Doctor of Philosophy in Science Education: Chemistry

Advisors:
Charles Henderson, MISE Director
Room 3245, Wood Hall

Yirong Mo, Graduate Advisor, Chemistry
Room 3142, Wood Hall

The Doctor of Philosophy in Science Education: Chemistry is designed for students who wish to obtain a strong background in the chemistry and to pursue research in chemistry education. The program is offered cooperatively by the Mallinson Institute for Science Education and the Department of Chemistry.

Admission Requirements
The minimum admission requirements to this degree program are a master’s degree in chemistry or concurrent enrollment in a master’s degree program in chemistry.

Program Requirements

The program consists of 48 semester hours of graduate work beyond course work counted toward a master’s degree. Each student’s program is planned in consultation with the advisor and consists of the following:

1. Science Education (21 Semester Hours)

consisting of:

SCI 6140 - Science: Historical and Philosophical Perspectives Credits: 3 hours
SCI 6150 - Science Education: Historical and Philosophical Foundations Credits: 3 hours
SCI 6160 - Science Education: Models of Learning and Teaching Credits: 3 hours
SCI 6170 - Science Education: Early Research I Credits: 3 hours
SCI 6171 - Science Education: Early Research II Credits: 3 hours
SCI 6180 - Teaching and Learning in the College Science Classroom Credits: 3 hours
SCI 6200 - Topics in Science Education Credits: 1 to 3 hours
(Credits: 3 hours needed)

2. Research Tools and Design (12 semester hours)

To include a semester each in quantitative and qualitative research methods.

3. Dissertation (15 semester hours)

SCI 7300 - Doctoral Dissertation Credits: 1 to 15 hours
(Credits: 15 hours needed)

Additional Program Requirements

All candidates for the Doctor of Philosophy in Science Education: Chemistry must have completed a master’s degree in chemistry. They may have completed the master’s degree prior to beginning the doctoral program or while concurrently enrolled in the doctoral program.

The masters program must include 20 hours in the field of chemistry, including the master’s thesis. The chemistry hours may total more than 20 depending on the student’s background. The remaining hours up to at least 30 hours may be in a related field or fields.

The course sequence will include (if not previously elected):

CHEM 5070 - Ethical Chemical Practice Credits: 3 hours
CHEM 5200 - Instrumental Methods in Chemistry Credits: 3 hours

One of the following:

CHEM 5150 - Inorganic Chemistry Credits: 3 hours
CHEM 5500 - Biochemistry I Credits: 3 hours
CHEM 5510 - Biochemistry I Laboratory Credits: 2 hours

Two 6000-level courses:

Two 6000-level courses from different divisions (Analytical, Biochemistry, Inorganic, Organic, or Physical), including one course in the division of master’s thesis.

At least 3 credit hours of:

CHEM 6900 - Special Investigations in Chemistry Credits: 1 to 9 hours
(Credits: 3 hours needed)

Master’s Thesis:

CHEM 7000 - Master’s Thesis Credits: 1 to 6 hours
(Credits: 6 hours needed)

5000-level courses

The requirement for any of the above 5000-level courses may be waived if the student has taken a corresponding course as an undergraduate.

Additionally

All students are required to present a literature seminar to the department and will be evaluated by faculty members. All students are required to complete the literature seminar requirement no later than the end of the third semester in the program.

The student is required to pass a final oral defense of his or her master’s thesis administered by the student’s graduate committee. The student is also required, as part of the graduate training in chemistry, to attend departmental seminars, colloquia, and symposia, and to participate in research within the department.

Advancement to candidacy

Advancement to candidacy for the doctoral degree requires the following:

1. Take the following courses: SCI 6140, 6150, 6160, and earning an overall GPA with respect to these courses alone of 3.5 or better; each course can be taken one additional time to improve GPA, if needed. Take SCI 6200 each fall for the first three years in the program and complete SCI 6180.

2. Early research requirement culminating in a paper to be:

Presented at a MISE symposium and at a MISE approved conference;
Reviewed and approved by MISE faculty before or after presentations (can be re-submitted one time with revisions if needed), and
Submitted to an approved journal for publication review.

3. Comprehensive Review of the Literature

Upon successful completion of 1 and 2, student prepares a comprehensive literature review in an area pertaining to the student’s eventual dissertation research. Supervised and approved by a 3-member MISE faculty committee.
Present Comprehensive Review of the Literature at a MISE symposium.
Reviewed and approved by MISE faculty before or after presentation (can be resubmitted on time with revisions if needed).

4. Dissertation Proposal

Upon successful completion of 3, the student’s dissertation committee is officially formed.
Student develops dissertation research proposal, which must be approved by the student’s dissertation committee;
Student presents dissertation research proposal at a MISE symposium. MISE faculty to provide comments and suggest revisions;
Proposal must be approved by the student’s dissertation committee (can be resubmitted one time with revisions).

The research and dissertation are completed under the direction of a major advisor and a Doctoral Advisory Committee. The major advisor and dissertation committee members are chosen by the Institute director in consultation with the student, Institute faculty and Chemistry Department faculty. The research problem is formulated by the student and must be approved by the committee. Dissertation committees and topics are subject to the approval of the deans of the College of Arts and Sciences and The Graduate College.

To be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree the student must have satisfactorily completed the above requirements, and a teaching experience in addition to the other candidacy requirements of doctoral programs in The Graduate College.