The Doctor of Philosophy is a research degree. It signifies that the recipient is able to conduct independent research and has both a broad basic knowledge of all areas of chemistry and a comprehensive knowledge of one field in particular.

Since graduate students arrive with a variety of backgrounds, many with M.S. degrees from other institutions in the United States and abroad, the program of courses for each student is designed in consultation with the director of graduate studies, taking each student’s specific background, experience, and interests into account.

While there are no specific course requirements for the Ph.D. in chemistry, students in the Ph.D. program may choose to participate in one of the following three tracks. Each track represents an area of study reflecting both the current research foci of the faculty and the evolving interests of students and is designed to provide a more structured academic experience. Each track provides a guideline for 24 of the 72 points required for the degree. These tracks may also be modified in consultation with the adviser and the director of graduate studies to better fit the individual needs of students. Note: Except where noted, each of the following courses carries 4 points.

Organic/Bioorganic Chemistry Track:
Organic Reactions (G25.1311)
Structure and Theory in Organic Chemistry (G25.1313)
Organic Analysis (G25.1326)

and 12 points selected from the following:
Special Topics in Organic Chemistry (G25.2261, 2262)
Organic Photochemistry (G25.2281)
Bioorganic Chemistry (G25.2884)
Strategies in Synthetic Organic Chemistry (G25.1312), 2 points
Organic Reaction Mechanisms (G25.1314), 2 points
Total Synthesis (G25.2232), 2 points

Biomolecular/Biophysical Chemistry Track:
Biophysical Chemistry (G25.1814)
Macromolecular Chemistry (G25.1815)
Advanced Biophysical Chemistry (G25.1818)
Biochemistry I (G25.1881)
Biochemistry II (G25.1882)
Biomolecular Modeling (G25.2601)

Theoretical/Physical Chemistry Track:
Statistical Mechanics (G25.2600)
Biomolecular Modeling (G25.2601)
Mathematical Methods in Chemistry (G25.2626)
Advanced Statistical Mechanics (G25.2651)
Quantum Mechanics (G25.2665)
Quantum Chemistry and Dynamics (G25.2666)
NMR Spectroscopy (G25.2680), 2 points
Applied Infrared Spectroscopy (G25.2690), 2 points

Students must satisfactorily complete at least 72 points derived from courses and research, at least 32 of which must be taken in residence at New York University. Students usually gain laboratory research experience in one or more groups during their first year. This laboratory experience provides students with direct exposure to techniques and methodology used in the various labs and helps them to choose a thesis adviser. Students are expected to satisfy the GSAS foreign language requirement, which consists of a short written translation with the aid of a dictionary. Bilingual students are exempt from this requirement.

In order to gain matriculation into the Ph.D. program in chemistry, a student must pass the Ph.D. qualifying examination at the beginning of the spring semester of their second year. The exam is designed to ensure that students are ready to embark on serious research and scholarship. It consists of a written report (5-10 pages) and an oral examination before their divisional faculty. If performance is not satisfactory, one more attempt is allowed at the end of the second year. Students who pass are graduated to the status of a Ph.D. candidate.

The Ph.D. program in chemistry requires two additional oral/written examinations. At the end of the third year of graduate study, students are required to pass a research progress examination, in which students give a 30-minute presentation on their research to date before their thesis advisory committee. At the beginning of the fourth year of graduate study, a written and oral original research proposal examination must be passed. The exam tests student skills in scientific writing, reasoning analysis, integration of scientific concepts, interpretation of data in the literature, and creativity in the design of new experiments. Feedback on student abstracts submitted prior to the exam is intended to help students identify promising research directions. The final written proposal (10-12 pages) and oral examination are evaluated by an appointed committee. A passing grade must be achieved at least nine months before the thesis defense. The thesis defense, performed before the thesis advisory committee, is the last step of the Ph.D. program.

All doctoral candidates are expected to participate in the seminar program offered by their division and to attend the departmental colloquia presented by distinguished visiting scientists.

Doctoral Dissertation: The heart of the doctoral program is the research leading to the preparation of the dissertation. The accumulation of high grades in formal courses, while important, is secondary to the demonstration of a capacity for original thinking and the completion of an investigation that contributes significantly to chemical knowledge. When a student is formally admitted to matriculation for the doctorate, a committee consisting of the research adviser and two other faculty members is selected to advise the candidate and monitor the progress of the research by meeting with the student at scheduled intervals and whenever requested by the student. When the dissertation is completed, it is read by the research committee and two additional faculty members. Up to two outside readers who are experts in the field of the dissertation research may be appointed as dissertation readers. A public oral defense of the approved dissertation is then held.

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