methods. Three hours lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 531.

CHM 551. Advanced Organic Laboratory. (2) I, II. One five-hour lab and one hour of lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 550 and 532.

Undergraduate and graduate credit

CHM 752. Advanced Organic Chemistry. (3) I. Advanced study of organic compounds and fundamental types of reactions. Three hours lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 550 and 595.

Graduate credit

CHM 860. Synthetic Organic Chemistry. (4) II. Conditions, scope, and applications of reactions useful in synthetic organic chemistry. Four hours lec. a week.

CHM 862. Organic Spectroscopy. (3) I. The principles of IR, UV-VIS, mass, and NMR spectroscopies applied to the problem of structure determination. Three hours lec. a week.

CHM 903. Graduate Seminar in Organic Chemistry. (0-1) I, II, S.

CHM 965. Physical Organic Chemistry. (3) II. Principles of orbital symmetry, thermochemistry, kinetics, and other topics applied to the understanding of reaction mechanisms. Three hours lec. a week.

CHM 970. Selected Topics in Organic Chemistry. (1-3) On sufficient demand. A lecture course in organic chemistry in areas of specialization of the faculty, with emphasis on current developments. Specific topics will be changed from semester to semester, so a student may take the course for credit more than once.

^ back to top

Physical Chemistry Courses

Undergraduate and graduate credit in minor field

CHM 500. General Physical Chemistry. (3) II. Elementary principles of physical chemistry. Three hours lec. a week. Pr,: CHM 350 or 531 and MATH 211 or 221, and PHYS 114 or equivalent.

CHM 585. Physical Chemistry I. (3) I. Elementary chemical thermodynamics and kinetic theory of gases. Three hours lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 350 or 531, MATH 222, and PHYS 214.

CHM 595. Physical Chemistry II. (3) II. Elementary quantum chemistry, spectroscopy, statistical thermodynamics, and chemical kinetics. Three hours lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 350 or 531, MATH 222 and PHYS 214.

CHM 596. Physical Methods Laboratory. (1-2) II. Experiments that relate to physical and instrumental methods. Three to six hours lab a week. Pr.: MATH 221, PHYS 114 or PHYS 214.

Graduate credit

CHM 801. Chemical Thermodynamics. (3) II, in alternate years. The laws, principles, and methods of thermodynamics and their applications to chemical systems. Statistical-molecular approach emphasized. Three hours lec. a week.

CHM 854. Theoretical Chemistry I. (3) I. Introduction to quantum mechanics and atomic and molecular spectroscopy. Three hours lec. a week.

CHM 856. Chemical Kinetics. (3) I, in alternate years. Survey of experimental and theoretical aspects of dynamics of chemical reactions. Three hours lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 801 or CHM 854.

CHM 904. Graduate Seminar in Physical Chemistry. (0-1) I, II, S. Presentation of topics from literature in physical chemistry.

CHM 950. Chemical Statistical Mechanics. (3) I, in alternate years. Application of classical and quantum statistical mechanics to chemical phenomena. Three hours lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 801, 854.

CHM 954. Theoretical Chemistry II. (3) II. Quantum theory of atomic and molecular structure. Three hours lec. a week. Pr.: CHM 854.

CHM 955. Selected Topics in Physical Chemistry. (1-3) On sufficient demand. A lecture course in physical chemistry in areas of specialization of the faculty, with emphasis on current developments. Specific topics will be changed from semester to semester, so a student may take the course for credit more than once. Pr.: CHM 854.

^ back to top