M.S. in Chemistry with Analytical Chemistry

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

Purdue University West Lafayette

Program Overview

The M.S. in Chemistry with Analytical Chemistry at Purdue University West Lafayette is a research-focused master’s program designed for students who want advanced preparation in analytical chemistry and related scientific fields, with opportunities to work across areas such as mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, chemical imaging, environmental chemistry, electrochemistry, and machine learning. The program is particularly suited to students seeking intensive research experience because Purdue requires MS students to complete graduate coursework alongside at least 12 research credits and an approved research thesis.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin by building advanced disciplinary knowledge through graduate chemistry coursework and the analytical chemistry foundational requirement, CHM 69600: Foundational Analytical Chemistry. Depending on their research direction and approved Plan of Study, students can also select advanced subjects connected to analytical instrumentation and related areas, while beginning CHM 69800 research as they establish their research direction with an advisor and committee.

Year 2: The second year emphasizes independent research and completion of the graduate Plan of Study, with students continuing their CHM 69800 research and developing their approved thesis. Purdue requires at least 30 total credits, including at least 18 graduate-level coursework credits and at least 12 MS research credits, followed by submission of an approved research thesis; the department does not offer a non-thesis MS option.

Focus areas: Mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, structural biology, environmental chemistry, soft matter and nanostructures, optical spectroscopy and microscopy, machine learning, immunology, electrochemistry, and chemical imaging.

Learning outcomes: Students develop advanced analytical chemistry knowledge, research and instrumentation skills, the ability to conduct independent scientific investigation, and experience communicating research through a graduate research thesis.

Professional alignment (accreditation): Purdue Chemistry identifies American Chemical Society certification for its undergraduate chemistry program; the official graduate MS requirements do not identify a separate ACS professional accreditation specifically for the M.S. in Chemistry. The department does state that its chemistry program became the first in the U.S. approved by the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Reputation (employability rankings): Purdue’s official Chemistry Department states that its analytical chemistry graduate program is No. 1 in the United States in the latest U.S. News & World Report ranking cited by the department. Purdue’s College of Science currently also identifies the No. 1 Analytical Chemistry graduate program based on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 ranking.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The M.S. in Chemistry with Analytical Chemistry at Purdue University provides a strongly research-oriented environment where students can develop practical expertise in analytical measurement, instrumentation, and scientific research. Purdue’s Analytical Chemistry program has particular strengths in mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, optical spectroscopy and microscopy, chemical imaging, electrochemistry, environmental chemistry, machine learning, and structural biology, giving students access to advanced approaches used in contemporary analytical research.

Students can work with specialized research facilities and shared instrumentation while receiving professional training and consultation. Purdue’s chemistry research-support infrastructure includes analytical services, instrument development, measurement consulting, custom instrument fabrication, and hands-on student training, creating opportunities to work directly with sophisticated analytical technologies:

Research Instrumentation Center: The RIC provides access to shared analytical instrumentation, including high-resolution mass spectrometry and elemental analysis using ICP-MS and CHN, with instrument training available by appointment. Chemistry users can also access walk-up instrumentation through the facility’s iLab system.
Mass spectrometry: Purdue’s analytical research environment has extensive mass-spectrometry expertise, and the RIC supports analytical techniques including LC-MS, GC-MS, ICP-MS, chromatography, spectroscopy, and elemental analysis.
NMR spectroscopy: The Purdue Interdepartmental NMR Facility provides training, consultation, and access to modern NMR techniques through instruments ranging from 300 to 800 MHz, including solution-state and solid-state systems.
NMR software and digital tools: The NMR facility uses iLab Solutions for facility management, while trained users can reserve instruments through the online reservation system.
Analytical instrumentation development: The Jonathan Amy Facility for Chemical Instrumentation supports the design, construction, repair, and modification of specialized analytical instruments, with personnel expertise spanning chemistry, electrical engineering, and systems programming.
Center for Analytical Instrumentation Development: CAID develops innovative analytical technologies for applications including drug discovery, clinical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and point-of-need measurements, giving analytical chemistry students an opportunity to work within a research environment focused on new instrumentation.
X-ray crystallography: Purdue’s Chemistry research infrastructure includes a dedicated X-Ray Crystallography Facility, providing another advanced characterization platform for chemical and structural research.
Interdisciplinary research: Students can connect analytical chemistry research with Purdue’s wider Discovery Park ecosystem, including facilities supporting drug discovery, analytical chemistry, molecular purification, biochemistry, molecular biology, and fluorescent imaging.
Research collaboration: Purdue’s chemistry research-support facilities serve chemistry graduate students as well as researchers across campus, Discovery Park, Purdue Research Park, and commercial users, supporting cross-disciplinary projects and professional analytical services.
Practical instrument training: Students receive hands-on training for facility instrumentation, with professional staff providing instruction, consultation, and assistance in obtaining and interpreting analytical measurements.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The M.S. in Chemistry with Analytical Chemistry provides advanced preparation for careers involving chemical measurement, instrumentation, data analysis, research, and analytical method development. Purdue’s analytical chemistry graduate program connects students with research spanning chemical measurement science, instrumentation, bioanalytical chemistry, materials, life sciences, and environmental applications. Graduates can pursue roles such as Analytical Chemist, Research Scientist, Instrumentation Scientist, and Quality Control/Analytical Laboratory Scientist.

Career development and opportunities: Purdue provides several dedicated resources and industry connections to support students as they move from graduate study into professional or further academic careers:

Career preparation: Purdue Chemistry provides graduate career resources covering networking through organizations such as the American Chemical Society and IUPAC, internship opportunities, chemistry job postings, CV/resume development, Purdue’s Center for Career Opportunities resources, and Ph.D.-to-educator pathways.
Industry networking: Purdue Chemistry’s Discovery Partners Program creates formal connections between the department and industrial organizations through collaborative research, personnel exchanges, advanced chemical-instrumentation training, company presentations, workshops, short courses, and recruiting opportunities.
Industry employers: Purdue’s analytical chemistry placement information identifies graduates and postdoctoral researchers who have joined organizations including Amgen, BASF, Bayer, Dow Chemical, Gilead, GSK, Eli Lilly, Exxon, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, Roche, ThermoFinnigan, and Waters.
Employment and salary figures: Purdue does not publish an MS Analytical Chemistry-specific employment rate or salary figure on the official program pages reviewed. As a separate Purdue benchmark, its graduate outcomes data reports a mean starting salary of $93,341 and median of $88,375 for Chemistry Ph.D. graduates, based on 102 responses; these figures should not be interpreted as salaries for MS graduates.
Industry partnerships: Purdue Chemistry works directly with industry through its Discovery Partners Program, while the university's Office of Industry Partnerships reports more than 470 active industry-sponsored research projects across Purdue and more than 4,000 research labs.
Analytical chemistry industry engagement: Purdue’s Center for Biomolecular Analysis has reported 13 industry partners spanning the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and energy sectors, supporting research in chemical measurement science, chemical imaging, AI/machine learning and instrument automation, and point-of-use technologies.
Professional opportunities: Purdue Chemistry also hosts industry-focused events; for example, its 2026 analytical chemistry outreach event with Eli Lilly included presentations on pharmaceutical analytical chemistry, networking, and individual meetings concerning industry career pathways.
Accreditation value: Purdue University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Purdue Chemistry also has a longstanding nationally recognized analytical chemistry program; however, the official sources reviewed do not identify a separate professional accreditation specifically for the M.S. in Chemistry–Analytical Chemistry, so no additional degree-specific accreditation should be assumed.
Graduation outcomes: Purdue's analytical chemistry placement record demonstrates progression into pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology, analytical-instrumentation, government-laboratory, and technology organizations, as well as universities and national laboratories. This gives graduates multiple directions after the master's degree, including direct industry employment and continued research training.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the M.S., students can continue into a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry or another chemistry specialization. Purdue itself offers both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in analytical chemistry, alongside doctoral research areas including bioanalytical, materials, chemical biology, chemical physics, and related interdisciplinary fields.