phd chemistry durham

Ph.D. Programs

Biological and biomedical sciences, physical sciences and engineering, social sciences.

* – Denotes Ph.D. admitting programs. Students may apply and be admitted directly to these departments or programs, but the Ph.D. is offered only through one of the participating departments identified in the program description. After their second year of study at Duke, students must select a participating department in which they plan to earn the Ph.D.

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Chemistry research degrees

The Department of Chemistry’s strong research activity is underpinned by enthusiastic and dedicated staff and students. It is extremely well equipped, with modern research laboratories, extensive state-of-the-art instrumentation and world-class facilities.

We promote and support high quality postgraduate training in all branches of Chemistry. The Department is an exciting and friendly place to study with a lively student Chemical Society that arranges lectures, external visits and social events.

A postgraduate research degree in chemistry will equip you to lead research projects in academia or industry, and also opens the door to numerous other careers in the financial sector, management, patent law, government and civil service, publishing and many other careers that use the transferable and critical thinking skills you will acquire.

MSc by Research

The MSc by Research degree is awarded on the basis of the preparation and examination of a thesis and an oral examination (where necessary), together with successful completion of the Department’s postgraduate training programme.

Course length 1 year full-time. 2 years part-time.

PhD in Chemistry

A large majority of those beginning postgraduate study in Durham (typically around 30–35 per year) intend to work for a PhD degree. The degree is awarded on the basis of the presentation and oral examination of a thesis. Students benefit from frequent face-toface meetings with their supervisory teams. The unexpected challenges that cutting-edge research inevitably produces can then be countered, safe in the knowledge of excellent support, allowing suitable strategies to be drawn up responsively as the work proceeds. Formal written research reports are also reviewed periodically by an independent review team and most students will take a key role in drafting papers for publication in international, peer-reviewed journals.

Course length 3 years full-time. 6 years part-time.

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The University makes every effort to ensure that the information contained here is accurate. The University prospectus is intended as a general guide to the University of Durham’s facilities and forms no part of any contract between you and the University. The prospectus is prepared in advance of the academic year to which it relates. 

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Chemistry PhD

Durham university, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, similar courses at different universities, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Subject areas

Chemistry (General)

Course type

Chemistry is a vibrant research-led department with an international reputation for its cutting-edge science, working on projects spanning organic, physical, inorganic, bioactive and computational chemistry, through to catalysis, nanoscience and materials.

As a Research Postgraduate student at Durham, you will become part of a dynamic and friendly community, working alongside world leading academics.

The Department has very close research links with many industrial partners and other universities in the UK and abroad, with leading scientists from around the world visiting and collaborating with us. The Department is extremely well-equipped, with modern research laboratories, extensive state-of-the-art instrumentation and world-class facilities. Its very strong research activity is underpinned by extremely enthusiastic and dedicated staff and students. The success of our graduate students is clear, with many of our ex-students holding academic, industrial and commercial positions throughout the e majority of those beginning postgraduate study in Durham work toward a PhD, which normally requires between 36 and 48 months of full-time study, depending on the programme. The degree is awarded based on the presentation and oral examination of a thesis.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

To be confirmed

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

For this course (per year)

The standard minimum entry requirements to study a postgraduate programme at Durham University are normally: Achievement of an upper second class honours degree (2:1) from a UK university or an equivalent degree qualification from an overseas university.

MSc in Chemistry

University of hull, msc (research) chemistry, phd chemistry, pgce science with chemistry (qts), middlesex university, pgce secondary chemistry, university of chichester.

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Jun Jun 7 7 NC CER Symposium Seminar: Regis Komperda presents: Measurement in chemistry education: Examining the past and supporting the future 2:00 pm 3:00 pm French Family Science Center 4233

Jun Jun 14 14 Elucidating the role of metal-protein and metal-peptide interactions in microbial cellular stress 11:00 am 12:00 pm French Family Science Center 4233

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Subject Guide: Chemistry: Theses and Dissertations

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Theses and Dissertations

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Accessing Theses and Dissertations

• Durham Theses and Dissertations
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Durham e-Theses contains the full-text of Durham University Higher Degree theses .

All theses passed after 1 October 2009 (with a small number of exceptins) are available, or will be available following an embargo determined by the author. Durham University Library has also digitised its extensive collection of PhD, MPhil and Research Masters dissertations from 1899 onwards.

EThOS - The UK’s national thesis service which aims to maximise the visibility and availability of the UK’s doctoral research theses. EThOS aims to provide a national aggregated record of all doctoral theses awarded by UK Higher Education institutions, and free access to the full text of as many theses as possible for use by all researchers to further their own research.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses - ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) Global is the world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses from around the world, offering millions of works from thousands of universities. Each year hundreds of thousands of works are added. Full-text coverage spans from 1743 to the present, with citation coverage dating back to 1637. If needed you can limit your results to institutions from countries in the UK.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses  - ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) Global is the world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses from around the world, offering millions of works from thousands of universities. Each year hundreds of thousands of works are added. Full-text coverage spans from 1743 to the present, with citation coverage dating back to 1637.

Open Access Theses and Dissertations -  OATD.org aims to be the best possible resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions.

DART-Europe E-Theses Portal - A partnership of research libraries and library consortia who are working together to improve global access to European research theses.

South African Theses and Dissertations - via the National ETD Portal. 

Australian Theses via TROVE  - a collaboration between the National Library of Australia and hundreds of Partner organisations around Australia.

OAIster - A union catalog of millions of records that represent open access resources. It includes more than 50 million records that represent digital resources from more than 2,000 contributors. Results can be limited to just theses and dissertations.

Theses Canada - Launched in 1965 at the request of the deans of Canadian graduate schools, is a collaborative program between Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and Canadian universities. It strives to acquire and preserve theses and dissertations from participating universities, provide free access to Canadian digital theses and dissertations in the collection, and to facilitate access to non-digital theses and dissertations in the collection

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PhD Programme

Our Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) postgraduate degree is a research-based programme of study centred on completing a satisfactory thesis of up to 100,000 words on an approved topic in the field of law. The programme is normally three years in length, or six years for part-time students. This degree is internationally recognised as a sign of research excellence. Many of our former PhD students have gone on to have successful careers in academia, the legal profession, the civil service, and in non-governmental organisations. Please see a list of our recently graduated students and their theses here. Information about the annual fees for this course can be found here , and PhD counts as a 'classroom' course for these purposes.

Areas of supervision

Prospective PhD students should consult our list of Areas of Research Supervision and contact staff to discuss potential projects.

Securing funding for PhD studies

Limited funding is available on a competitive basis for undertaking the PhD with details available here. Please note that if you would like to be considered for external funding, applications must be submitted in advance of the deadlines specified on that page.

Application

In order to apply for a PhD, students must meet our entry requirements, detailed below. Once students have checked that they meet the conditions, they should contact a member of staff with a view to them acting as supervisor. When contacting staff, students should share with them a research proposal so the potential supervisor can understand fully the nature of the proposed study.

The second step in the application process is to complete the online application form.

Once accepted onto the programme, students will be inducted into the University and the Law School. Please note that all induction events take place in October, although there is also a limited intake of new students who begin their studies in January or April. We accept applications on a rolling basis throughout the year to accommodate this.

Entry requirements

In order to be admitted onto the PhD programme, students must satisfy the following entry requirements:

You must have a relevant Bachelor's degree or equivalent overseas qualification at the level of a good 2:1 or above. Where that degree is in a discipline other than Law, you must demonstrate a sufficiently deep understanding of the relevant areas of the law or legal thought, which will usually require your degree to have included a substantial Law component. In addition , applicants will have a Masters degree with an average of 65 or above (or equivalent).  Please note: we require a copy of your academic transcripts, with a breakdown of your module results before we can process your application.

• If you are not a native English speaker, you must demonstrate competence in English. Our   minimum standard is 7.0 on every component   of the IELTS test. Students must achieve this standard before commencing studies. If your most recent IELTs test is more than 2 years old, it will need to be taken again. Applicants whose entrance qualifications were studied in English in certain countries within the last two years are not required to submit evidence of English language proficiency.

Application requirements

In addition to satisfying our entry requirements, applicants must also submit the following documents when they apply.

• You must submit a current   CV
• You must provide a photo page of your   passport .
• You must supply  two academic references  from within the past two years . We may also accept one professional reference and one academic reference. Applicants should  not  email references to us themselves. Each reference  must  be  either  emailed by the referee directly to us ( [email protected] )  or  uploaded via the application system. All references must be on headed paper and clearly dated.
• You must submit a satisfactory research proposal of   no more than 2,000 words , including references but excluding bibliography. Details of the content of a research proposal are explained below. Acceptance is dependent on whether we have the necessary academic expertise in the School. Students must make informal contact with a potential supervisor  to discuss their application and research proposal at an early stage. Please note, however, that such contact does not necessarily mean that you will eventually be accepted.
• You should state on the application whether you would like to be considered for a scholarship to assist with funding your PhD study. Do note that the Law School has limited funding available for PhD applicants and it is available on a competitive basis. Details of postgraduate funding opportunities are available   here

Students must ensure they include all relevant documentation when applying. Any incomplete applications will not be processed.

Research proposals

Your application  must  include a proposal for the research project you wish to undertake. Without this your application cannot be considered. The UK system of research degrees is driven by the student's own choice of project, rather than projects being dictated by supervisors.

Your application must name the member of academic staff within the Law School whom you believe could act as your primary supervisor. To identify a member of staff please consult the list of   Areas of Research Supervision   and then approach the identified person to ask whether they would be willing and able to supervise you. You are advised to discuss your draft research proposal with this person in advance of your application. This will strengthen your proposal and will increase the likelihood of acceptance onto the programme.  Your application should clearly state with which potential supervisor you have discussed your proposal.

As part of the application process, you may be requested to amend your proposal before we come to a final determination on its suitability.

The research proposal must include an explanation of the research context (i.e. the state of the current research), set out the research questions to be answered in the thesis, and explain the sources and methods that are to be used.

A good PhD proposal will:

• Introduce your proposal by explaining the ‘research problem’ that your study intends to address. Tell us why it is an important and interesting area for research and how it relates to your own interests/previous research.
• Provide a review of the literature that shows your familiarity with current knowledge of the ‘research problem’. Tell us how your research will fit with the existing academic/legal/policy literature.
• Identify the gap in current knowledge on which your project will focus.
• Formulate clear research questions.
• Explain how your methodology and approach will enable you to address your research questions.
• Most legal research is literature based. If, however, you propose to conduct empirical research, then you will need to describe your methodology and proposed methods for sampling, data collection and data analysis, showing how these will allow you to address the research questions. A social science methodology should be supported by reference to the research methods literature. You will need to pay attention to ethical considerations and indicate how you will address them.
• Provide a research plan showing how you would conduct the research over the period of your PhD.
• Explain the relevance of your previous experience to the project and what impact your research could make (e.g., to policy/practice as well as knowledge).

For more information, please contact the Law School Postgraduate Research Co-ordinator on  [email protected]  

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Durham e-Theses contains the full-text of Durham University Higher Degree theses. This includes our extensive collection of PhD, MPHIL and Research Masters dissertations from 1899 onwards, which have been digitised by the library.

If your thesis was awarded prior to 1 October 2009 and you do not wish to have your research made available in this way, please follow the general procedures outlined in the Take-down policy and contact us with the reasons for this as soon as possible.

The content is freely available for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes.

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Upload a single PDF of the passed version of your thesis full-text. Instructions are in the Deposit Guide and in this short video .

Full details of the thesis submission process are on the Academic Support Office website.

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Chemistry (Ph.D.)

Why get a d octoral d egree in chemistry?  

The Ph.D. program in c hemistry is designed to train students as mature scientists capable of independent activity, i .e. , conceiving a research problem, planning and carrying out the necessary experimental work, properly interpreting the results and advancing their knowledge by independent study. All students take coursework , carry out original research with a faculty mentor, have professional development opportunities and submit a dissertation.   

Why study chemistry at UNH?  

The Ph.D. program prepares students for careers in science as researchers and educators by expanding their knowledge of chemistry while developing their ability for critical analysis, creativity and independent study. You’ll find a program small enough to be personal but comprehensive enough to provide excellent opportunities for challenge and growth, like independent research, leadership, professional development and peer mentoring. You’ll engage in a program of study approved by the American Chemical Society that explores a dynamic, creative and practical discipline. You’ll have access to newly renovated laboratories, state-of-the-art equipment and faculty committed to transformative experiences for graduate students. Graduates are well placed for careers as professional chemists in industry, academia, government and related areas .   

Potential c areer areas

• Agricultural and f ood p roducts
• Biotechnology
• Chemical a nalysis and q uality c ontrol
• Chemical/ p harmaceutical s ales and m arketing
• Chemical r esearch and d evelopment
• Chemistry p rofessor
• Health p rofessions
• Patent l aw, in tellectual p roperty, and s cience p olicy
• Pharmaceuticals and p harmacology
• Toxicology and f orensic s cience

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View All Chemistry (Ph.D.) Spotlights

Curriculum & Requirements

Program description.

The Ph.D. program prepares students for careers in science as researchers and educators by expanding their knowledge of chemistry while developing their ability for critical analysis, creativity, independent study and complex problem solving. Graduates are well positioned for careers as professional chemists in industry, academia, government, and related areas. All students take coursework, carry out original research with a faculty mentor, and submit a dissertation. The program has a focus on developing strong writing and oral communication skills. Financial support is available through either a teaching assistantship or research assistantship.

Requirements for the Program

Ph.d. degree requirements.

• Demonstration of a broad understanding of undergraduate chemistry by completing placement exams upon entry into the program. These are usually held during the Department Orientation Week.
• Coursework: To be determined with the consent of the research advisor beyond the 1st. semester, a minimum of 6 courses is required including a minimum of 3 at the 900 level. 
• Professional development courses required - 4 courses. 
• Attendance at Department Seminars.
• Attendance at Graduate Research Update (GRU) sessions and presentation once annually from year two onward.
• Satisfactory presentation of a Thesis Research Proposal (TRP)
• Preparation and oral defense of an Original Research Proposal (ORP)  in the third year of residence. Successful completion of the ORP enables the student to advance to candidacy.
• One oral presentation at a regional or technical conference, and one oral or poster presentation at the UNH Graduate Research Symposium.
• Preparation, public presentation, and oral defense of a written dissertation.
• Required 3.0 GPA or above to graduate.

Faculty Research Advisor and Dissertation Committee

Students select a research advisor during the first semester in the program after interviewing at least three faculty members. During each semester thereafter, students conduct independent research under the supervision of the Faculty Research Advisor. In the second year of residence and before the Thesis Research Proposal, a dissertation committee is selected. This committee evaluates the student's Thesis Research Proposal and the Original Research Proposal. Once the Original Research Proposal has been passed and the student advances to candidacy, a fifth committee member is selected and added to the Dissertation Committee to evaluate the Dissertation Defense.

Student Learning Outcomes

All Chemistry graduate students will be able to:

Display a comprehensive knowledge of chemistry, with greater depth demonstrated in at least one subdiscipline.

• Chemistry students in the Ph.D. and the M.S. program should have a basic knowledge of the field, with that knowledge being at least the level of the material taught in first-year chemistry and the initial courses in undergraduate sub-disciplinary classes (analytical, inorganic, organic, physical chemistry, and biochemistry).

Ph.D. students should demonstrate focused and deep expertise in their area of scholarly exploration, including an understanding of the current status of the topic. M.S. students should also demonstrate clear focus in scholarly pursuits.

• In the area of specialization, a Ph.D. student’s knowledge of the field should, at a minimum, be comparable to special topics classes at the graduate level.
• Students should demonstrate capabilities of searching the literature to become familiar with the current state of the field.

Apply critical thinking skills in the evaluation of scientific work, by analyzing, organizing, and evaluating scientific data and knowledge.

• Careful attention to and critical evaluation of material encountered in the literature, in seminars, and research activity is evidence of scientific maturation.

Generate hypotheses, design strategies, perform studies, and interpret results that lead to new knowledge in the field, including the…

• Application of central methods and techniques, including laboratory skills, statistical and computational methods, data gathering, and record-keeping to deliver detailed information and reproducible results.
• Demonstration of an understanding of the scientific method through the Original Research Proposal and through laboratory research (dissertation).
• Conduct of consequential scientific inquiry that advances a scientific field as required for a dissertation and peer-reviewed publications.

Communicate scientific information with effectiveness to both experts and novices in oral and written form, including methods, results, and conclusions.

• Demonstration of the ability to engage in communication appropriate for the audience.
• Present scientific material with clarity, accuracy, and precision.

Perform research in a professional, ethical, and safe manner.

• Students must participate in and apply knowledge from required training in laboratory safety and the responsible conduct of research; additional specialized training in these areas is encouraged.
• Students should develop skills in applicable professional areas, such as pedagogy, teamwork and team building, and leadership, through mentoring, instructional activity, and workshops.
• Safety and ethical behavior should be demonstrated in all activities, including both instructional and research activity.

Application Requirements & Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall : Jan. 15 (for funding); April 1 (final)
• Spring : Dec. 1
• Summer : N/A
• Special : N/A

Application fee : $65

Campus : Durham

New England Regional : No

Accelerated Masters Eligible : No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form . This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted , you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts : Please have your institution send the transcript directly to [email protected] . Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts : Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a brief but carefully crafted statement that includes: 1) Research experience. State the goals of your previous research and accomplishments to date. Including a list of publications, presentations, and awards within the Experience and Background section of the application is encouraged; however, please do not send actual publications or presentations. 2) A clear indication of your area of research interest(s). You may choose from analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, or physical chemistry. Indicating more than one interest is perfectly acceptable. Provide a clear rationale as to why you wish to perform graduate work in these areas and include your immediate and long-range objectives. 3) Those UNH Chemistry faculty whose research interests you and why. 4) Additional information that will enhance the selection committee’s understanding of your personal background and life experiences, including educational (e.g. teaching and leadership experience), cultural, familial, or other opportunities or challenges.

Statements must be included with your submitted application.

Important Notes

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Graduate School

Biochemistry (ph.d.), biochemistry (ph.d.) | graduate.

Our Biochemistry doctoral students are at the forefront of biochemical research and molecular medicine, examining biological mechanisms underlying human disease; they are finding new ways to detect and attack diseases and immunological disorders like cancer, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular disease.

Graduates of the Ph.D. in Biochemistry program at Howard's Graduate School are prepared for careers at top research universities and senior-level research positions in biomedical and related industries. The program's key strengths in molecular microbiology, proteomics and genetics, bioinformatics, and drug design and discovery make us a nexus for collaborative investigations between biochemistry researchers and clinicians. You'll learn to apply biochemical techniques, including NMR spectroscopy, crystallography, and single-molecule methods as well as contemporary approaches to cell culture and genetic analysis to answer key questions about the pathogenesis of specific diseases and the development of effective drug therapies. You'll also enjoy the close mentorship of faculty who are committed to your professional development. Our faculty are experts in several areas of biochemistry, including analysis of molecular structure, proteomics and genetics, tumor biology, structural biology, enzymology, RNA catalysis, stress response, and RNA modification. As you advance in the program, you'll become increasingly involved in laboratory research and the critical analysis of biochemical literature. Our graduate seminar series offers a venue to present your early-stage research. Students may pursue a dual M.D./Ph.D. degree.

Program Snapshot

      ❱  72 credit hours        ❱  Full-time       ❱  On-campus format       ❱  Degree: Ph.D.       ❱  Dual degree: M.D./Ph.D.

Application Deadlines

Spring 2024 entry:         ❱  No spring entry 

Fall 2024 entry:         ❱  Dec. 1, 2023 (early deadline)       ❱  Feb. 15, 2024 (priority deadline)       ❱  Apr. 15, 2024 (final deadline)

Applicants should submit their applications as early as possible for earlier consideration of departmental funding opportunities. Applicants have until the final deadline to apply. However, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the admissions cycle. 

Dr. Zaki Sherif

Dr. matthew george, jr., angela wilson, program details.

• Degree Classification: Graduate
• Related Degrees: M.D. / Ph.D., Ph.D.

Admission Requirements

Application for admission.

• Online GradCAS application
• Statement of purpose/ Statement of academic interest ( 500-1,000 words )
• GRE scores  not required
• Official transcripts sent to GradCAS
• 3 letters of recommendation
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university or the international equivalent 
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Autobiographical statement ( 500-750 words )

GRE Required?

Gre preferred minimums.

• GRE Verbal Reasoning: N/A
• GRE Quantitative Reasoning: N/A
• GRE Analytical Writing: N/A

GPA Required Minimums

• Overall GPA minimum: 3.0
• Undergrad GPA minimum: 3.0

Prerequisite Courses

The following course prerequisites are required. Applicants are required to have at least a B average in these prerequisites.   No expiration date for recommended prerequisites.

• Biology (college-level courses, 8 semester credit hrs)
• General Chemistry (college-level courses, 8 semester credit hrs)
• Organic Chemistry (college-level courses, 8 semester credit hrs)
• Elementary Physical Chemistry (college-level course and lab, 4 semester credit hrs)
• Physics (college-level courses, 8 semester credit hrs)
• Calculus  (college-level course, 3 semester credit hrs)

Reference Requirements

Evaluator type accepted:

• Professor (Required)
• Supervisor/Manager
• Other 

Evaluator type not accepted:

• Family Member