PhD Program

Admission Requirements

Applicants who hold an MS degree in Chemistry from a university of recognized standing may be admitted to the doctoral program, provided they satisfy the Graduate School’s requirements for PhD admission.

Major Program Components

The Doctoral degree program requires successful completion of 30 course credits, comprehensive written examination, and submission of an original dissertation worth of 12 credit hours.

The major program components are:

Course Work

Core Courses:

If the student’s MS degree was obtained from another department at KFUPM or from an institution other than KFUPM, the student must take the following four core courses in the PhD program: Physical Chemistry: A Molecular Approach (CHEM 501), Chemistry of Coordination Compounds (CHEM 502), Organic Reactions: Mechanism and Reactivity (CHEM 503), and Advanced Analytical Chemistry (CHEM 504). However, a student with a clear evidence of satisfying any core course may replace it with an elective course.

Elective Courses:

The list of several elective courses is provided under the Courses section. The student may select and register the elective courses after discussion with his advisor. A PhD can take a maximum of two elective courses offered by other departments that relate to his dissertation, upon the approval of the graduate coordinator. A maximum of two research courses could be taken and they are considered as electives.

Comprehensive Written Examination

A written comprehensive examination is intended to test the student’s comprehensive and deep knowledge in the chosen field of study under analytical, inorganic, organic or physical chemistry. Student must pass the comprehensive examination not later than the end of the fourth semester of his enrollment in the PhD program.

II. Research

Chemistry PhD program provides students with the wide research kills that are needed to succeed as researchers.

Dissertation:

The dissertation is designed to deal with a contemporary and challenging research problem. The student will be conducting the research under the supervision of a faculty advisor from the chemistry department. A dissertation committee is appointed by the end of the second year in the program. The dissertation committee is composed of five faculty members and research scientists as per KFUPM Graduate Studies rules and regulations. The student’s research advisor is the dissertation committee chair. The role of the dissertation committee includes monitoring progress toward the PhD degree and conducting the final evaluation of the doctoral dissertation. The student must submit and defend the dissertation before the Dissertation Committee and in a public seminar.

Course Work

II. Research

Chemistry PhD program provides students with the wide research kills that are needed to succeed as researchers.

Dissertation:

The dissertation is designed to deal with a contemporary and challenging research problem. The student will be conducting the research under the supervision of a faculty advisor from the chemistry department. A dissertation committee is appointed by the end of the second year in the program. The dissertation committee is composed of five faculty members and research scientists as per KFUPM Graduate Studies rules and regulations. The student’s research advisor is the dissertation committee chair. The role of the dissertation committee includes monitoring progress toward the PhD degree and conducting the final evaluation of the doctoral dissertation. The student must submit and defend the dissertation before the Dissertation Committee and in a public seminar.