The Chemistry Scholars Plan encourages highly motivated and qualified chemistry B.S. degree seeking students to obtain M.S. degree in Chemistry. Students in the plan may take up to four courses at the graduate level in their senior year if they have completed the required course prerequisites. These graduate credit hours may be applied toward either the B.S. or M.S. degree, but not both. Additionally, students in the Scholars Plan are expected to begin a graduate research project early in their studies. After admission to the Scholars Plan and successful completion of the B.S. degree in Chemistry, the Chemistry Program Graduate Admissions committee will waive the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) requirement for their admission into the Chemistry Graduate Program.
Chemistry scholars plan application Requirements:
- Applicants may apply for admission to the program during their sophomore, junior or senior year at UHCL.
- Applicants must declare themselves to be Chemistry majors immediately upon admission.
- Applicants must have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours in mathematics/science coursework at the lower level, including a minimum of eight credit hours in chemistry, and have a cumulative mathematics/science GPA of 3.5.
- Applicants must interview with the Scholars Plan Admissions Committee.
After admission, successful continuation in the Scholars Plan will require students to:
- Maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 and mathematics/science GPA of 3.0. Failure to maintain these averages will result in a one-semester probation period during which the student must improve their cumulative GPA to 3.0 and their mathematics/science GPA to 3.0.
- Participate in a research project as an Independent Study course under the supervision of a graduate faculty adviser during the senior undergraduate year.
- Enroll in the Chemistry Graduate Program upon completion of the requirements for the B.S. degree.
- Successfully complete a research project as an Independent Study and CHEM 6837 and CHEM 6838 or graduate thesis under the supervision of a graduate faculty adviser as part of their MS degree coursework.
Students who fail to meet any of these requirements will be dropped from the Scholars Plan, but may continue to pursue the B.S. or M.S. degree in Chemistry. Students who are dropped from the Scholars Program but still wish to pursue the MS degree must meet the standard application requirements for admission to the Chemistry Graduate Program.
At the completion of the requirements for each degree, the student will be awarded both the B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemistry. A notation will be made on the student’s transcript indicating they have completed the Chemistry Scholars Plan.
In the event a student is unable to complete the entire program of study, s/he is assured the B.S. degree in Chemistry upon completion of the requirements for that degree. In the event a student fails to complete the M.S. degree requirements, graduate-level classes taken while in the program may be applied toward the B.S. degree.
