unc chemistry phd acceptance rate

You seem to be using an unsupported browser

To get the best user experience please use a supported browser. Here are a few we recommend:

• Department of Chemistry

Chapel Hill, NC

Department of Chemistry / Department of Chemistry is located in Chapel Hill, NC, in a suburban setting.

Degrees & Awards

Degrees offered, degrees awarded, degree requirements, acceptance rate, application deadlines, entrance requirements, tuition & fees, financial support, student body, race/ethnicity, location & contact.

• Grad Schools
• Search Results
• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Graduate School
• College of Arts and Sciences

• Skip to Content
• Catalog Home
• Institution Home
• Explore Programs (Majors & Minors)
• Programs A-Z
• Degree Requirements
• General Education Curriculum
• Departments
• Professional Schools and Colleges
• Academic Enrichment Programs
• Explore Programs (Graduate)
• Schools and Departments
• Graduate Education
• Courses A-Z
• Course Search
• Admissions /
• Graduate Admissions

Welcome graduate applicants! We are pleased that you are applying for admission to the UNC–Chapel Hill Graduate School. Admission to Graduate School academic programs is competitive, and students are selected on the basis of their academic preparation, ability, and program fit. For some programs, an on-site preadmissions interview may be required. Early contact with your program of interest can be helpful in preparing your application.

For the most updated admissions information, please check The Graduate School's admissions w ebsite . The website often is more up to date than this annual publication, so we encourage prospective students to begin there.

The Graduate School relies mainly on e-mail to communicate with all applicants. Therefore, please include a current e-mail address on your application and be sure to respond promptly to all correspondence.

Required Application Materials

Required materials for all applicants include

• Graduate School online application
• Application fee
• Transcripts
• Current letters of recommendation
• Standardized test scores
• Statement of purpose
• Supplemental information (any additional information or materials required by the program)

For international applicants only, the following additional materials are required:

• TOEFL or IELTS score

Once we have received all required application materials and fees, the review and evaluation of your application will begin. While the recommendations and test scores will likely arrive at The Graduate School at different times, it is your responsibility to make sure that the online application is submitted and the fee paid prior to the program's posted deadline.

Minimum Graduate Admission Requirements

The minimum requirements for admission to a graduate program are:

• A bachelor's degree (based on a four-year curriculum) completed before graduate study begins, or its international equivalent with an accredited institution
• An average grade of B (cumulative GPA 3.0) or better

Along with these minimal requirements, admission decisions are based on a number of factors, including academic degrees and record, written statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, test scores, and relevant work and research experience. All admission recommendations are made by each individual program or department.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Admissions Appeal Procedure

Revised August 2016

This section sets forth the procedures to be followed with respect to the appeal of a negative admissions decision, including a decision to rescind an admission that has already been granted.

Appeal to Admissions Officer

Appeals concerning individual admission, or admission rescission, decisions may be had only if it is contended that a) a provision set forth in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill admissions policy ("admissions policy") has been violated or b) the decision not to admit the individual or to rescind admission resulted from a material procedural error in the admissions process. An applicant’s omission of relevant information from the original application for admission will not ordinarily constitute grounds for an appeal; nor will academic or personal circumstances that changed after the submission of the application. Such an appeal shall be lodged by the applicant-appellant with the administrative officer (the director of undergraduate admissions, the dean of The Graduate School, the dean of the professional school concerned, or the dean of Summer School) whose office had responsibility for the admission in question (hereafter the "admissions officer") within 30 days after the University posts the appellant's online decision. The appeal shall be in writing and shall set forth the grounds for the appeal.

Upon receipt of the appeal, the admissions officer or the admissions officer’s designee shall review the applicant-appellant's file and appeal letter and shall communicate his or her decision to the appellant in writing.

Appeal to Provost

The decision of the admissions officer may be appealed to the provost only if it is contended that a) a provision set forth in the admissions policy has been violated or b) the decision not to admit the individual or to rescind admission resulted from a material procedural error in the admissions, or appeal, process. An applicant’s omission of relevant information from the original application for admission or from the appeal to the admissions officer will not ordinarily constitute grounds for an appeal; nor will academic or personal circumstances that changed after the submission of the application or the appeal to the admissions officer. Such an appeal shall be lodged with the provost by filing a letter of appeal specifying the grounds for the appeal within 15 days after the appellant has received the letter communicating the decision of the admissions officer.

The appeal shall be heard by the provost or the provost's designee, and the appellant, at his or her option, may appear in person or conduct the appeal by telephone. Following the hearing, the provost or designee will communicate the decision to the appellant in writing. The decision of the provost is final, and no further appeal is available.

Application Process

Applications for admission to the UNC–Chapel Hill Graduate School are submitted via the online admission application . All required materials listed above should be submitted according to the instructions provided. Your application will not be reviewed until the application is submitted and the application fee is received. By submitting an application to UNC–Chapel Hill, consent is granted to University staff to obtain any additional or missing information as needed, including campus safety information.

Application Deadlines

Please be aware that each program has a specific application deadline. Most programs admit students for the fall semester only, however a few programs allow spring or summer session admissions. Please see the listing of graduate programs and their application deadlines for accepted terms of entry.

Each offer of admission is specific for the term stated in the admission letter. If you do not register for classes or complete your first semester, you must apply again in a subsequent semester. Contact your intended program for questions about deferrals of admission offers.

Completed applications and nonrefundable application fees must be submitted before the program's application deadline. Applications will not be accepted for review or consideration after the posted graduate program deadline has passed. International applicants should apply early in order to allow sufficient time for financial and visa document preparation. The Graduate School recommends that international applicants submit a complete application no later than December 1.

Fellowship and Financial Aid Deadlines

Most of the financial support available to graduate students is based within individual programs. In addition, a limited amount of financial support is available from The Graduate School and is based upon nominations from individual programs. In order to allow sufficient time for your program to nominate you for Graduate School fellowships, it is recommended that your application be submitted by the fall Graduate School fellowships date. Please visit application deadlines for specific date information.

If your program continues to accept applications after the fall Graduate School fellowship date, you are still eligible for their program-based support. Contact your intended program for complete information about available graduate student financial support and relevant deadlines.

The University awards loans and tuition enhancement grants to graduate students who qualify, based on information provided in the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form due March 1. For more information, please visit the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid .

Campus Safety Information

Applicants for admission will be asked several questions regarding criminal pleas, charges and convictions, academic suspensions, and military discharges. If additional information is needed, you may be asked to submit information for a criminal background check, which requires a nominal fee. You must describe violations of law in your home country and in any other country in which you have resided. The term "law" includes codes, legal rules and regulations, and other criminal-type statutes or violations of municipal, local, provincial, state, federal, national, commonwealth, and other governmental jurisdiction. Failure to provide complete, accurate, and truthful information will be grounds to deny or withdraw your admission, or to dismiss you after enrollment. The same actions will occur if you fail to notify The Graduate School promptly in writing of such charges that occur at any time after you submit the application. Questions can be directed to The Graduate School's admissions contacts .

• Programs A-​Z
• Aerospace Studies
• African, African American, and Diaspora Studies
• American Studies
• Anthropology
• Applied Physical Sciences
• Archaeology
• Art and Art History
• Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
• Biochemistry and Biophysics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Biostatistics
• Cell Biology and Physiology
• City and Regional Planning
• Communication
• Computer Science
• Dramatic Art
• Earth, Marine, and Environmental Sciences
• English and Comparative Literature
• Environment, Ecology, and Energy
• Environmental Sciences and Engineering
• European Studies
• Exercise and Sport Science
• Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures
• Global Studies
• Health Policy and Management
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Latin American Studies
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Microbiology and Immunology
• Military Science
• Naval Science
• Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
• Peace, War, and Defense
• Physics and Astronomy
• Political Science
• Psychology and Neuroscience
• Public Policy
• Religious Studies
• Romance Studies
• Statistics and Operations Research
• Women’s and Gender Studies
• College of Arts and Sciences
• Gillings School of Global Public Health
• Kenan–Flagler Business School
• UNC Adams School of Dentistry
• Information and Library Science
• UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media
• UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
• Summer School
• Digital and Lifelong Learning
• FY-​SEMINAR &​ FY-​LAUNCH
• FY-​TRIPLE
• GLBL-​LANG
• FC-​AESTH
• FC-​CREATE
• FC-​PAST
• FC-​VALUES
• FC-​GLOBAL
• FC-​NATSCI
• FC-​POWER
• FC-​QUANT
• FC-​KNOWING
• FC-​LAB
• Research and Discovery
• High-​Impact Experience
• Communication Beyond Carolina
• Lifetime Fitness
• Campus Life Experience
• Global Guarantee
• Study Abroad
• Undergraduate Research
• Honors Carolina
• Honors Beyond Chapel Hill
• Internships
• Distinguished Scholarships
• Languages across the Curriculum
• Student Life and Leadership
• North Carolina Fellows Program
• Summer Bridge
• Degree Programs
• African, African-​American, and Diaspora Studies
• Applied Professional Studies
• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
• Biological and Biomedical Sciences
• Clinical Laboratory Science
• Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling
• Data Science and Society
• Epidemiology
• Genetics and Molecular Biology
• Health Behavior
• Health Informatics
• Human Movement Science
• Journalism and Media
• Maternal and Child Health
• Neurobiology
• Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
• Pharmacology
• Public Health Leadership
• Social Work
• Speech and Hearing Sciences
• Toxicology and Environmental Medicine
• Academic Resources
• Certificate Programs
• AEROSPACE STUDIES (AERO)
• AFRICAN, AFRICAN-​AMERICAN, DIASPORA STUDIES (AAAD)
• AMERICAN STUDIES (AMST)
• ANTHROPOLOGY (ANTH)
• APPLIED SCIENCES (APPL)
• ARABIC (ARAB)
• ARCHAEOLOGY (ARCH)
• ARMY (ARMY)
• ART HISTORY (ARTH)
• ASIAN STUDIES (ASIA)
• ASTRONOMY (ASTR)
• BIOCHEMISTRY (BIOC)
• BIOINFORMATICS AND COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY (BCB)
• BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES (BBSP)
• BIOLOGY (BIOL)
• BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING (BMME)
• BIOSTATISTICS (BIOS)
• BOSNIAN-​CROATIAN-​SERBIAN (BCS)
• BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (BUSI)
• CAROLINA HEALTH INFORMATICS PROGRAM (CHIP)
• CATALAN (CATA)
• CELL BIOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY (CBPH)
• CELL AND DEVELOPMENT BIOLOGY (CBIO)
• CHEMICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY (CBMC)
• CHEMISTRY (CHEM)
• CHEROKEE (CHER)
• CHICHEWA (CHWA)
• CHINESE (CHIN)
• CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING (PLAN)
• CLASSICAL ARCHAEOLOGY (CLAR)
• CLASSICS (CLAS)
• CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE (CLSC)
• CLINICAL REHABILITATION AND MENTAL HEALTH COUNSEL (CRMH)
• COMMUNICATION STUDIES (COMM)
• COMPARATIVE LITERATURE (CMPL)
• COMPUTER SCIENCE (COMP)
• CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN STUDIES (EURO)
• CZECH (CZCH)
• DENTAL GRADUATE COURSE (DENG)
• DENTAL HYGIENE (DHYG)
• DENTAL HYGIENE EDUCATION (DHED)
• DRAMATIC ART (DRAM)
• DUTCH (DTCH)
• EARTH, MARINE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (EMES)
• ECONOMICS (ECON)
• EDUCATION (EDUC)
• ENDODONTICS (ENDO)
• ENGLISH (ENGL)
• ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (ENEC)
• ENVIRONMENT SCIENCES (ENVR)
• EPIDEMIOLOGY (EPID)
• EXERCISE AND SPORT SCIENCE (EXSS)
• EXPERIENCED TEACHER EDUCATION (EDMX)
• EXPERIENTIAL AND SPECIAL STUDIES (SPCL)
• EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS (DPET)
• FOLKLORE (FOLK)
• FRENCH (FREN)
• GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (GNET)
• GEOGRAPHY (GEOG)
• GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES (GEOL)
• GERMAN (GERM)
• GERMANIC AND SLAVIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES (GSLL)
• GLOBAL STUDIES (GLBL)
• GOVERNMENT (GOVT)
• GRADUATE STUDIES (GRAD)
• GREEK (GREK)
• HEALTH BEHAVIOR (HBEH)
• HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGEMENT (HPM)
• HEBREW (HEBR)
• HINDI-​URDU (HNUR)
• HISTORY (HIST)
• HUNGARIAN (HUNG)
• INFORMATION AND LIBRARY SCIENCE (INLS)
• INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES (IDST)
• ITALIAN (ITAL)
• JAPANESE (JAPN)
• JEWISH STUDIES (JWST)
• KOREAN (KOR)
• LATIN (LATN)
• LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES (LTAM)
• LIFETIME FITNESS (LFIT)
• LINGALA LANGUAGE (LGLA)
• LINGUISTICS (LING)
• MACEDONIAN (MACD)
• MANAGEMENT AND SOCIETY (MNGT)
• MARINE SCIENCE (MASC)
• MATERIAL SCIENCE (MTSC)
• MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH (MHCH)
• MATHEMATICS (MATH)
• MEDIA AND JOURNALISM (MEJO)
• MICROBIOLOGY (MCRO)
• MUSIC (MUSC)
• NAVAL SCIENCE (NAVS)
• NEUROBIOLOGY (NBIO)
• NEUROSCIENCE (NSCI)
• NURSING (NURS)
• NUTRITION (NUTR)
• OCCUPATIONAL SCIENCE (OCSC)
• OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (OCCT)
• OPERATIVE DENTISTRY (OPER)
• ORAL PATHOLOGY (ORPA)
• ORAL RADIOLOGY (ORAD)
• ORTHODONTICS (ORTH)
• PATHOLOGY (PATH)
• PEACE, WAR, AND DEFENSE (PWAD)
• PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY (PEDO)
• PERIODONTOLOGY (PERI)
• PERSIAN (PRSN)
• PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES (PHRS)
• PHARMACOENGINEERING AND MOLECULAR PHARMACEUTICS (DPMP)
• PHARMACOLOGY (PHCO)
• PHARMACY (NON-​DEPARTMENTAL) (PHCY)
• PHARMACY OUTCOMES AND POLICY (DPOP)
• PHARMACY PRACTICE AND EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION (DPPE)
• PHILOSOPHY (PHIL)
• PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES (PHYA)
• PHYSICS (PHYS)
• PHYSIOLOGY (PHYI)
• POLISH (PLSH)
• POLITICAL SCIENCE (POLI)
• PORTUGUESE (PORT)
• PRACTICE ADVANCEMENT AND CLINICAL EDUCATION (PACE)
• PROSTHODONTICS (PROS)
• PSYCHOLOGY (PSYC)
• PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (PUBA)
• PUBLIC HEALTH (PUBH)
• PUBLIC POLICY (PLCY)
• RADIOLOGIC SCIENCE (RADI)
• RECREATION AND LEISURE STUDIES (RECR)
• RELIGIOUS STUDIES (RELI)
• ROMANCE LANGUAGES (ROML)
• RUSSIAN (RUSS)
• SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH GENERAL (SPHG)
• SLAVIC LANGUAGES (SLAV)
• SOCIAL WORK (SOWO)
• SOCIOLOGY (SOCI)
• SPANISH (SPAN)
• SPEECH AND HEARING SCIENCES (SPHS)
• STATISTICS AND OPERATIONS RESEARCH (STOR)
• STUDIO ART (ARTS)
• SWAHILI (SWAH)
• TOXICOLOGY (TOXC)
• TURKISH (TURK)
• UKRAINIAN (UKRN)
• UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH (URES)
• VIETNAMESE (VIET)
• WOMEN'S AND GENDER STUDIES (WGST)
• WOLOF LANGUAGE (WOLO)
• YUCATEC MAYA LANGUAGE (MAYA)
• Administrative Officers
• Board of Trustees
• Board of Governors
• UNC-​Chapel Hill: An Introduction
• The UNC System
• Academic Calendar
• NCCC Transfer Articulation and Pathways
• Explore Programs
• General Education Approved Course Substitution Lists
• Registration, Enrollment, and Withdrawal
• Attendance, Grading, and Examination
• Academic Standing
• University Policies
• Resources: Academic and Research
• Resources: Campus Life
• Resources: Career Planning
• Resources: Health and Wellness
• Resources: Service and Leadership
• Tuition and Financial Aid

About UNC Admissions Resources Policies and Procedures Tuition and Financial Aid Academic Calendar

© 2023-2024 Copyright

Print Options

Print this page.

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

All pages in Graduate Catalog.

All pages in Undergraduate Catalog.

Best Chemistry Programs

Ranked in 2023, part of Best Science Schools

With a graduate degree in chemistry, scientists may find

With a graduate degree in chemistry, scientists may find jobs in laboratories, government agencies, research institutions, pharmaceutical companies, colleges and universities, and more. These are the best chemistry schools. Each school's score reflects its average rating on a scale from 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding), based on a survey of academics at peer institutions. Read the methodology »

• Clear Filters

Apply to BBSP

Program Website :  http://www.chem.unc.edu

BBSP Student Faculty Liaison : Dorothy Erie, PhD Student Services Specialist: Jill Fallin

Program overview.

The Chemistry Department at UNC is ranked among the top fifteen graduate programs in the country and has outstanding research programs in all areas of modern chemistry. Areas of focus include understanding the molecular basis of biological processes and of human disease. Chemistry faculty lead one of the broadest networks of collaborative scholarship at UNC. Our graduate training program provides a collegial, interdisciplinary, and unifying home for students interested in research that lies at the interface of biology and the chemical sciences.

The overarching goal of the doctoral program is to train students broadly for leadership roles in academia and industry.

General Program of Study

The overall program is flexible in order to meet the diverse scientific goals of individual students. Requirements designed to prepare students for research are completed by the end of the second year. The Department is proud of its record of graduating the majority of its students within five years.

Year one :  Class work, research-group rotations, teaching, selection of a research mentor.

Year two :  Begin research , pass a written qualifying exam, and write and defend a Prospectus on the topic of your proposed doctoral research project.

Year three :  Become intensively involved in research and present a seminar on your doctoral research project.

By year five :  Publish, write a doctoral dissertation, and present a public defense of your research results.

The Chemistry Department prides itself on providing flexible course options that allow students to pursue diverse scientific interests and to choose courses that best support students’ individual research goals. Students are encouraged to develop a course regiment in consultation with a faculty advisor with the goal of meeting the training needs of the individual student. In general, the Department emphasizes small enrollment didactic and literature-based courses. The department offers two graduate courses in Chemical Biology in the fall and spring, and encourages students to fill out their schedule with electives that meet their academic interests.

CHEM 732: Advances in Macromolecular Structure and Function

CHEM 730: Chemical Biology

Students are encouraged to choose electives of their choosing. Other options include, but are not limited to, elective coursework in organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, cell biology, enzymology, pharmaceutical chemistry, and computer science and bioinformatics.

Qualifying Exams

A written qualifying exam is typically held in early October of year two, with a second opportunity in January if needed. The exam is taken over a period of three days and will cover three current and advanced academic topics in chemical biology and biochemistry. The broad outline and background literature for these questions are provided one month prior to the exam to allow the students to prepare.

An oral and written Prospectus exam is completed by the end of the fourth semester and consists of a written (12 page) dissertation proposal and an oral examination. The student defends the proposal in front of a thesis committee of five professors. For the oral examination, students prepare a formal presentation of approximately 30 minutes. The committee evaluates the feasibility of the proposed work, the chemical and biochemical knowledge of the student, and whether the student has the skills to accomplish the dissertation work in a timely trajectory.

Chemistry Fall Graduate Courses

** CHEM 732 ADVANCES IN MACROMOLECULAR STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION : (3) Fall. In-depth analysis of the structure-function relationships that govern biological processes, including protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interactions and enzyme function. Course includes selections from both the current and classic literature that highlight the broad range of techniques used to study these processes.

* CHEM 430 INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY : (3) Fall. The study of cellular processes including catalysts, metabolism, bioenergetics, and biochemical genetics. The structure and function of biological macromolecules involved in these processes will be emphasized.

* CHEM 431 MACROMOLECULAR STRUCTURE AND METABOLISM : (3) Fall. Structure of DNA and methods in biotechnology; DNA replication and repair; RNA structure, synthesis, localization and transcriptional reputation; protein structure/function, biosynthesis, modification, localization, and degradation.

Chemistry Spring Graduate Courses

**  CHEM 730 CHEMICAL BIOLOGY : (3) Spring. Application of chemical principles and tools to study and manipulate biological systems; in-depth exploration of examples from the contemporary literature. Topics may change from year to year as the field of chemical biology is rapidly progressing. Example topics include new designs for the genetic code, drug design, chemical arrays, single molecule experiments, laboratory-based evolution, chemical sensors, and synthetic biology.

* CHEM 430 INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY : (3) Spring. The study of cellular processes including catalysts, metabolism, bioenergetics, and biochemical genetics. The structure and function of biological macromolecules involved in these processes will be emphasized.

* CHEM 432 METABOLIC CHEMISTRY & CELLULAR REGULATORY NETWORKS : (3) Spring. Biological membranes, membrane protein structure, transport phenomena; metabolic pathways, reaction themes, regulatory networks; metabolic transformations with carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, and nucleotides; regulatory networks, signal transduction.

**    Strongly recommended for BBSP students interested in Chemical Biology or Biochemistry

* Recommended for students who have not had significant prior coursework in Biochemistry

• Skip to Main Content
• Undergraduate
• News & Events
• Message from the Department Head
• Biochemistry Concentration
• Student Central
• Financial Support
• FAQs – Admission

PhD in Chemistry and Biochemistry

• How to Apply

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers a Ph.D. degree program in Chemistry and Biochemistry. Students in the program take coursework and participate in mentored research to develop a fundamental understanding of the chemical and biochemical principles that direct the discovery, design and development of new approaches to address fundamental challenges related to health, education, environment, and energy. Several areas of research emphasis are open to students in the program, including Bioanalytical, Biophysical, Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry, Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Natural Products, Integrative Medicine and Chemical Education Research. In addition, opportunities to take part in Internships with local companies are available as part of the training.  For more information about the Chemistry and Biochemistry program, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page , or contact individual faculty members about research opportunities.

For general questions about the Chemistry and Biochemistry Ph.D. program, please contact:

Dr. Nicholas Oberlies Director of Graduate Studies [email protected] 336-334-5474

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Patricia A. Sullivan Science Building PO Box 26170 | Greensboro, NC 27402-6170 Phone: 336.334.5714 | Fax: 336.334.5402 Copyright © 2022. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. All rights reserved

• Make a gift
• ConnectCarolina
• Information for:
• Prospective students
• Current students
• Faculty and staff
• Alumni and friends

Graduate Student Statistics

See additional Graduate School data and statistics

• All students by level
• Students by ethnicity (drill-down)
• Graduate students by degree
• Graduate students by residency
• Graduate students by gender
• Graduate students by citizenship
• Graduate students by age

Source: Office of Institutional Research and Assessment , as of fall census date

Source: Institutional Research, Student Data Mart , as of Fall census date

Undergraduate Program

Undergraduate chemistry at carolina.

The Department of Chemistry was established in 1818, and the first Ph.D. degree was awarded in 1883. Since then, UNC has awarded more than 1250 Ph.D. degrees, and over 500 master’s degrees.

Our Faculty Our large and diverse faculty includes five members of the National Academy of Sciences, one member of the National Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, two recipients of an NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, several winners of American Chemical Society national awards, a Lemelson-MIT Prize winner, and numerous recipients of other prestigious national and local awards in chemistry and teaching.

We have outstanding research programs underway in all areas of modern Chemistry. Chemistry also is a focal point for interdisciplinary research efforts on campus in biological and materials sciences. Currently, our faculty includes close to 41 tenured and tenure-track faculty and 9 teaching faculty.

Undergraduate research students in the Schoenfisch Group

We also have a dedicated technical and administrative support staff to support the research and teaching of 668 undergraduate majors, 232 graduate students, 5 MS students, and 56 postdoctoral research associates.

Undergraduate Students The Chemistry Department has 650 undergraduate majors distributed among four tracks of study: BS Chemistry, BS Chemistry (Biochemistry track), BS Chemistry (Polymer track) and BA Chemistry. Chemistry majors are challenged with a rigorous academic program that provides excellent preparation for post undergraduate opportunities in graduate school, dental school, medical school, pharmacy school, law school (patent law), education (teaching), and a wide variety of industrial settings. Students who choose the chemistry major have a wealth of opportunities to participate in cutting-edge undergraduate research, an encouraged component in the program.

Undergraduate students are an integral part of the Chemistry Department, and the department recognizes this annually with scholarships, fellowships, job fairs, a Junior/Senior Banquet, and a spring BBQ. Our students frequently receive national recognition for their achievements through scholarships and awards including the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship and Churchill Fellowship.

Undergraduate Research Undergraduates find research to be an exciting and rewarding experience. Undergraduate research can help you acquire a spirit of inquiry, initiative, independence, sound judgment, patience, persistence, alertness, and the ability to use the chemical literature.

The Department strongly endorses undergraduate research as one of the potentially most rewarding aspects of your undergraduate experience.

2024-25 University Catalog

Chemistry and biochemistry, ph.d..

The Ph.D. in Chemistry and Biochemistry requires 56 credit hours in advanced chemical and biochemical course work and a dissertation culminating from extensive laboratory research experience carried out under the direction of a faculty advisor. The student gains experience in professional speaking by giving public oral scientific presentations through the departmental seminar program. The successful candidate will be well prepared for industrial or academic research careers in chemistry or biochemistry.

For information regarding deadlines and requirements for admission, please see https://grs.uncg.edu/programs/ .

In addition to the application materials required by the Graduate School, applicants must submit a one-page personal statement by the appropriate deadline to be considered for Fall or Spring admission.

A minimum of a B.S. in Chemistry, Biochemistry, or related field is required.

Degree Program Requirements

Required:  56 credit hours minimum

Students must select additional credits from Research Techniques and/or Electives sufficient to complete the 56 total credit hours required for the program.

A minimum of 12 credits in CHE 799 is required.

In approved (by the Department Graduate Studies Committee and student’s research advisor) elective graduate courses in chemistry, biology, mathematics or physics. Students who plan to pursue employment in industry are encouraged to enroll in CHE 790 Chemistry and Biochemistry Internship .

Required Milestones*

• Residency (Immersion)
• Plan of Study
• Research Competency
• Comprehensive Exam (Written & Oral)
• Dissertation Proposal
• Admission to Candidacy
• Dissertation Defense
• Filing the Final Approved Dissertation

General information about milestones for doctoral programs is available in Section III of the Graduate Policies page in the University Catalog. For information about how milestones are accomplished for a specific program, please refer to the doctoral program's handbook.