Degree Programs (Graduate)

The Department of Chemistry offers M.Sc., M.A.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees. Check below for more information about these degrees.

Additional Links

• Admission Requirements
• Chemistry MSc Grad Map (PDF, 645KB)
• Chemistry PhD Grad Map (PDF, 633KB)

M.Sc. (Master of Science) and M.A.Sc. (Master of Applied Science)

The Department of Chemistry offers research-based Master's degrees in Science (M.Sc.) and in Applied Science (M.A.Sc.). These degrees require students to complete sufficient research to write a Master's thesis.

Most students who start graduate studies after completing an undergraduate degree will start at the M.Sc. level. Students enrolled in the M.Sc. program who want to pursue a Ph.D. in Chemistry at Queen's have the option to promote into the Ph.D. program after satisfactory completion of the Ph.D. candidacy exam, without completing their M.Sc. degree. M.Sc. students who want to promote must complete the Ph.D. candidacy exam within 16-20 months after registration in the M.Sc.

Program Requirements

• Students must pass the departmental safety course (CHEM 801) and WHMIS training in the first term
• CHEM 802 - Chemistry Seminar Program (runs all three terms, with seminar typically scheduled on Friday afternoons)
• CHEM 803 - Principles of Scientific Communication (typically runs in Fall term)
• CHEM 899 - M.Sc. Thesis Research (runs all year, each year)
• 6 elective graduate modules or equivalent (9 units). Unless permission is obtained from the supervisor and the Graduate Coordinator, 4 modules (6 units) must be from Chemistry or a cognate department (such as Chemical Engineering or Biochemistry) and should relate to the student's core research.
• Annual Progress Reports and one mandatory Supervisory Committee meeting at the end of the first year to assess the progress of the student's research
• Thesis

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

The Department of Chemistry offers a Ph.D. degree. This degree is research-intensive and requires the student to make a unique contribution to science that can be written into a Ph.D. thesis.

Most students enrolling in the Ph.D. program from outside Queen's have already obtained an M.Sc. degree in Chemistry or a related discipline. Students enrolled in the M.Sc. program at Queen's have the option to transfer (promote) into the Ph.D. program without completing an M.Sc. degree by successfully completing the Ph.D. candidacy exam. In exceptional cases, it is possible to enrol in the Ph.D. program directly after completing a B.Sc. degree in Chemistry or a related discipline. A direct-entry Ph.D. requires an minimum average of 85%, proven research experience, and very strong academic background.

Candidates wishing to pursue a Ph.D. in Applied Science/Engineering in the Chemistry Department should contact the Graduate Coordinator for more information.

Program Requirements

• Students must pass the departmental safety course (CHEM 801) and WHMIS training at the earliest possible opportunity
• CHEM 802 - Chemistry Seminar Program (runs all three terms, with seminar typically scheduled on Friday afternoons) 
• CHEM 803 - Principles of Scientific Communication (typically runs in Fall term)
• CHEM 999 - Ph. D. Thesis Research (runs all year, each year)
• 6 elective graduate modules or equivalent (9 units) beyond the Bachelor's degree. Unless permission is obtained from the supervisor and the Graduate Coordinator, 4 modules (6 units) must be from Chemistry or a cognate department (such as Chemical Engineering or Biochemistry) and should relate to the student's core research.
• Annual Progress Reports and two mandatory Supervisory Committee meetings (one at the end of the first year and one at the end of the third year) to assess the progress of the student's research
• Ph.D. Comprehensive/Candidacy Exam (must be attempted in the first 18 months of the program).
• Departmental Seminar (15 minutes, plus 5 minutes of questions) on the student's research, which must occur before the student's thesis is submitted for internal review.
• Thesis