Overview and Milestones

A roughly chronological listing of the milestones for the Ph.D. program in Chemistry:

Coursework

The Ph.D. program requires a minimum of 24 course credits, which must include at least six 3-credit or 4-credit courses, plus ethics and seminar courses. Full details about coursework requirements are found at the Courses and Seminars page. Most students complete this coursework regimen in the first two semesters.

Written Preliminary Exam (WPE)

The WPE is a written document that outlines the background, progress to-date, and future directions of a student's thesis project. Full details about the WPE are found at the Written Preliminary Exam page. This milestone takes place in the third semester in the program.

Oral Preliminary Exam (OPE)

The OPE is an oral presentation of research progress and plans, plus an assessment of coursework knowledge or an independent research proposal. Full details about the OPE are found at the Oral Preliminary Exam page. This milestone typically takes place at the end of the third or beginning of the fourth semester in the program.

Thesis Credits

Once a student has passed the oral preliminary exam, they should begin taking the required 24 Ph.D. thesis credits (CHEM 8888) during the next term. These credits can be divided up as needed, provided that all 24 are completed over the course of the next two terms. It is also possible that a faculty research advisor would choose to have a student take these credits during a summer term.

Third-Year Symposium

All graduate students will deliver a 25 minute seminar on their research in the Spring term of their third year in residence, as part of the Graduate Student Research Symposium. Students will be provided with information about the symposium early in their third year.

Selection of Ph.D. Final Oral Exam Committee (Thesis Defense Committee)

During their 4th year in the program, students submit the names of three faculty members from Chemistry, and one faculty member from outside of Chemistry to serve on this committee. The three reviewers (or readers) should be identified. The student's advisor and the non-Chemistry faculty member are automatically assigned as reviewers. Students should identify which of the remaining two members will serve as the third reviewer. Ordinarily at least three members should be the same as those who served on the oral preliminary examination. It is the student’s responsibility to contact all four persons regarding their willingness to serve as a committee member or reader. All approvals should be obtained before the request is submitted.

Preliminary Thesis Committee Consultation(s)

Near the end of their 4th year in the program, students should meet with members of their Final Oral Examination Committee individually or as a group to discuss progress towards the Ph.D. and anticipated graduation date, as well as career plans and preparation. These consultation meetings should take place annually starting with the 4th year in the program until graduation to assure that students are on track to graduate and receive timely advice for planning the last stages of their graduate studies and their career thereafter. 

Thesis Preparation

A successful Ph.D. candidate must (i) carry out original research that is described in a written thesis and (ii) successfully defend the completed work in a final oral examination. Detailed instructions for the preparation of the thesis may be found on the Graduate School website: www.grad.umn.edu.

The Graduate School requires that each copy of any thesis [either Plan A Masters or Doctoral] delivered to the Graduate School contain a separate page for the signature of the advisor. The signature page should be bound into both copies of the thesis as the first page in the volume, immediately preceding the title page. Both copies should be signed in order to assure that the advisor has seen and approved the actual, bound, final version of the thesis.

Graduation Procedures and Forms

Once the Thesis committee has been approved by the Graduate School, you will automatically be sent instructions to download your Graduation Packet with instructions and forms to complete the path to completing your degree. Many questions can be answered via the Graduate School website or by contacting their staff in 333 Bruininks Hall. As you get closer to graduation, visit Graduate Student Services & Progress on One Stop Student Service - Twin Cities for information on completing your degree and our Graduation & Beyond web page.

Final Oral Defense

The format of the final defense typically involves the Ph.D. candidate giving a seminar-style presentation on their research to the committee and any other attendees. This is then followed by a public question and answer period.  The audience is then excused and a private question and answer period is held with only the student and the committee members present.