Degree Structure
College
Sciences
Department
Chemistry
Level
Graduate Masters
Study System
Courses and Theses
Total Credit Hours
34 Cr. Hrs.
Duration
2-4 Years
Intake
Fall and Spring
Language
English
Study Mode
Full Time and Part Time
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Important Dates
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Degree Overview
The curriculum of the MSc program in Chemistry provides advanced courses in essential science disciplines, including: organic synthesis, polymer synthesis and characterization, catalysts, corrosion, electroanalytical chemistry, Nano-chemistry, Spectroscopy, biochemistry, proteomics, environmental, petrochemical, natural products, and education. The students will also be introduced to more specialized fields in Chemistry such as advanced analytical, organic, inorganic, and physical Chemistry. Students taking the MSc degree by research (Thesis) will carry out their research in laboratories which are supported by up-to-date instrumentation and professional staff.
What You Will Learn
Upon successful completion of the MSc Chemistry program, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge and applicable research principles and methods in chemistry.
- Implement acquired Chemistry skills to operate effectively in a new learning or professional context such as higher education, specialized industrial labs, pharmaceuticals, and forensics.
- Demonstrate advanced skills of scientific writing, and oral presentation to analyze research findings and conclusions.
- Manage laboratory activities and engage in effective scientific work as individuals and as team members.
- Carry out independently a research project in any Chemistry discipline.
- Assess and critically evaluate ethical issues related to Chemistry implications.
University Requirements
College Requirements
Degree Requirements
Program Structure
The MSc program follows a thesis and courses track. That is, the students must complete a required number of courses and submit a thesis in the final year of their study. As shown in the table below, a satisfactory completion of 34 credits is required to obtain the degree. The coursework includes 13 credit hours of compulsory courses, 9 credit hours of elective courses, and 9 credit hours for the Master thesis. The program also requires a satisfactory completion of a 3 credit Technical Elective Course.
Components of MSc Program in Chemistry
| Components | Credit Hours |
| Compulsory Courses | 13 |
| Elective Courses | 9 |
| Technical Elective Course | 3 |
| M.Sc. Thesis | 9 |
| Total | 34 |
The curricula requirements are classified into the following categories:
a- Compulsory Courses
| Course No. | Course Name | Prerequisite | Credit Hours |
| 1420515 | Advanced Organic Chemistry | Successfully completing two semesters in Organic Chemistry during the student's undergraduate studies | 3 |
| 1420525 | Advanced Analytical Chemistry | Successfully completing one semester in Analytical Chemistry during the student's undergraduate studies | 3 |
| 1420535 | Advanced Inorganic Chemistry | Successfully completing two semesters in Inorganic Chemistry during the student's undergraduate studies | 3 |
| 1420545 | Advanced Physical Chemistry | Successfully completing two semesters in Physical Chemistry during the student's undergraduate studies | 3 |
| 1420590 | Research Methodology | Approval from the course instructor | 1 |
| 1420591 | MSc. Thesis | Approval from the course instructor | 9 |
b- Elective Courses
| Course No. | Course Name | Prerequisite | Credit Hours |
| 1420510 | Special Topics in Organic Chemistry | 1420515 consent of the instructor | 3 |
| 1420511 | Physical Organic Chemistry | 1420515 or consent of the instructor | 3 |
| 1420512 | Advanced Organometallics | 1420535 | 3 |
| 1420516 | Heterocyclic Chemistry | 1420515 | 3 |
| 1420520 | Special Topics in Analytical Chemistry | 1420525 consent of the instructor | 3 |
| 1420521 | Electrochemistry Techniques | 1420525 | 3 |
| 1420530 | Special Topics in Inorganic Chemistry | 1420535 consent of the instructor | 3 |
| 1420531 | Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry | 1420535 | 3 |
| 1420540 | Special Topics in Physical Chemistry | 1420545 consent of the instructor | 3 |
| 1420541 | Advanced Spectroscopy | 1420545 1420525 | 3 |
| 1420550 | Special Topics in Applied Chemistry | 1420515 1420535 | 3 |
| 1420551 | Advanced Polymer Science | 1420515 1420545 | 3 |
| 1420554 | Green Chemistry | 1420525 1420535 | 3 |
| 1420555 | Advanced Biochemistry | 1420515 | 3 |
| 1420556 | Advanced Material Science | 1420515 1420535 | 3 |
Admission Requirements
Must hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent from a recognized university with a CGPA of 3.00 out of 4.00 or above.
A CGPA between 2.5 - 2.99 may be admitted conditionally provided that the student registers 6-9 credits hours in the first semester of his/her studies and obtains a "B" average or above.
Attendance in the bachelor's degree program must not be less than 75% of the total hours required for graduation.
Students in programs taught in English must obtain 550 in the TOEFL exam or 6 in IELTS (Academic).
Students must pass a Departmental Placement Test.
Course Description
| 1420515 | Advanced Organic Chemistry | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | Two semesters of undergraduate organic chemistry | - |
| Organic reaction types; less common functional groups; reaction mechanisms; basic synthetic methods and structure determination. | ||
| 1420511 | Physical Organic Chemistry | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420515 or consent of the instructor | - |
| This course covers structure of reactivity of organic molecules; energetic, kinetics, and investigation of reaction mechanisms; reaction rates and equilibria; acids and bases mechanisms and reactivity in nucleophilic substitution; elimination reactions; electrophilic and free radical addition to multiple bonds; and chemistry of carbonium ions, carbanions, free radicals, and molecular rearrangements. | ||
| 1420512 | Advanced Organometallics | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420535 | - |
| Synthesis, structure, and reactivity of organometallic compounds of transition metals; industrial applications; organometallic clusters, free and supported homogeneous catalysis; organic synthesis using organometallic compounds; structure and reactivity of main-group organometallic compounds, industrial application. | ||
| 1420510 | Special Topics in Organic Chemistry | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420515 & consent of the instructor | - |
| This course will be offered to graduate chemistry students. The course should explore selected area(s) of organic chemistry fields through updated discussion of lecture material or research articles and students are expected to write a report and present it in an acceptable format as part of the course evaluation. | ||
| 1420520 | Special Topics in Analytical Chemistry | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420525 and consent of the instructor | - |
| Selected topics of contemporary interest in analytical and instrumental chemistry. | ||
| 1420527 | Electrochemistry Techniques | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420525 | - |
| Advanced treatment of the analytical techniques and methodology with emphasis on the modern methods; basic principles, kinetics; and mechanisms of electrode reactions and surface phenomena, and analytical applications of potentiometry; voltammetry, coulometry, and conductometry. | ||
| 1420525 | Advanced Analytical Chemistry | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | Two semesters of undergraduate analytical chemistry | - |
| Advanced treatment of acid-base equilibria in aqueous and non-aqueous systems; complex action equilibria; electrochemical analysis with emphasis on potentiometry, and polarography; atomic absorption and emission spectrometry; separation methods; and mass spectrometry. | ||
| 1420530 | Special Topics in Inorganic Chemistry | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420535 & consent of the instructor | - |
| Selected topics of contemporary interest in inorganic chemistry. | ||
| 1420531 | Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420535 | - |
| Theoretical principles and applications of the common physical methods used in the characterization of inorganic and organometallic compounds; introduction to group theory leading to the understanding of symmetry in chemistry, application of symmetry considerations to theories of bonding in coordination compounds, electron absorption, vibration, and Raman spectroscopy; nuclear magnetic resonance, electron paramagnetic resonance, nuclear quadrupole resonance, Mössbauer effect, optical rotary dispersion and circular dichorism and photoelectron spectroscopy. | ||
| 1420535 | Advanced Inorganic Chemistry | (3-0-3) |
| Review of the chemistry of transition and inner transition elements; theories of bonding in coordination compounds; applications of the ligand field theory to the interpretation of spectra and magnetochemistry; structure and reactivity; and coordination compounds in biological systems and industry. | ||
| 1420540 | Special Topics in Physical Chemistry | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420545 & consent of the instructor | - |
| Selected topics of contemporary interest in physical chemistry. | ||
| 1420541 | Advanced Spectroscopy | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420545 & 1420525 | - |
| An introduction to modern molecular spectroscopy with emphasis on the concepts and methods needed to understand the interaction of radiation with matter will be covered. Topics including atomic, rotational, vibrational, and electronic spectra of molecules, and radio frequency spectroscopy. | ||
| 1420545 | Advanced Physical Chemistry | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | Two semesters of undergraduate physical chemistry | - |
| Classical and statistical thermodynamic concepts with emphasis on application to chemical species in solution; consideration of theories of chemical reaction rates; kinetic studies of simple and complex systems; and basic principles and procedures of quantum chemistry with applications to atomic and molecular systems will be covered. | ||
| 1420550 | Special Topics in Applied Chemistry | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420515 & 1420535 | - |
| The course should explore selected area(s) of Applied Chemistry fields through updated discussion of lecture material or research articles and students are expected to write a report and present it in an acceptable format as part of the course evaluation. Topics of current applied chemistry are offered reflecting new developments in any area of chemistry and the changing needs of students and faculty. | ||
| 1420551 | Advanced Polymer Science | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420515 & 1420535 | - |
| Types of polymerization reactions; kinetic and mechanistic studies of addition and condensation polymerization by ionic; free radical and coordination initiators and catalysts; ring opening polymerization; Stereochemistry of polymerization. | ||
| 1420554 | Green Chemistry | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420525 & 1420535 | - |
| Understanding basic environmental chemistry and biology; the effect of humans lays the groundwork for applying the Green; Principles of designing safer chemicals and less hazardous chemical synthesis; using catalysis to avoid unnecessary waste; using safer solvents and auxiliaries, reducing unnecessary chemical derivatives; designing for energy efficiency; designing for degradation; developing real-time analysis for pollution prevention; and using renewable feed stocks. | ||
| 1420555 | Advanced Biochemistry | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420515 | - |
| Biochemical functions of biomolecules including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Proteins structure, folding/misfolding. Role of enzymes and coenzymes in metabolism and biosynthesis. Membrane structure and function. Photosynthesis and bioenergetics. | ||
| 1420556 | Advanced Material Science | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | 1420535 and 1420515 | - |
| This course introduces the properties, structures, and uses of engineering materials; and the impact of material selection and material performance on the performance of a structure or mechanism due to the relationship between macroscopic properties and microscopic causes. | ||
| 1420590 | Research Methodology | (1-0-1) |
| Prerequisite: | Approval of the academic advisor | - |
| Prerequisite: | Consent of the instructor | - |
| General introduction to postgraduate research, its methodologies, its challenges and its organization, including in creative practice. Students will be introduced to a range of research tools and will be equipped to plan and organize their research, as well as to communicate their findings. | ||
| 1420591 | Research Project | (3-0-3) |
| Prerequisite: | Approval of the academic advisor | - |
| Prerequisite: | Consent of the instructor | - |
| The research project in Chemistry is carried out under the supervision of one academic staff. Student undertaking original lab-based research in an area of their liking. The Chemistry staff supervisor is responsible for approving the writing and submission of a thesis. | ||
| 1420595 | Thesis | (0-0-6) |
| Prerequisite: | Approval of the academic advisor | - |
| The student pursues an individual investigation, which is carried out under the supervision of a Faculty member. In order to complete the MSc work, the student must pass his/her thesis defense. | ||
| 1420599 | Comprehensive Exam | (0-0-0) |
| Prerequisite: | Approval of the academic advisor | - |
| Graduate students must take a comprehensive exam which covers the four chemistry compulsory core courses according to the College of Graduate Studies and Research by-laws. | ||
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