Master of Science (M.S.) in Chemistry

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

Pennsylvania State University University Park

Program Overview

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Chemistry at Pennsylvania State University’s University Park campus develops advanced knowledge of chemistry while allowing students to build depth in their chosen area through graduate-level coursework and research. The program suits students seeking advanced preparation in chemistry for research and professional work, with the flexibility to complete a thesis or scholarly paper and study across areas such as analytical, biological, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish advanced foundations across chemistry while completing graduate-level coursework and demonstrating proficiency in two chemistry areas from analytical, biological, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry. Depending on their interests, students can take courses such as CHEM 516: Inorganic Chemistry, which covers main-group, transition-metal, lanthanide and actinide chemistry, or CHEM 517: Organometallic Chemistry, while CHEM 500: Seminar in Chemistry develops scientific writing and oral presentation skills.

Year 2: Students deepen their specialization and complete the program’s culminating requirement through either a research thesis or scholarly paper. The thesis pathway includes CHEM 600: Thesis Research, while the scholarly-paper pathway requires CHEM 589: Studies in Chemistry; students also complete CHEM 602: Supervised Experience in College Teaching, gaining supervised experience teaching undergraduate chemistry laboratory or recitation classes.

Focus areas: Analytical chemistry, biological chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, environmental chemistry, materials chemistry, theoretical chemistry.

Learning outcomes: Graduates will demonstrate depth and breadth of chemistry knowledge; apply chemistry-based methods and techniques to create new knowledge and solve problems; communicate scientific knowledge effectively in writing and presentations; demonstrate analytical, critical and creative thinking; and follow ethical professional practices while collaborating with others.

Professional alignment (accreditation): A specific professional accreditation for the M.S. in Chemistry is not stated in Penn State’s official Graduate Bulletin.

Reputation (employability rankings): Penn State is ranked No. 92 worldwide in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and tied No. 23 among U.S. institutions; Penn State also reports a 5-star QS Stars overall rating, including 5 stars for employability. These are university-level measures rather than rankings specifically for the M.S. in Chemistry.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Penn State’s M.S. in Chemistry gives students a research-intensive environment with access to advanced instrumentation, specialized laboratories, and shared facilities across the University Park campus. Graduate students can conduct original chemistry research using facilities for NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, mass spectrometry, materials characterization, and other analytical techniques, while collaborating across chemistry’s analytical, biological, inorganic, materials, organic, physical, and theoretical areas.

Key experiential learning opportunities include:

Research laboratories: Students have access to specialized faculty research laboratories and shared College and University facilities, supporting hands-on research and interdisciplinary collaboration.
NMR Facility: The Chemistry Building’s Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility provides NMR spectroscopy and micro-imaging capabilities for student research.
X-ray crystallography: Students can use the Small Molecule X-Ray Crystallography Facility for crystal growth, three-dimensional structure determination and data analysis. Available software includes CrysAlis, AutoChem, SHELX and OLEX2 for data collection, structure solution, refinement and publication preparation.
Mass spectrometry: The Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Core Facility provides high-sensitivity LC-ESI-MS-MS and MALDI-TOF-TOF-MS analysis for research applications.
Materials characterization: The Materials Characterization Laboratory provides open-access analytical research facilities and works closely with the Materials Research Institute, Nanofabrication Laboratory and Materials Computation Center.
Environmental and energy research: The Energy and Environmental Sustainability Laboratories provide shared instrumentation and expertise across a broad range of analytical techniques for materials in different phases.
Interdisciplinary institutes: Chemistry faculty participate in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Materials Research Institute, Institute for Computational and Data Sciences, and Institutes of Energy and the Environment, giving graduate researchers opportunities to work across disciplinary boundaries.
Original research: Penn State emphasizes hands-on research training, with students using advanced facilities to complete their own experiments and develop research expertise.
Research communication: Graduate research training includes opportunities to share findings through scientific meetings and conferences and through publication of research.
Collaborative research: The department's research environment spans analytical, biological, inorganic, materials, organic, physical and theoretical chemistry, encouraging collaboration across traditional chemistry divisions.
Research support facilities: Chemistry facilities also include an Electronics Research Instrumentation Facility, glassblowing services and an Avantor Stockroom supplying chemicals, glassware and research materials.
24/7 facility access: After completing required safety and unit-specific training, graduate students can access Penn State Chemistry’s research facilities 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Internships/co-op: A specific internship or co-op requirement for the M.S. in Chemistry is not stated on Penn State’s official graduate program pages; the documented experiential emphasis is research-based.
Group projects: Penn State highlights collaborative and interdisciplinary research, but does not specify a mandatory group-project component for the M.S. in Chemistry.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates with advanced chemistry training can pursue research and technical careers across chemical, pharmaceutical, materials, environmental, government and academic settings. Penn State’s Chemistry graduate learning outcomes emphasize advanced chemical knowledge, research methods, problem-solving, scientific communication and professional collaboration, providing a foundation for both industry careers and further doctoral study.

Career opportunities: Research Chemist, Development Chemist, Analytical Chemist, Quality Control Scientist: these roles can lead into laboratory research, product development, analytical testing and technical management across chemistry-related industries. Penn State’s official alumni profiles document graduates progressing into development chemistry, senior research science, project management and commercial leadership roles.

Career support and progression:

Career Network and Recruitment Fair: Penn State Chemistry has hosted its Career Network and Recruitment Fair for more than 40 years, bringing chemical, pharmaceutical and materials-science companies and recruiters to campus to meet graduate students, discuss collaborations and conduct interviews.
Career preparation: Chemistry graduate students can receive résumé critiques, mock interviews, scientific and behavioral skills assessments, development guidance and personalized interview preparation through the department’s career support resources.
Industry connections: Penn State reports more than 2,000 industry partnerships during the past decade and more than 9,000 industry research projects since 2013, creating a broader university ecosystem for research collaboration, internships, student training and recruitment.
Chemistry-industry engagement: The Chemistry Career Network and Recruitment Fair specifically provides access to companies in the chemical, pharmaceutical and materials-science sectors. Penn State Chemistry also documents alumni careers with companies including DuPont, Johnson Matthey, Agilent Technologies and other science-driven organizations.
Employment outcomes: Penn State does not publish a current program-specific employment rate or median salary for the Chemistry M.S. on its official sources. Therefore, no salary figure is added here.
Documented graduate outcomes: Official Penn State alumni profiles show chemistry graduates moving from laboratory roles into senior research, project management, commercial product leadership and R&D leadership. One alum, for example, progressed from development chemist to senior research scientist, project management and ultimately commercial products director at Johnson Matthey.
Long-term professional value: Penn State’s Chemistry graduate learning outcomes include the ability to apply chemistry methods to create new knowledge, solve problems, communicate scientific findings and practice chemistry ethically and collaboratively—skills applicable across research, industry and government environments.
Accreditation: Penn State’s official Chemistry accreditation information specifically identifies ACS approval for ACS-certified undergraduate chemistry degrees; a separate ACS accreditation/certification claim for the graduate M.S. is not stated in the current official graduate sources.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into a Ph.D. in Chemistry, with Penn State’s doctoral program spanning analytical, biological, environmental, inorganic, materials, organic, physical and theoretical chemistry. The doctoral pathway emphasizes intensive original research, publication, conference presentations and development of expertise within a faculty research laboratory.