MS Chemistry

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of Georgia

Program Overview

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Chemistry at the University of Georgia is a research-oriented graduate program designed for students seeking advanced preparation for careers in industry, government or academia, combining formal graduate coursework with specialized research and a master's thesis. Students build a broad chemistry foundation while developing expertise in areas such as analytical, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry, with opportunities for interdisciplinary research.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their graduate chemistry foundation while selecting a research advisor and developing their Program of Study. Depending on their specialization, graduate coursework can draw from areas such as CHEM 8810–8890 (Analytical Chemistry), CHEM 8210–8290 (Inorganic Chemistry) and CHEM 8300–8390 (Organic Chemistry), alongside the required chemistry seminar and research activities. By the end of the second semester, students select an advisory committee consisting of their research advisor and two additional graduate faculty members.

Year 2: Students complete their remaining graduate coursework while concentrating on original research and preparation of the master's thesis. Physical chemistry options include CHEM 8920–8990, while CHEM 7000 (Master's Research) provides research credit and CHEM 7300 (Master's Thesis) supports the final thesis; students also complete a departmental seminar presentation before defending and submitting the thesis.

Focus areas: Analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, materials/nano chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry and interdisciplinary chemistry research.

Learning outcomes: Advanced and specialized chemical knowledge, research experience, scientific communication through seminar presentation, independent research capability, thesis development and the ability to apply chemistry knowledge within the broader chemical enterprise.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The official UGA Bulletin states that the undergraduate B.S. Chemistry curriculum meets American Chemical Society (ACS) certification standards; the official sources reviewed do not state separate ACS certification or accreditation for the M.S. Chemistry program.

Reputation (employability/research standing): UGA's Chemistry Department states that its graduate program was ranked #59 among 205 chemistry graduate programs in the 2018 U.S. News & World Report ranking, placing it in the top 30% of evaluated programs at that time. This is a historical ranking rather than a current ranking.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The M.S. in Chemistry at the University of Georgia is strongly research-oriented, with students completing faculty-supervised CHEM 7000: Master’s Research and a CHEM 7300: Master’s Thesis, alongside graduate coursework and seminar participation. Students gain practical experience through research-group meetings, independent laboratory work, scientific presentations and access to advanced instrumentation covering NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography.

Research projects: Students conduct independent research under the direction of a faculty major advisor through CHEM 7000: Master’s Research, followed by thesis preparation and defense through CHEM 7300: Master’s Thesis.
Research group collaboration: CHEM 6000: Chemistry Research Group Meeting involves weekly meetings with professors and graduate and undergraduate researchers, combining lectures, discussions and student presentations focused on chemical theory, literature, data evaluation and future experiments.
NMR spectroscopy: The UGA NMR Facility houses two NMR spectrometers and one EPR instrument, supporting research involving magnetic-resonance spectroscopy and molecular structure determination. The graduate course CHEM 6190: Introduction to NMR Spectroscopy specifically provides training in NMR instrumentation and operation.
Mass spectrometry: The Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry (PAMS) facility provides high-resolution and high-mass-accuracy mass spectrometry for protein identification and compound characterization, giving chemistry researchers access to advanced analytical capabilities.
Electron microscopy: The Georgia Electron Microscopy (GEM) facility provides electron-microscopy instrumentation, technical assistance, research training and workshops for multidisciplinary research.
X-ray crystallography: The X-Ray Crystallography Laboratory uses a Bruker D8 Quest PHOTON 100 CMOS diffractometer to determine molecular structures of inorganic, organic and organometallic compounds; its primary crystallographic software includes the APEX suite with integrated SHELXTL programs for structure solution and refinement.
Interdisciplinary facilities: Students can access the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center (CCRC), which includes research laboratories, specialized synthetic-chemistry and cell-culture laboratories, an NMR spectroscopy center, computer center, glycomics facility and analytical services laboratory.
Materials research: The New Materials Institute provides polymer and composite analysis capabilities, with processing and characterization instrumentation designed around the performance and lifecycle of new materials and partnerships with industry.
Computational tools: The Center for Applied Isotope Studies (CAIS) provides an advanced computing environment with high-performance computing and networking infrastructure, scientific and engineering applications, consulting and training services.
Scientific fabrication: UGA's Scientific Glass Blowing Shop supports research by creating and modifying specialized laboratory glassware, while the Instrument Design & Fabrication Shop uses machine tools, welding, sheet-metal fabrication and CNC milling and turning with CAD/CAM for research equipment and machinery.
Seminar experience: M.S. students must complete a seminar and deliver one Literature Seminar or Research Seminar, giving them direct experience presenting and discussing scientific work.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The M.S. in Chemistry at the University of Georgia is a research-intensive graduate degree designed to train professional chemists for careers in industry, government and academia, with opportunities to specialize in analytical, inorganic, materials/nano, organic or physical chemistry. Students complete advanced coursework, research and a thesis, building the scientific expertise and research experience needed for professional chemistry roles or doctoral study.

Typical job roles: Research Chemist, Analytical Chemist, Laboratory Scientist, Chemical Research Associate.

Career Services: UGA’s Career Center supports graduate students with career exploration, job-market preparation, networking, interview preparation, resume/CV and cover-letter reviews, job and internship searches, and graduate-school preparation. Chemistry graduate students can also use ChemIDP, the Career Center’s career-planning resource for chemical scientists, plus the UGA Mentor Program and Handshake for professional connections and opportunities.
Employment statistics: UGA’s most recent program-specific published outcome for Chemistry master’s graduates is the Class of 2021: 2 of 3 respondents (67%) reported full-time employment, while 1 (33%) was seeking employment. Reported employers included Cosette Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly & Company.
Salary figures: UGA’s Class of 2021 Chemistry master’s report did not publish a salary figure because no respondents reported salary information. UGA explains that its Career Outcomes Survey collects employment and salary information from bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral graduates within an average of six months of graduation.
University–industry partnerships: UGA provides formal pathways for researchers to collaborate with companies through sponsored basic and applied research, proprietary testing and other R&D arrangements. The Chemistry Department also participates in interdisciplinary research centers and has documented industry collaboration through initiatives such as the New Materials Institute, whose facilities focus on polymer and composite analysis and explicitly emphasize industry partnerships.
Industry exposure: UGA’s research-industry ecosystem has included companies across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, solar energy and field crops; the university reported that more than 350 companies had sponsored research at UGA over a five-year period in its Industry Express announcement.
Accreditation value: The Department states that its undergraduate B.S. Chemistry offers an ACS-certified option; the official UGA sources reviewed do not state separate ACS certification or accreditation for the M.S. Chemistry degree. The M.S. therefore provides graduate research credentials without a separately stated ACS accreditation claim.
Graduation outcomes: The M.S. requires graduate-level coursework, divisional seminars, research and a master's thesis with a final defense, giving graduates a substantial research portfolio alongside advanced chemistry training. UGA's historical master's outcomes also demonstrate progression into industry, including research and pharmaceutical-sector positions.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the M.S., students can progress to the Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Georgia or pursue doctoral chemistry programs at other universities. UGA's Chemistry Department offers Ph.D. research across analytical, inorganic, materials/nano, organic and physical chemistry, while the M.S. itself provides research and thesis experience that can support a transition into doctoral-level research.