Program in Chemistry School of Science Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Offering one of the first interdisciplinary, integrated laboratories in the nation, the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology helped make Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) a national model for laboratory instruction. Classes are delivered in Walker Laboratory and Cogswell Laboratory, allowing students to get hands-on experience with state-of-the-art research equipment during their instruction.

Students in the department can expect a continued tradition of educational innovation while studying ''the central role of chemistry in the science and technology of tomorrow.'' Students have the opportunity to study both the traditional areas of chemistry, such as chemical reactions, molecular structure, and synthesis, as well as areas of chemistry on the cutting edge of modern science, including biochemistry, biophysics and biotechnology, materials and polymer chemistry, and medicinal chemistry.

The department is home to 2 innovative research centers: the New York Center for Polymer Synthesis and the New York Center for Studies on the Origins of Life. Additional chemistry research laboratories are housed in the Science Center and the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies.

State-of-the-Art Research Equipment and Interdisciplinary Research Laboratories

Rensselaer's Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology is dedicated to the university's founding principles of innovative research. In addition to well-developed research programs in the traditional areas of chemistry, the department also encourages collaboration with other departments on research that covers a variety of interdisciplinary areas. For instance, collaborations with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering explore various areas of polymers, biomaterials, and nanomaterials. Other collaborative programs are in place with 6 additional departments and centers at Rensselaer and at least 3 regional research institutions.

All equipment and instruments managed by the department are available for use by all researchers, including faculty members, visiting scholars, postdoctoral associates, graduate students, and undergraduates. Some of the state-of-the-art equipment available for use includes: surface plasmon resonance and FTIR spectrophotometers; DSC, DTA, TGA, and TMA instruments for thermal studies; and X-ray fluorescence and diffraction instruments.

Doctoral Degree Available from Chemistry and Chemical Biology

The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology offers a PhD in Chemistry to qualifying students who have completed 72 credit hours of research and course work, including 42 hours past the master's level. All doctoral candidates must pass an oral candidacy examination and a final defense of a doctoral thesis.

Master's Degree Available from Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Students in the Chemistry and Chemical Biology department have the opportunity to earn a Master of Science (MS) in Chemistry once they complete 30 credit hours of research and course work, including a research thesis. Students' course requirements are determined by their academic backgrounds and areas of interest, and commonly include interdisciplinary courses from related departments. Regardless of the individual's focus, all graduates are expected to be proficient in analytical, inorganic, organic, physical, and bio-chemistry.

Common course requirements include "Perspectives in Chemistry," "Introduction to Mass Spectrometry," and "Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy." Many first-year graduate students who are not eligible for a research assistantship are supported by a teaching assistantship under faculty direction, and also complete the Chemistry Teaching Seminar.

An Interdisciplinary Faculty Offers Opportunities for Collaborative Learning

Faculty members from the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology pride themselves in demonstrating their commitment to excellence in teaching and personal interaction with students. As part of a department that is increasingly interdisciplinary, the faculty remains at the forefront in developing an innovative and effective chemistry curriculum that offers students many opportunities for collaborative learning.

The department's faculty members are also well-recognized for their research accomplishments. For example, chemistry professor James Crivello recently received the prestigious Mark Senior Scholar Award from the American Chemical Society (ACS) for his outstanding research and leadership in polymer science. Dr. Crivello's research in initiators, block polymers, and metal-catalyzed ring-opening polymerizations has been published in more than 13 publications within 2 years alone.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute -- the Nation's Oldest Technological University

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) began its reputation as an institution for interdisciplinary research and interactive learning upon its founding in 1824. Today, Rensselaer is located on a 275-acre campus in historic Troy, New York, just outside the state capital, and is considered the nation's oldest technological university. The university has also been ranked among the top 50 universities in the nation by ''US News and World Report'' 10 years in a row.

Rensselaer offers to top students and researchers from around the world more than 100 graduate programs in more than 50 disciplines from 5 schools. Master's graduates take positions within private and public organizations, the government, or higher education with an average starting salary of over $60,000. Rensselaer graduates have constructed many of the canals, roads, bridges, skyscrapers, and infrastructural elements of today's society.

Financial Aid Opportunities at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rensselaer has been ranked 30th on the ''US News and World Report's'' list of ''Great Schools, Great Prices,'' in part because of the wide range of financial aid opportunities available, including Rensselaer-sponsored grants, leadership awards, and merit scholarships. Teaching and research assistantships are available to qualifying students, and such opportunities include tuition scholarships and stipends. The Rensselaer Graduate Fellowship Award is presented to outstanding full-time graduate students each calendar year, and includes a generous stipend and a full-tuition and fees scholarship.

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Inorganic Chemistry Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
  Master of Science (MS)
• Physical Chemistry Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
  Master of Science (MS)
• Analytical Chemistry Master of Science (MS)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Polymer Chemistry Master of Science (MS)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Organic Chemistry Master of Science (MS)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Biochemistry Master of Science (MS)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees 5
• Doctoral Degrees 8
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? Yes
• Evening/weekend programs available? Yes
• Distance learning programs available? No
• Terminal master's degree available? Yes

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Required for some
• Doctoral Degrees Required and Required
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied139
• Accepted22
• Acceptance Rate15%
• Enrolled6
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic $75
• Application Fee - International $75
• Electronic applications accepted? Yes
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Yes
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline February 1st Not Reported Yes
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline November 15th Not Reported Not Reported
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's DegreesGRE General Test, GRE Subject Test (strongly recommended)
• Doctoral's DegreesGRE General Test, GRE Subject Test (chemistry or biochemistry strongly recommended)
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesNot Reported
• International DegreesTOEFL required, 570 paper based, TOEFL iBT

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *$39,600
• Out-of-state tuition *$39,600
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year fees$1,896.00
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitNot Reported
• Application deadlines for financial awardsFebruary 1
• Types of financial support availableFellowships, Research Assitantships, Teaching Assistantships, Tuition Waivers, Institutionally-sponsored Loans

• Gender
• Total Graduate Students45
• Female Percentage42%
• Male Percentage58%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students45
• Part-time Percentage7%
• Full-time Percentage93%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / Latino0%
• Black / African American3%
• White / Caucasian79%
• American Indian / Alaskan Native0%
• Asian14%
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander0%
• Two or more races0%
• Unknown4%

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty16
• Full-time Percentage100%
• Part-time Percentage0%
• Female Percentage12%
• Male Percentage88%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchSynthetic polymer and biopolymer chemistry, physical chemistry of polymeric systems, bioanalytical chemistry, synthetic and computational drug design, protein folding and protein design
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last year$1,069,035