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Master of Science in Chemistry

College
College of Sciences
Department
Chemistry
Level
Masters
Study System
Thesis and Courses
Total Credit Hours
34 Cr. Hrs
Duration
2-4 Years
Intake
Fall & Spring
Location
Sharjah Main Campus
Language
English
Study Mode
Full Time and Part Time

Master of Science in Chemistry


Introduction

The curriculum of the MSc program in Chemistry provides advanced courses in essential science disciplines, including: organic synthesis, polymer synthesis and characterization, catalysts, corrosion, electroanalytical chemistry, Nano-chemistry, Spectroscopy, biochemistry, proteomics, environmental, petrochemical, natural products, and education. The students will also be introduced to more specialized fields in Chemistry such as advanced analytical, organic, inorganic, and physical Chemistry. Students taking the MSc degree by research (Thesis) will carry out their research in laboratories which are supported by up-to-date instrumentation and professional staff.


Program Objectives

The objectives of the MSc Chemistry program are to:

  1. provide excellent education at the graduate levels in all fields of Chemistry.
  2. provide graduates with technical and communication skills necessary to make sound and responsible and ethical decisions and conclusions.
  3. prepare graduates to take up leadership positions with skills to seek to open life-long learning opportunities.
  4. prepare students to conduct high quality pioneer research in chemistry and related fields that enable them to pursue higher degrees.

Program Goals
  1. to provide graduates with technical chemical skills necessary to make sound and responsible decisions in competitive and sustainable environment that are in line with legal requirements. 
  2. to equip graduates with the knowledge and skills required to identify and solve problems facing organizations and effectively utilize resources.
  3. to help graduates take up leadership roles with strong communication skills and be able to work competently alone and as members of multi-disciplinary and culturally diverse teams.
  4. to equip students with skills to seek life-long learning opportunities such as professional development and training.

Program Outcomes
By the end of the program, students should be able to:
  1. solve complex problems in chemical applications.
  2. use modern methods to carry out research and solve real life problems.
  3. properly document and present the results of research work.
  4. work effectively in teams and manage group tasks.
  5. apply appropriate ethical standards to issues related to science, research, and work.
  6. critically evaluate current information in the field of chemistry.

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the MSc Chemistry program, graduates will be able to:
  1. demonstrate advanced knowledge and applicable research principles and methods in chemistry.
  2. implement acquired Chemistry skills to operate effectively in a new learning or professional context such as higher education, specialized industrial labs, pharmaceuticals, and forensics.
  3. demonstrate advanced skills of scientific writing, and oral presentation to analyze research findings and conclusions.
  4. manage laboratory activities and engage in effective scientific work as individuals and as team members.
  5. carry out independently a research project in any Chemistry discipline.
  6. assess and critically evaluate ethical issues related to Chemistry implications


Program Structure

The MSc program follows a thesis and courses track. That is, the students must complete a required number of courses and submit a thesis in the final year of their study.
As shown in the table below, a satisfactory completion of 34 credits is required to obtain the degree. The coursework includes 13 credit hours of compulsory courses, 9 credit hours of elective courses, and 9 credit hours for the Master thesis. The program also requires a satisfactory completion of a 3 credit Technical Elective Course.

Components of MSc Program in Chemistry 

Components
Credit Hours 
Compulsory Courses13
Elective Courses9
Technical Elective Course3
M.Sc. Thesis9
Total
34

 

The curricula requirements are classified into the following categories:

a-   Compulsory Courses
Course No.Course NamePrerequisite Credit Hours
1420515Advanced Organic ChemistrySuccessfully completing two semesters in Organic Chemistry during the student's undergraduate studies3
1420525Advanced Analytical ChemistrySuccessfully completing one semester in Analytical Chemistry during the student's undergraduate studies3
1420535Advanced Inorganic ChemistrySuccessfully completing two semesters in Inorganic Chemistry during the student's undergraduate studies3
1420545Advanced Physical ChemistrySuccessfully completing two semesters in Physical Chemistry during the student's undergraduate studies3
1420590Research MethodologyApproval from the course instructor1
1420591MSc. ThesisApproval from the course instructor 9

 

 

b-  Elective Courses

Course No.Course NamePrerequisite Credit Hours
1420510Special Topics in Organic Chemistry 1420515 & consent of the instructor3
1420511Physical Organic Chemistry 1420515 or consent of the instructor 3
1420512Advanced Organometallics 14205353
1420516Heterocyclic Chemistry 1420515 3
1420520Special Topics in Analytical Chemistry 1420525 & consent of the instructor3
1420521Electrochemistry Techniques 14205253
1420530Special Topics in Inorganic Chemistry 1420535 & consent of the instructor3
1420531Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry 14205353
1420540Special Topics in Physical Chemistry 1420545 & consent of the instructor3
1420541Advanced Spectroscopy1420545 & 14205253
1420550Special Topics in Applied Chemistry1420515 & 14205353
1420551Advanced Polymer Science1420515 &14205453
1420554Green Chemistry1420525 & 14205353
1420555Advanced Biochemistry14205153
1420556Advanced Material Science1420515 & 1420535

 
3​


Admission     Requirements

  1. Must hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent from a recognized university with a CGPA of 3.00 out of 4.00 or above.
  2. A CGPA between 2.5 - 2.99 may be admitted conditionally provided that the student registers 6-9 credits hours in the first semester of his/her studies and obtains a "B" average or above.
  3. Attendance in the bachelor's degree program must not be less than 75% of the total hours required for graduation.
  4. Students in programs taught in English must obtain 550 in the TOEFL exam or 6 in IELTS (Academic).
  5. Students must pass a “Departmental Placement Test”.


Special Admission Requirements

To check admission requirements, Click Here


Course Description

1420515 Advanced Organic Chemistry (3-0-3)

Organic reaction types; less common functional groups; reaction mechanisms; basic synthetic methods and structure determination.

Prerequisite: Two semesters of undergraduate organic chemistry

 

1420511 Physical Organic Chemistry (3-0-3)

This course covers structure of reactivity of organic molecules; energetic, kinetics, and investigation of reaction mechanisms; reaction rates and equilibria; acids and bases mechanisms and reactivity in nucleophilic substitution; elimination reactions; electrophilic and free radical addition to multiple bonds; and chemistry of carbonium ions, carbanions, free radicals, and molecular rearrangements.

Prerequisite:  1420515 or consent of the instructor

 

1420512 Advanced Organometallics   (3-0-3)

Synthesis, structure, and reactivity of organometallic compounds of transition metals; industrial applications; organometallic clusters, free and supported homogeneous catalysis; organic synthesis using organometallic compounds; structure and reactivity of main-group organometallic compounds, industrial application.

Prerequisite:  1420535

 

1420510 Special Topics in Organic Chemistry (3-0-3)

This course will be offered to graduate chemistry students. The course should explore selected area(s) of organic chemistry fields through updated discussion of lecture material or research articles and students are expected to write a report and present it in an acceptable format as part of the course evaluation.

Prerequisite: 1420515 & consent of the instructor

 

1420520 Special Topics in Analytical Chemistry (3-0-3)

Selected topics of contemporary interest in analytical and instrumental chemistry.

Prerequisite:  1420525 and consent of the instructor

 

1420527 Electrochemistry Techniques (3-0-3)

Advanced treatment of the analytical techniques and methodology with emphasis on the modern methods; basic principles, kinetics; and mechanisms of electrode reactions and surface phenomena, and analytical applications of potentiometry; voltammetry, coulometry, and conductometry.

Prerequisite:  1420525

 

1420525 Advanced Analytical Chemistry (3-0-3)

Advanced treatment of acid-base equilibria in aqueous and non-aqueous systems; complex action equilibria; electrochemical analysis with emphasis on potentiometry, and polarography; atomic absorption and emission spectrometry; separation methods; and mass spectrometry.

Prerequisite: Two semesters of undergraduate analytical chemistry

 

1420530 Special Topics in Inorganic Chemistry (3-0-3)

Selected topics of contemporary interest in inorganic chemistry. 

Prerequisite: 1420535 & consent of the instructor

 

1420531 Physical Methods in Inorganic Chemistry (3-0-3)

Theoretical principles and applications of the common physical methods used in the characterization of inorganic and organometallic compounds; introduction to group theory leading to the understanding of symmetry in chemistry, application of symmetry considerations to theories of bonding in coordination compounds, electron absorption, vibration, and Raman spectroscopy; nuclear magnetic resonance, electron paramagnetic resonance, nuclear quadrupole resonance, Mössbauer effect, optical rotary dispersion and circular dichorism and photoelectron spectroscopy.

Prerequisite: 1420535

 

1420535 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (3-0-3)
Review of the chemistry of transition and inner transition elements; theories of bonding in coordination compounds; applications of the ligand field theory to the interpretation of spectra and magnetochemistry; structure and reactivity; and coordination compounds in biological systems and industry. ​ ​

 

1420540 Special Topics in Physical Chemistry (3-0-3)

Selected topics of contemporary interest in physical chemistry.

Prerequisite: 1420545 & consent of the instructor

 

1420541 Advanced Spectroscopy (3-0-3)

An introduction to modern molecular spectroscopy with emphasis on the concepts and methods needed to understand the interaction of radiation with matter will be covered. Topics including atomic, rotational, vibrational, and electronic spectra of molecules, and radio frequency spectroscopy.

Prerequisite: 1420545 & 1420525

 

1420545 Advanced Physical Chemistry (3-0-3)

Classical and statistical thermodynamic concepts with emphasis on application to chemical species in solution; consideration of theories of chemical reaction rates; kinetic studies of simple and complex systems; and basic principles and procedures of quantum chemistry with applications to atomic and molecular systems will be covered.

Prerequisite: Two semesters of undergraduate physical chemistry

 

1420550 Special Topics in Applied Chemistry (3-0-3)

The course should explore selected area(s) of Applied Chemistry fields through updated discussion of lecture material or research articles and students are expected to write a report and present it in an acceptable format as part of the course evaluation. Topics of current applied chemistry are offered reflecting new developments in any area of chemistry and the changing needs of students and faculty.

Prerequisite: 1420515 & 1420535

 

1420551 Advanced Polymer Science (3-0-3)

Types of polymerization reactions; kinetic and mechanistic studies of addition and condensation polymerization by ionic; free radical and coordination initiators and catalysts; ring opening polymerization; Stereochemistry of polymerization.

Prerequisite: 1420515 & 1420535

 

1420554 Green Chemistry (3-0-3)

Understanding basic environmental chemistry and biology; the effect of humans lays the groundwork for applying the Green; Principles of designing safer chemicals and less hazardous chemical synthesis; using catalysis to avoid unnecessary waste; using safer solvents and auxiliaries, reducing unnecessary chemical derivatives; designing for energy efficiency; designing for degradation; developing real-time analysis for pollution prevention; and using renewable feed stocks.

Prerequisite: 1420525 & 1420535

 

1420555  Advanced Biochemistry   (3-0-3)

Biochemical functions of biomolecules including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Proteins structure, folding/misfolding. Role of enzymes and coenzymes in metabolism and biosynthesis. Membrane structure and function. Photosynthesis and bioenergetics.

Prerequisite: 1420515

 

1420556 Advanced Material Science (3-0-3)

This course introduces the properties, structures, and uses of engineering materials; and the impact of material selection and material performance on the performance of a structure or mechanism due to the relationship between macroscopic properties and microscopic causes. 

Prerequisite: 1420535 and 1420515

 

1420590 Research Methodology (1-0-1)

Prerequisite: Approval of the academic advisor

General introduction to postgraduate research, its methodologies, its challenges and its organization, including in creative practice. Students will be introduced to a range of research tools and will be equipped to plan and organize their research, as well as to communicate their findings.

Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor

 

1420591 Research Project (3-0-3)

Prerequisite: Approval of the academic advisor

The research project in Chemistry is carried out under the supervision of one academic staff. Student undertaking original lab-based research in an area of their liking. The Chemistry staff supervisor is responsible for approving the writing and submission of a thesis.

Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor

 

1420595 Thesis  (0-0-6)

The student pursues an individual investigation, which is carried out under the supervision of a Faculty member. In order to complete the MSc work, the student must pass his/her thesis defense.

Prerequisite: Approval of the academic advisor

 

1420599 Comprehensive Exam    (0-0-0)

Graduate students must take a comprehensive exam which covers the four chemistry compulsory core courses according to the College of Graduate Studies and Research by-laws.

Prerequisite: Approval of the academic advisor