MS Chemistry

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of Nebraska Lincoln

Program Overview

The M.S. in Chemistry at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a 30–36 credit, on-campus master’s degree built around advanced chemistry coursework and thesis-based research; importantly, UNL states that this M.S. is not offered as a standalone program and is available only in conjunction with the Ph.D. in Chemistry. It is designed for students seeking deeper professional and research competence in chemistry, with interdisciplinary opportunities through areas such as materials and nanoscience, biotechnology, environmental toxicology and cancer research.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students build advanced knowledge through graduate chemistry courses selected according to their approved program of study, with options including CHEM 821: Analytical Chemistry, CHEM 841: Inorganic Chemistry, and CHEM 885: Survey of Modern Physical Chemistry. They also begin their graduate research preparation through CHEM 898A: Introduction to Graduate Research, which introduces new graduate students to the chemistry graduate program and research environment.

Year 2: Students deepen their specialization through advanced coursework and thesis research under the M.S. Option A pathway, which requires at least 30 credit hours, including 20–24 hours of regular coursework and 6–10 hours of thesis credit. Relevant advanced options include CHEM 845: Modern Inorganic Chemistry, CHEM 886: Advanced Topics in Biophysical Chemistry, CHEM 943: Solid-State Chemistry, and CHEM 899: Masters Thesis, allowing students to connect advanced theory with original research.

Focus areas: Analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, materials chemistry, chemical biology, biophysical chemistry, spectroscopy, computational chemical biology and solid-state chemistry.

Learning outcomes: Advanced chemical knowledge, research preparation, analytical and laboratory skills, specialized disciplinary expertise, and the ability to conduct and communicate graduate-level chemistry research through thesis work.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The official UNL graduate sources reviewed do not state a separate professional accreditation or ACS certification specifically for the M.S. in Chemistry.

Reputation (official standing): UNL's Department of Chemistry supports interdisciplinary research through the Center for Materials and Nanoscience, Center for Biotechnology, Center for Environmental Toxicology and Nebraska Cancer Center, providing opportunities to connect graduate chemistry study with broader scientific research.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The M.S. in Chemistry at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln follows a distinctive “Research First” approach, allowing graduate students to enter research groups from the beginning of their program rather than waiting until later stages of study. Students can explore multiple research groups through rotations and then develop practical research experience using advanced analytical instrumentation, computational resources and specialized laboratories in Hamilton Hall.

Research rotations: Students have three opportunities to explore chemistry research groups, beginning with a preferred group before arrival and completing two additional rotations during the first year. This provides direct exposure to different research environments before settling into a research group.
Molecular Analysis and Characterization Facility: The facility provides access to sophisticated analytical tools including 300, 400, 600 and 700 MHz NMR, GC-MS, IR, AA, HPLC, UV-Vis, SEM, MALDI-TOF, FT-ICR, UPLC-MS and proteomics/metabolomics instrumentation for research and chemical analysis.
Research Instrumentation Facility: Students can work with specialized NMR, optical spectroscopy, thermal analysis and GC-MS instrumentation through the department's Research Instrumentation Facility.
Mass spectrometry: The Nebraska Center for Mass Spectrometry is housed in Hamilton Hall and provides advanced mass-spectrometry capabilities for graduate research, including modern high-resolution and imaging systems.
Computational chemistry: The Chemistry Department's Information Technology and Electronics Shop maintains more than 150 Linux computers used by research groups and configures Linux clusters for computational chemistry. It also supports the installation and use of computational chemistry programs and provides training for high-performance computing through the Holland Computing Center.
Specific software and digital tools: The department's 700 MHz NMR operates with Bruker TopSpin 3.8.0 and supports advanced NUS and NOAH experiments; the department also supports computational chemistry software on Linux clusters and high-performance computing resources.
Specialized research spaces: Chemistry occupies Hamilton Hall, which houses research and teaching laboratories, modern research instrumentation, a full-time glassblowing shop, electronics facilities and the Nebraska Center for Mass Spectrometry.
Interdisciplinary facilities: Graduate students can pursue interdisciplinary research through the Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience, Center for Biotechnology, Nebraska Center for Environmental Toxicology and Nebraska Cancer Center, connecting chemistry research with materials, biotechnology, environmental and biomedical applications.
Technical support: The Chemistry ITE Shop provides hands-on research infrastructure support, including repairs and custom work for lasers, NMRs, X-ray machines, mass-spectrometer controllers and computer-based data-collection systems, as well as custom computing systems for research applications.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The M.S. in Chemistry at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is strongly research-oriented, with students entering research groups early and developing advanced skills across analytical, bio-, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. Graduates can progress into laboratory, research and scientific roles in industry or government, while the program also provides a direct foundation for continued doctoral study.

Typical job roles: Research Scientist, Chemical Analyst, Laboratory Scientist, Quality Management Chemist.

Career Services: UNL Career Services manages Handshake, provides career-development resources, coordinates career fairs and events, and connects students with employers; the Chemistry department also provides career guidance and information on internships and employment opportunities.
Employment opportunities: UNL Chemistry reports graduates working as Bio-Analytical Analysts at Celerion, Chemical Contractors at Zoetis, Quality Management Chemists at Cargill, Chemical Analysts at Purac America, Scientists at Streck and Principal Scientists at Novartis, illustrating the range of chemistry-related career destinations reported by the department.
Salary figures: A chemistry-specific graduate salary figure is not stated on the official UNL Chemistry or M.S. program pages reviewed. As a current example of an occupation accepting an M.S. in Chemistry, a 2026 UNL Lead Water Analyst posting listed a minimum salary of $70,000 per year, although this is a specific position and not a graduate-outcomes statistic.
Industry internships: The Chemistry department specifically supports graduate internships in industry, government and nonprofit organizations and notes that NUtech Ventures has hired Chemistry graduate students as interns. The department also identifies the NSF INTERN program and Nebraska INTERN Nebraska as potential internship-support routes.
University–industry connections: UNL Industry Relations facilitates university-industry research collaborations and connections with students through internships, capstone involvement, guest lectures and recruitment, while Chemistry graduate students can connect with external organizations through internships and research collaborations.
Accreditation value: The official UNL sources reviewed state that the undergraduate Professional Chemistry option reflects American Chemical Society standards, but they do not state a separate ACS accreditation or certification for the M.S. Chemistry degree.
Graduation outcomes: The Chemistry department reports graduates progressing into careers with chemical and pharmaceutical companies, government/scientific organizations and education, as well as continuing into graduate and professional programs. The department's reported examples include doctoral study in Chemistry at MIT and Analytical Chemistry at Ohio State University.

Further Academic Progression: The M.S. in Chemistry is available only in conjunction with the Ph.D. in Chemistry at UNL rather than as a standalone master's program. Students can therefore use the master's-level study and research experience as part of their progression toward doctoral research, with UNL's Chemistry Ph.D. emphasizing research across multiple chemistry disciplines and its interdisciplinary centers including the Center for Materials and Nanoscience, Center for Biotechnology, Center for Environmental Toxicology and Nebraska Cancer Center.