Chemical Science Program
The Chemical Science program offers programs of study leading to the Masters in Science (thesis and non-thesis) and Ph.D. degrees. Each degree program has specific requirements in terms of coursework, student seminars, qualifying examinations (Ph.D. only), and a thesis (MS) or dissertation (Ph.D.) that presents the results of an original research project. It is possible (and most common) to earn a Ph.D. degree without earning an MS degree on the way. It is also possible to earn only an MS degree, as well as (and sometimes required, upon committees discretion) to first earn an MS degree and then a Ph.D. degree.
The programs leading to the M.S. or Ph.D. degree in Chemical Science emphasize the attainment of a high level of competency in one of the specialized areas of applied and theoretical chemistry. By completing the M.S. degree, the student will have acquired a sound foundation for a career in chemical research or for continuing advanced graduate studies. The major emphasis for the Ph.D. degree is on research. The program leading to the Ph.D. degree requires the development of a broad knowledge through additional coursework beyond the M.S. requirement and through supervised research. Upon completion of the Ph.D. degree, the student is expected to be capable of designing and executing independent research projects.
Master of Science (M.S.) in Chemical Science
There are two M.S. degree programs in Chemical Science, one with a thesis and one without. The program without the thesis is expected to be completed in one year. The program with the thesis is expected to be completed in 1.5 years. The coursework requirements for the two M.S. programs are listed below.
M.S. degree without thesis
- Students are required to take at least 3 out of the 6 offered core courses (9 credits).
- Students are required to take at least 3 elective courses in the chemical science program (9 credits).
- Students are required to take at least 2 elective courses out of the chemical science program and not cross listed with it (6 credits).
- Students are not required to take any math requirements.
- Students are required to successfully complete six credits of directed research (6 credits)
Total credits required: 30
Typically, a student will enroll in four courses (12 credits) in the Fall semester, four courses (12 credits) in the Spring semester, and six credits of directed research or coursework during the Summer session.
M.S. degree with thesis
- Students are required to take at least 3 out of the 6 offered core courses (9 credits).
- Students are required to take at least 3 elective courses in the chemical science program (9 credits).
- Students are required to take at least 2 elective courses out of the chemical science program and not cross listed with it (6 credits).
- Students are not required to take any math requirements.
- Students are required to successfully complete twelve credits of directed research (12 credits). The research conducted will be presented in the student’s thesis and presentation.
Total credits required: 36
The M.S. thesis reports on research conducted under the supervision a Chemical Science faculty member. Typically, students in this program complete their coursework during the first two semesters of study, although additional courses may be taken during the second year. By the end of the first year of study, an M.S. with thesis student must select a faculty supervisor. During the third semester of the program, the student must form a committee that includes the faculty supervisor and two other faculty members, including one from outside of the Chemical Science program. This committee must read and approve the thesis.
Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Science
Students studying for a Ph.D. must first satisfy the coursework requirements for the M.S. program. Some or all of the M.S. coursework requirements may be waived, at the discretion of the student’s advisor and with the approval of the dean, when a student is admitted to the program after obtaining a Master’s degree from a university other than KAUST.
The Ph.D. degree requires (in addition to the M.S. coursework requirements) a minimum of 6 credit hours of course work and 60 hours of dissertation research. In special cases, these minimum requirements may be reduced with the approval of the dean. Ph.D. students must enroll in a minimum of two courses at the 300 level or above as a part of their degree work.
If a student admitted to the Ph.D. program does not have a research advisor, an interim advisor will be assigned. The student must identify a permanent research advisor by the end of the first year in the program. Typically, completing the Ph.D. program takes a minimum 2.5 years beyond the completion of the M.S. program requirements.
In accordance with KAUST regulations, the Ph.D. program includes the following requirements:
- Successfully completing Ph.D. coursework, designating a research advisor, and passing a subject-comprehensive examination.
- Obtaining candidacy status.
- Preparing a doctoral dissertation and successfully defending it.
Subject-comprehensive Exam
The subject-comprehensive exam tests the student’s knowledge of materials covered in the core and track courses. The exam includes both oral and written components. The student is provided a list of examination topics in advance. The possible outcomes of the exam are: pass, conditional pass, failure with retake, and failure. In the case of a retake, the student must retake and pass the exam within three months of the date of the first exam.
The exam is administered by an examination committee (with a minimum three faculty members) that is selected by the advisor and the student. Students admitted with a Master’s degree should complete the subject-comprehensive exam within one year from the start of the program; students admitted without a Master’s degree should complete the subject-comprehensive exam within two years from the start of the program.
Admission to Ph.D. Candidacy
To be admitted to Ph.D. candidacy, the student must:- Successfully complete all coursework requirements and pass the subject-comprehensive exam.
- Identify an advisor and form a dissertation committee.
- Present a doctoral research proposal and obtain approval from the dissertation committee.
Dissertation Committee
The dissertation committee is formed by the student under the guidance of the advisor. The committee is chaired by the advisor, and it must include at least three other faculty members, one of whom must be external to the program. The committee may additionally include one or more appropriate persons external to KAUST. The committee members must interact with the student to discuss the student’s progress. The student must submit an annual written progress report to the dissertation committee. All committee members must be designated as dissertation readers.
Research Proposal Defense
A Ph.D. student must submit a written research proposal to the dissertation committee two weeks prior to an oral defense of the proposal. The oral defense consists of an oral presentation by the student followed by a question and answer session. The oral defense must be attended by a minimum of three members of the dissertation committee. The committee will determine if the proposal qualifies as a dissertation topic in the area and if the candidate is capable of completing the research project as proposed.
The committee’s decision can take the form of pass, conditional pass, fail with retake, or fail. In the case of fail with retake, the committee will provide feedback to the student, who must prepare and pass a repeat examination within one semester. Each student is expected to defend the research proposal by the end of the second year from the start of the program.
Dissertation Defense
The student must schedule a dissertation defense after the doctoral research project and dissertation are completed. The dissertation defense will include a defense of the doctoral dissertation and a test of the candidate’s knowledge in the specialized field of research.
The format of the dissertation defense will be a public seminar presented by the candidate, with an open question period, followed by a private examination by the dissertation committee.
The possible outcomes of the exam are pass, conditional pass, or fail. After a successful defense, the final written dissertation approved by the committee must be submitted within two months and must be signed by the supervisor and all dissertation committee members.