Graduate Programs

Overview

Graduate students in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The University of Toledo receive collaborative research experience in state-of-the-art labs. This interdisciplinary, practical experience prepares our graduates for successful careers in industry, academia and government. 

UToledo offers four graduate degree programs in Chemistry. Two are research-based. 

Ph.D. in Chemistry 

• Prepares students for independent research careers in academia or industry 
• Moderate course work requirements paired with strong research programs 

M.S. in Chemistry, with thesis 

• Focus on in-depth course work, independent research and professional skills training
• For students who want to further their professional careers or pursue a doctorate 

M.S. in Chemistry, no thesis 

• An alternate pathway for teachers, nontraditional students and employees of local industry
• For those who want to advance their careers or meet eligibility requirements for teaching positions at community colleges
• Laboratory research not required 

Professional science master's degree in Green Chemistry and Engineering 

• The first degree of its kind in the U.S. — a non-research-based master's degree that focuses on professional skills development, an industrial internship and graduate course work in chemistry, engineering and business
• For those who want to focus on sustainability, environmental issues and development of “green” approaches in chemistry and engineering

Top Reasons to Study Chemistry at UToledo

1. Hands-on experience with cutting-edge instrumentation.

   The Bowman-Oddy/Wolfe Hall complex contains the NSM Instrumentation Center, NMR facility, glass-blowing lab, chemical stockroom and independent, faculty research labs. You'll have access to all the state-of-the-art equipment you need for research, including:

   • NMR and mass spectrometers 
   • X-ray diffractometers 
   • Electron microscopes 
   • EPR instrumentation 
   • Confocal live-cell imagers 
2. New topics in chemistry.

   UToledo's Chemistry master’s and doctoral programs evolve to keep up with new developments in the field. The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is home to the Ohio Crystallography Consortium and its internationally recognized program for molecular and macromolecular crystallographic research. The PSM in green chemistry and engineering is the first degree of its kind in the U.S. It is approved by the National Professional Science Masters Association. 
3. Alumni making a difference.

   Join UToledo's robust network of Chemistry alumni who have been recognized for their work as industrial and government chemists, medical doctors, dentists, pharmacists, university faculty, patent attorneys and CEOs and research directors at Fortune 500 companies. 

   UToledo Chemistry alumni have: 

   • Helped develop synthetic diamonds 
   • Discovered new alloys, life-saving antibacterial compounds and anti-cancer immunotherapies 
   • Led the development of portable defibrillators from production to market 
   • Established global guidelines to develop and produce safe drinking water and consumer products 
4. Low student-to-faculty ratio.

   UToledo’s Chemistry doctoral degree candidates learn from and work directly with faculty in research groups of three to six graduate students. This means direct connections and engaging discussions with internationally recognized experts in their fields. 

Research Opportunities

UToledo's Chemistry faculty members have won awards for their research and publish an average of 50 times annually. Many are federally funded by agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation. Dr. Jon Kirchhoff, chemistry department chair and distinguished university professor, has published three papers with 2016 Nobel Laureate Jean-Pierre Sauvage. 

Our Chemistry graduate students have opportunities to: 

• Collaborate with faculty on world-class research 
• Obtain experience with advanced instrumentation  
• Attend scientific conferences, present research results and network with leaders in the field 
• Publish in scientific journals 

Faculty research topics cover a variety of areas, including: 

• Analytical methods development 
• Anti-infective drug discovery 
• Biomarker discovery
• Biomolecular modeling and imaging
• Carbohydrate synthesis and vaccine development 
• Catalysis
• DNA replication
• Green chemistry
• Live-cell confocal imaging and optogenetics
• Mechanistic biochemistry 
• Nanomaterial synthesis and characterization
• Sensor design and characterization 

Internships

Master's and doctoral candidates gain hands-on, practical training and experience — often while receiving wages, stipends, tuition waivers or fellowships. Our graduate students intern with businesses and organizations. and receive research assistantships with faculty.  

For the P.S.M. option, an industrial internship in an area relevant to green chemistry is required and identified with help from the P.S.M. program director. 

 

What jobs can I get with a Chemistry degree?

A master's degree in Chemistry from The University of Toledo increases your marketability. Graduates earn promotions at their current jobs or can launch new careers as: 

• Analytical chemists 
• Instructors 
• Quality control chemists 
• R&D chemists 
• Research scientists 
• TS engineers 

Master's graduates also enter doctoral programs in Chemistry at many reputable institutions, including UToledo, South Dakota School of the Mines and Technology, Purdue University, the University of Cincinnati and the University of Kansas. Master’s degree students also have been accepted to law and medical schools. 

UToledo’s Chemistry doctoral program focuses on dissertation research. Our graduates have a distinct advantage in the job market because of their hands-on experiences using sophisticated instrumentation and broad-based, interdisciplinary training. 

Graduates are prepared to:   

• Work in academia or industry, conducting independent research 
• Continue their studies as post-doctoral associates at other universities 
• Land employment as instructors and professors 

Job opportunities exist in the chemical, pharmaceutical and biotech industries or related fields, such as patent law, business and sales. 

EMPLOYERS OF UTOLEDO ALUMNI WITH a PH.D IN CHEMISTRY

• AbbVie Inc.
• Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• Ashland Inc.
• Boulder Scientific Company
• Eli and Edyth L. Broad Institute at Harvard University
• Eli Lilly and Company
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• North American Science Associates, Inc. (NAMSA)
• Novartis
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Washington University School of Medicine