Overview
Diego, California, Is One of the Most Beautiful Educational Locations in the Country
San Diego is the second largest city in California and the eighth-largest city in the United States. The city's diverse economy is bolstered by the top talent it draws from around the world. A large part of the city's economy is composed of biotechnology and biosciences, along with a large agricultural industry. These areas are promoted by the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), which is a leader in bioscience research and development. Home to the architecturally famous Geisel Library, UCSD also contributes to the rich cultural atmosphere of San Diego. Some of the best and most famous museums on the West Coast are located in San Diego's Balboa Park, including the San Diego Museum of Art and the San Diego Museum of Natural History.
San Diego's size and prominence within California make it a metropolitan magnet for the world's best and brightest. Despite having a bustling metro area population of nearly 3 million, San Diego is an area of breathtaking natural landscapes. Situated along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, it is a center of ocean sports and research. In addition, the University of California at San Diego occupies 1,200 acres of coastal woodland, a beautiful setting for the prestigious university.
UCSD Remains an Important Supporter of Bioscience Research
The University of California at San Diego (UCSD), in conjunction with the UCSD Medical Center, the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and a number of research institutes and facilities located on San Diego's Torrey Pines Mesa, has always been a major proponent of research in the areas of science and technology. The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UCSD deserves particular attention for its excellent research facilities.
The primary research areas of the department include biochemistry, both organic and inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, and chemical education. However, with over sixty research faculty members, the department has the resources to offer interdisciplinary research specializations in such areas as cellular biochemistry and computational/theoretical chemistry.
The research faculty at UCSD is composed of many of the top researchers in the field today, including multiple Nobel laureates for chemistry and individuals selected to advise the president of the United States. The school's research facilities are worthy of this notability. In addition to its top-notch faculty members, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry employs a qualified staff of technicians in its excellent facilities, which include nuclear magnetic resonance facilities and molecular structure x-ray facilities. All doctoral students participate in research in one of the nation's top research communities, and master's-level students have the option of completing a research-oriented thesis.
UCSD's Chemistry Ph.D. Program Receives Top Rankings and National Accolades
Consistently ranked by "U.S. News & World Report" as one of the Top 20 Ph.D. programs in chemistry in the nation, the University of California at San Diego's doctoral degree from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is highly sought-after by the brightest students in the field. In rankings of graduate programs specializing in biochemistry, UCSD fared even better; the biochemistry doctorate ranked in the nation's Top 10. The department supports 240 graduate students in three different graduate programs.
In addition to the Ph.D. program, students can also receive one of two masters' degrees in chemistry and biochemistry, choosing between course work-oriented and research-oriented programs. In addition, UCSD offers a joint doctoral degree program with San Diego State University for students who have completed one year of master's course work in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and wish to continue in pursuit of a Ph.D.
In addition to these nationally recognized graduate programs, UC San Diego offers a number of opportunities for postgraduate work and offers research grants for those students who have completed the Ph.D. program and wish to pursue a research career within academia. Doctoral degree candidates begin research in the first year of the Ph.D. program and engage in teaching apprenticeships, ensuring that graduates leave the university at the top of their field and with a well-rounded set of teaching and research skills.
