Chemistry, M.S.
Master of Science in Chemistry
About the Degree
The master’s degree is offered in the areas of analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry. Emphasis is placed on scholarship through active thesis research that is designed to meet the individual needs of the student. There is also a non-thesis option in the master’s program. Each option requires a minimum of 30 credit hours.
Graduate education in the Department of Chemistry is approached using a very interdisciplinary approach that prepares graduates to be independent researchers, providing them with an education with both breadth and depth in training in chemistry, and just as importantly, focuses on the development of good communication skills.
Chemistry is the study of matter – its properties, composition, reactivity, and how energy interacts with it. Students concentrate coursework in one area of chemistry and obtain a strong background in a second area. For example, a student concentrating in organic chemistry will study advanced topics like advanced synthesis, organic mechanisms, stereochemistry, and the physical chemical basis for organic reactions, but also learn separation techniques, methods of NMR and Mass Spectrometry analysis for structure determination. Emphasis is placed on real data analysis and developing laboratory techniques.
Salary and Career Outlook
The American Chemical Society and the Bureau of Labor Statistics predict job growth over the next 10 years, with annual job growth about 3% per year. Growth is occurring in fields such as petrochemicals, chemical manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, environmental chemistry, quality assurance and quality control.
Starting industrial salaries, as reported by the American Chemical Society, are about $47,000 per year for MS chemists.
Sources:
Why Akron?
The Chemistry Department has the most modern analytical equipment in public universities in northern Ohio with state-of-the-art instruments for NMR, Mass Spectrometry, X-ray crystallography, and laser spectroscopy. We have an excellent track record of placing graduates in jobs with an 82% job placement on graduation over the past 5 years. Our continuing strength in research in the areas of synthesis, polymer structure determination, biomedical diagnostics, biological structure determination and electrochemistry make our program unique in northern Ohio.
The quality of the instrument laboratories in the department distinguishes us from other universities. Companies avidly recruit our graduates because of the training they receive in NMR, mass spectrometry, and x-ray crystallography – all techniques highly sought after by companies the deal with chemicals.
Recent employers include:
- Pfizer – Research Associate
- Ohio Bureau of Investigation and Identification – Laboratory Associate
- OMNOVA – Analytical Technician
Contact Information
Contact Information:
Dr. Christopher J. Ziegler, Professor and Chair
The University of Akron
Department of Chemistry
Akron, OH 44325-3601
ziegler@uakron.edu
https://www.uakron.edu/chemistry/graduate.dot
