Chemistry MS

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of Iowa

Program Overview

The Chemistry, MS at the University of Iowa is a flexible graduate program designed for students seeking advanced chemical knowledge, research experience, and preparation for professional or further academic careers in chemistry. Students develop an individualized plan of study with a faculty advisor and can pursue the degree with or without a thesis, combining advanced coursework with research, seminars, professional development, and modern experimental or computational techniques.

Curriculum structure

Year 1: Students begin with CHEM:5091 Graduate Chemistry Orientation and CHEM:7270 Ethics in Chemical Sciences, followed by advanced chemistry courses selected according to their preparation and research interests. During the first semester, students explore faculty research areas, meet with potential research advisors, participate in research-group activities, and complete proficiency requirements; by the second semester, students normally have joined a research group and begun their research.

Year 2: Students deepen their specialization through elective coursework and CHEM:7999 Research in Chemistry, completing at least 3 semester hours of research; thesis students may apply additional CHEM:7999 credits toward the degree. Thesis students also complete a divisional seminar through courses such as CHEM:5190 Seminar: Analytical Chemistry, CHEM:5390 Seminar: Organic Chemistry, or CHEM:5490 Seminar: Physical and Environmental Chemistry, while non-thesis students complete sufficient electives to reach the program's minimum 30 semester hours.

Focus areas

Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Chemical Education, Computational Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Biochemistry, and related specialized areas. The department's advanced course offerings include Spectroscopy, Mass Spectrometry, Chemical Sensors, Nanomaterials, Advanced Organic Synthesis, Quantum and Computational Chemistry, Molecular Spectroscopy, Chemical Kinetics, and Surface Chemistry & Heterogeneous Processes.

Learning outcomes

Advanced chemical knowledge, modern experimental and computational techniques, advanced instrumentation, scientific research, chemical safety and ethics, scientific communication, and preparation for educational, research, and other professional roles requiring advanced chemical experience.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

ACS-related professional alignment: The University of Iowa's official Chemistry pages identify the American Chemical Society (ACS) as an important professional connection, including an ACS-recognized graduate student organization and participation in ACS regional meetings. The ACS certification specifically stated by Iowa applies to its BS in Chemistry, while a separate ACS accreditation/certification for the Chemistry MS is not stated on the official MS program page.

Reputation (employability rankings)

U.S. News & World Report: The University of Iowa reports that its Chemistry (CLAS) graduate program was ranked #67 nationally in the 2026 U.S. News graduate program rankings. This is a ranking of the graduate Chemistry program rather than an employment-specific ranking.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in the Chemistry MS at the University of Iowa develop advanced practical skills by designing experiments, using modern experimental and computational techniques, interpreting data, and communicating scientific findings. The program requires at least 3 semester hours of CHEM:7999 Research in Chemistry, while thesis students can complete additional research credits, giving them a structured opportunity to work on chemistry research with faculty. Iowa’s Chemistry Building contains more than 50 graduate research laboratories, supported by specialized instrumentation, computer facilities, and research centers covering areas such as analytical, organic, inorganic, physical, environmental, materials, energy and biological chemistry.

Program-specific experiential opportunities include:

Graduate research: Students complete at least 3 s.h. of CHEM:7999 Research in Chemistry. Students pursuing the thesis option may apply up to an additional 6 s.h. of research toward the degree, for a maximum of 9 s.h.
Independent scientific work: Iowa states that graduate students actively engage in research with faculty during their first year, with the department emphasizing the development of independent scientists who can design experiments, evaluate data and communicate scientific findings.
Research laboratories: The Chemistry Building contains 50+ graduate research laboratories, providing dedicated spaces for advanced chemistry research alongside offices, instructional facilities and specialized research infrastructure.
NMR facility: The Central NMR Facility serves more than 25 research groups and over 100 graduate and undergraduate students and postdoctoral associates. It houses six spectrometers ranging from 300 MHz to 600 MHz, including solid-state NMR equipment.
Hands-on instrumentation training: NMR users can receive training to operate instruments and independently collect data. Training includes collecting, processing and plotting 1D NMR spectra, while the facility also supports 2D and multidimensional data collection and analysis.
Shared analytical instrumentation: Chemistry students have access to departmental shared instruments including UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy, spectrofluorometry, gel permeation chromatography/light scattering, atomic force microscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry and nanoparticle characterization equipment.
Computational tools: Graduate students can use Chemistry's Advanced Computer Lab and departmental computing resources. Software includes ChemDraw Prime, Gaussian/GaussView, Igor Pro, KaleidaGraph, Mathematica, MATLAB, OriginPro, PyMOL and Spartan, supporting molecular modeling, chemical structure drawing, statistical analysis, plotting and numerical or symbolic computation.
High-performance computing: The department provides high-performance and Linux computing through the CLAS Linux Group, including the CHEMISTRY 3 node on HPC Argon, supporting computational research activities.
X-ray and materials research: The Chemistry facilities include an X-Ray Diffraction Facility and the Iowa Advanced Technology Laboratories' MATFab facility, which supports fabrication and analysis and houses X-ray instrumentation.
Chemistry Library: The department maintains a dedicated Chemistry Library, listed among the Chemistry Building's research and student facilities.
Research centers: Chemistry research connects with university centers including the Center for Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing, Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research, and Pharmaceutical Sciences & Experimental Therapeutics, giving graduate research access to broader interdisciplinary environments.
Research communication: Thesis-track students complete a divisional research seminar, while the MS learning outcomes specifically include communicating scientific findings through written reports and presentations.
Internships and group projects: The official MS curriculum specifically documents research, seminars and professional development rather than requiring an internship or a designated group-project component. The program therefore emphasizes faculty-guided research and advanced laboratory/computational experience.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The MS in Chemistry at the University of Iowa develops advanced chemical knowledge, experimental and computational skills, research ability, and scientific communication for careers in research, industry, education, and other professional settings. Students work toward becoming independent scientists through faculty-guided research, advanced coursework, internships, career development workshops, and opportunities to engage with interdisciplinary research across chemistry and related fields.

Career opportunities: Chemist, Research Scientist, Laboratory Scientist, Chemistry Educator.

Career support and professional progression:

Career development: The University of Iowa Chemistry Department provides career development workshops, internship opportunities, teacher-training sessions, and graduate student institutes focused on outreach and engagement. The Pomerantz Career Center also provides resources for finding internships and jobs.
Career development beyond academia: The Graduate College's Career Ladder Program helps graduate students and postdoctoral researchers explore careers outside academia and develop practical job-search skills; its sessions include interaction with science-industry professionals.
Employment outcomes: University-wide data for University of Iowa graduates reports that 96% were employed, continuing education, or not seeking employment within six months of graduation, with a $55,000 median salary; these figures are university-wide and are not specific to the Chemistry MS.
Graduate-level career preparation: The MS learning outcomes specifically include the ability to transition into educational, research, and other professional roles requiring advanced chemical experience.
Research and industry connections: Iowa's Chemistry Department maintains interdisciplinary collaborations within the university and with external organizations. Its Central NMR Facility has a long-standing history of serving local enterprises, including Tjaden Biosciences, Grain Processing Corporation, Procter & Gamble, Advanced DNA Technologies, and Cambrex, while also supporting UI bioventure startups with instrumentation, training, and expertise.
Research-intensive environment: Students have access to more than 50 research laboratories and instructional facilities, with research spanning analytical, inorganic, organic, physical and computational chemistry, radiochemistry, materials and polymers, catalysis, energy, environmental chemistry, and other areas.
Long-term academic value: The University of Iowa is an AAU-accredited public research university, providing the broader research-university environment in which Chemistry graduate students work alongside faculty on scientific research. A separate professional accreditation specific to the Chemistry MS is not stated by the university.
Graduation outcomes: The MS is designed to develop advanced chemical knowledge, modern experimental and/or computational techniques, scientific communication, research capability, and the ability to move into professional, research, or educational roles.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into the PhD in Chemistry at the University of Iowa, where doctoral research covers areas including analytical, inorganic, organic, physical and computational chemistry, radiochemistry, catalysis, materials, environmental chemistry, and related interdisciplinary fields. The department also provides a pathway for students interested in higher education through its Graduate Certificate in College Teaching, which can be earned while enrolled in a Chemistry graduate program and is designed to prepare students for post-secondary teaching careers.