MS Chemistry

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

Louisiana State University Baton Rouge

Program Overview

The M.S. in Chemistry at Louisiana State University is designed for students seeking advanced preparation in chemistry through graduate coursework and, where applicable, research, with the department offering both thesis and coursework master's pathways. It suits chemistry graduates who want to deepen their expertise across areas such as analytical, inorganic, organic, physical, macromolecular and environmental chemistry while preparing for professional chemistry careers or further graduate study.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students build advanced graduate-level knowledge through coursework selected around their chemistry interests and research direction, supported by LSU's broad graduate offerings and active research environment. Areas represented within the department include Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Macromolecular Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry, allowing students to develop depth in their chosen field.

Year 2: Students continue advanced coursework and, for the thesis pathway, develop and complete graduate research leading toward the master's thesis; the coursework pathway instead focuses on completing the required graduate coursework. LSU confirms that it rarely admits students to the M.S. thesis program but considers applicants for an M.S. coursework program, with coursework master's students being self-supported.

Focus areas: Analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, macromolecular chemistry, environmental chemistry, materials chemistry, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, polymer characterization and computational chemistry.

Learning outcomes: Students develop advanced chemical knowledge and research capabilities through graduate study in specialized chemistry areas, with access to research environments using NMR, XRD, TEM, mass spectrometry, light scattering, microscopy, spectroscopy, polymer characterization and computational simulation.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The official LSU Chemistry sources reviewed do not state a separate professional accreditation or ACS certification for the M.S. Chemistry degree; therefore, no program-specific accreditation claim is made here.

Reputation (employability rankings): LSU describes its Chemistry Department as a research- and teaching-intensive program and as one of the best-equipped chemistry departments in the nation, with extensive advanced research facilities. The official program page does not publish a current chemistry-specific employability ranking, so no ranking is stated.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The M.S. in Chemistry at Louisiana State University gives students access to a research-intensive environment supported by advanced instrumentation in NMR, X-ray crystallography, mass spectrometry, microscopy, spectroscopy, polymer characterization and computational simulation. Graduate students can build practical research skills through faculty-led projects and use specialized facilities across LSU, including the Chemistry and Materials Building, Choppin Hall, the Shared Instrumentation Facility and the Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices (CAMD).

Advanced instrumentation: LSU Chemistry provides access to high-end equipment for crystallography, NMR, mass spectrometry, light scattering, microscopy, spectroscopy, polymer characterization and computational simulation, creating opportunities to apply graduate chemistry knowledge to active research.
NMR Facility: The NMR Facility houses six spectrometers, including a 700 MHz Bruker Avance Neo, a 500 MHz system and four 400 MHz instruments covering solution-state, solid-state and diffusion studies. The instruments are connected to Linux workstations for data transfer and offline or remote data analysis.
Mass Spectrometry Facility: Students involved in research can use LSU's Mass Spectrometry Facility, which provides analytical support across academic and industrial research and includes user-operated instruments, training, instrument booking and protocols and software for data analysis.
X-ray Crystallography: The X-ray Crystallography Facility includes a Bruker Kappa DUO Apex-II diffractometer with Mo and Cu microfocus sources and a Nonius KappaCCD with Mo source, with Oxford Cryostream low-temperature devices for crystallographic research.
Macromolecular research: The Shared Laboratory for Macro and Bio-Macromolecular Research (SLMBR) provides advanced characterization of macromolecules, supramolecular assemblies, colloids and complex fluids, with equipment including GPC-MALS, dynamic and static light scattering, zeta-potential and thermal-analysis systems.
Shared Instrumentation Facility: LSU's Shared Instrumentation Facility provides research and training access to advanced electron microscopy, bioimaging and materials-characterization equipment, including SEM-EDX, TEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and focused-ion-beam microscopy and nanofabrication.
Synchrotron research: The Louisiana Light Source at LSU's Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices (CAMD) provides infrastructure for research and education in synchrotron-based science and technology, giving chemistry researchers access to specialized materials-characterization capabilities.
Computational research: LSU Chemistry identifies computational simulation as one of its graduate research capabilities, alongside experimental facilities in spectroscopy, microscopy, crystallography and materials characterization.
Research training: Access to specialized instrumentation involves facility-specific training; for example, SLMBR requires online LSU Environmental Health and Safety training and additional instrument training before users can access its equipment.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The M.S. in Chemistry at Louisiana State University can prepare graduates for advanced roles across research, analytical chemistry, chemical manufacturing, quality control and laboratory environments. LSU Chemistry alumni have progressed into positions at chemical companies, universities and research organizations, including roles such as plant chemist at ExxonMobil and senior RD&E group leader at Nalco Water, an Ecolab company.

Typical job roles: Analytical Chemist, Research Chemist, Quality Control Chemist, Chemical Industry Specialist.

Career services: LSU Career Center supports students through Handshake and its First Destination Survey, which tracks employment, salary, continuing education and other post-graduation destinations; students can use the university's career platform to connect with employment opportunities.
Employment statistics: LSU reports that 86% of the Class of 2025 achieved a positive outcome within six months, including employment, graduate/professional study or another meaningful next step; this is a university-wide figure and is not specific to M.S. Chemistry graduates.
Salary figures: LSU's official First Destination Dashboard provides salary information that can be filtered by education level, senior college and major, but the official sources reviewed do not publish a specific salary figure for M.S. Chemistry graduates.
Industry partnerships: LSU has a longstanding partnership with BASF, including talent development and research programs; LSU researchers have also collaborated with BASF's Geismar chemical manufacturing facility on AI and machine-learning research to optimize production. LSU's College of Science also identifies industry engagement with companies including Albemarle, BASF, Dow and ExxonMobil.
Alumni outcomes: LSU Chemistry reports that 51% of its Ph.D. graduates since 2010 pursued careers in academia and 44% pursued careers in industry; featured alumni include an ExxonMobil plant chemist, an Ecolab/Nalco Water RD&E leader and the president and CEO of Steelyard Analytics. These figures refer to Ph.D. graduates rather than the M.S. cohort.
Accreditation value: LSU is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award master's degrees, with its accreditation most recently reaffirmed in 2024 and the next reaffirmation scheduled for 2034. LSU's official specialized-accreditation listing identifies ACS accreditation for the B.S. in Chemistry, but does not list separate ACS accreditation for the M.S. in Chemistry.
Graduation outcomes: LSU's First Destination Survey records whether graduates enter employment, continue their education or pursue other destinations, while the Chemistry department highlights alumni progression into leading chemical companies, universities and colleges around the world.

Further Academic Progression: After the M.S. in Chemistry, students can progress to LSU's Ph.D. in Chemistry or pursue doctoral study at another institution. LSU officially offers both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry, and its graduate program provides advanced research opportunities across modern chemistry.