About the program

Students of the Chemistry program from Mississippi State University have the opportunity to work with faculty with interests in Biochemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Chemical Education and Materials Science, Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry.

The faculty members have active research programs in Synthesis (inorganic, organic, polymer, and supramolecular synthesis), Surface Chemistry (catalysis and corrosion studies), Spectroscopy (IR laser spectroscopy and bioanalytical applications for Raman and Surface Enhanced Raman methods), Structural Biology (using NMR and computational methods), and Biophysical studies (including cancer drug discovery).

Environmental research programs focus on the development of novel miniature chemical sensors and on pesticide and herbicide transport, while Computational chemists are developing Ab initio and semi-empirical methods to study complex biological systems and important chemical processes. Chemical Education faculty focus on the undergraduate educational experience and explore ways to support students on their individual paths to success in science and engineering fields.

The research is supported by an array of in-house equipment. NMR spectrometers include 600-MHz and 300-MHz instruments. An EPR spectrometer and single crystal and powder X-ray diffractometers with CCD detection are maintained in the department. Students also have access to a wide range of instruments including UV-vis, FT-IR, and UV/Vis/near-IR spectrophotometers, mass spectrometers, including GC-MS, LC-MS, and quadrupole ion trap instruments. Individual research labs maintain an array of instruments including: lasers, an atomic force microscope, a Laser Raman microscope, ITC and DSC microcalorimeters, a stopped-flow UV/vis system, a spectrofluorimeter, a Circular Dichroism spectropolarimeter, a scanning electrochemical microscope, and numerous GC’s and HPLC’s.

Program Structure

• Ph.D. students are required to pass three 8000-level chemistry courses in their field and at least three additional courses (at the 8000 level in the Department or 6000 level or above in different departments at MSU) for a minimum of 18 coursework graduate credit hours. A minimum of four courses will be taken in the student’s first year in residence.
• Students, in conjunction with their advisors, will design a program of study, and this program will be ratified and approved by the student’s graduate committee.
• The Program of Studies Form should be approved and submitted to the Graduate school before the end of the student’s second semester in residence.