The objective of the course track (non-thesis) MSc program is to provide an alternative pathway for students to complete an MSc degree, with options in Chemistry or Biochemistry, without completing an in-depth research project and thesis. This degree track is intended for students whose career goals or current work responsibilities lower the desirability of conducting the required 15 credit-requirement of research and thesis credits of the research track. This course degree track is well suited for non-traditional students, K-12 teachers, or employees of local industry who want to earn the MSc degree for career progression.

Upon completion of the course track MSc, students will be able to:

• Explore graduate-level coursework in chemistry or biochemistry to increase depth and breadth within disciplines of chemistry or biochemistry,
• Describe recent advances chemistry or biochemistry,
• Communicate clearly in written and oral formats,
• Search for, read critically, evaluate, and summarize peer-reviewed manuscripts in the scientific literature, and
• Identify, discuss, and propose solutions for scientific problems.

Admission to the MSc program requires that the student meet the following requirements:

• Has attained a Bachelors degree in chemistry, biochemistry, or related major* (students in related majors must complete core requirements of UCCS BA degrees in chemistry or biochemistry) from an accredited college or university, and
• Has an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher for regular admission or GPA of 2.75-3.00 for provisional admission.

International students: The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry welcomes you! We will accept either path for demonstrating English proficiency for non-native English speakers seeking admission to the program:

• Bachelors or post-secondary degree from a US-accredited institution or program where English is the language of instruction, or
• Demonstrated proficiency in English with earned scores of 100 on the TOEFL, 7 on the iELTS, or 120 on Duolingo.

Please see our overview page of the Admission Process. If you are not sure about which application type best suits your circumstances, please contact the Graduate Program Director (contact information at the bottom of this page).

Applications for the course track are due by April 15th for FALL admission and by September 15th for SPRING admission. If students desire to be considered for financial support, all application materials are due by April 15th for FALL admission.

Students are welcome to choose options of MSc–Chemistry option or MSc–Biochemistry option. The example program plan for the course track is provided here. This is a general program plan, and students should still plan to meet with the Graduate Program Director once per semester to ensure timely progress through their chosen degree plan.

Additionally, course track students are expected to give one seminar during their time in the program in the Department Seminar series. This seminar should cover the topic of the library research paper, which is the final project of CHEM 7050. The coordinators of the Department Seminar series (Drs. Tvrdy, Klocko, and Vander Zanden) will have more information.

Students on the course track are required to take 30 credit hours of graduate-level coursework according to the following requirements:

• All courses must be taken at the graduate-level.
• Students take three one-credit courses: CHEM 6010 (Research Methods – Fall only), CHEM 6020 (Journal Club – Spring only), and CHEM 6030 (Project Seminar – Fall only).
• All course track students must take CHEM 7050, Masters Project, in their final semester of the program. More information about this course is provided below.
• Of the remaining 24 credit hours of the program, students must take:
  • At least 18 credit hours of lecture or laboratory courses in chemistry or biochemistry at UCCS. Three credits of CHEM 5904 (Research) may count towards the credit requirement of the course track MSc.
  • Up to six credit hours of 5000-level coursework in a related discipline, such as biology, physics, or mathematics, may be counted towards the credit requirement if approved by the MSc advisor and Graduate Program Director.

In consultation with the Graduate Program Director, the course track MSc student will choose an MSc advisor while in the first semester of the program. The student will prepare a course plan in consultation with their advisor, which will be approved by the Graduate Program Director. This tentative course plan must be completed by the end of the first semester in the program. Please see the example program plan above as a guide for planning.

Eligible MSc Advisors include the following faculty members:

The summit experience for the MSc students in the course track is to complete CHEM 7050, Masters Project, during the final semester of the program. In this course, MSc candidates must:

• Complete a library research paper to be submitted and accepted by the student’s MSc advisor and the Graduate Program Director according to the Masters Project paper guidelines, and
• Prepare and present a seminar in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry seminar series over the chosen library research project.

To remain in good standing, course track MSc students must do the following:

• Maintain an average 3.00 GPA in graduate-level coursework, and earn a 3.00 or above in all courses to be counted towards the MSc degree in Chemistry or Biochemistry. If the overall GPA falls below 3.00, the student will be placed on academic probation. Two consecutive semesters of academic probation standing will result in dismissal from the program.
• Meet with the MSc advisor and/or Graduate Program Director each semester to report on progress in coursework, items of concern, and/or program requirements.
• Complete CHEM 7050 and present in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry seminar series.

Additional Stipulations

• The course track MSc option is not the best fit for students who desire a research or technical position in industry or wish to go on to a doctoral program.
• Students pursuing this degree track are eligible for the Graduate Teaching Assistantship program and are encouraged to apply for a position in that program!
• Full-time graduate students already admitted and currently enrolled in the research track in chemistry or biochemistry who wish to switch to the course track are welcome to do so. They must first seek approval from their research advisor, the Graduate Program Director, and the Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Three credits of research (CHEM 5904) may count towards the course track requirements. If a student has already taken three credits of CHEM 7000 (thesis), these credits will be counted in place of CHEM 7050. However, a student MUST still complete the Library Research Paper requirement and present that research paper!
• Current students on the course track wishing to switch to the research track are eligible to do so. Please meet with the Graduate Program Director to map out a new degree plan on the research track. Please understand that the research track requires four courses (twelve credits) in addition to the recommended CHEM 6010, 6020, and 6030. Research (nine credits) and thesis (six credits) make up the remaining credits of that program.
• The course track requires no laboratory research work, and the only laboratory training that students will receive comes from graduate-level laboratory courses. If a student wants in-depth laboratory experience, the research track is the better fit.
• The curriculum for each student will be different. The course plan will be determined for each student in the beginning of the program.

Students who are in their final semester must file the following forms:

• The Application to Advance to Candidacy with unofficial transcript to the Graduate Program Director. (The deadline for this form changes each semester, but students typically submit this in the third week of the final semester of their program to the Graduate Program Director.) Courses to be counted towards the 30 credit hour requirement, including those courses that are in progress, should be highlighted in the unofficial transcript submitted to the Graduate Program Director.
• If you are requesting transfer of credit, and have not filled out the form previously, please make sure that this form has also been filed with the Graduate Program Director by the stated deadline.
  • Up to 12 credits of graduate-level coursework with a grade of “B” (3.00 GPA) or better and earned at UCCS may be requested for transfer into the MSc program. These credit hours are computed into the student’s graduate GPA.
  • Up to 9 credits of graduate-level coursework with a grade of “B” (3.00 GPA) or better and earned at an institution other than UCCS may be requested for transfer. This request for transfer may be submitted only after the student has completed 9 credit hours as a regular admission student in the UCCS program. These credit hours are not computed into the student’s graduate GPA.
• The Diploma Application Card will be completed through your UCCS student portal.
• Program Assessment Form to inform us about your post-graduation plans and post-graduation email address.

Dr. Janel Owens
Graduate Program Director
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Phone: 719-255-3207
Email: jowens2@uccs.edu