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Chemistry

About the Program

Brandeis combines the power of a University research program with the personality of a small teaching college. Chemistry graduates are sought after by industrial, government, and academic recruiters for their solid grounding in physical sciences and technology. The Brandeis University Department of Chemistry offers a diverse range of well-funded, internationally recognized research programs in major traditional divisions of chemistry, as well as in the increasingly important interdisciplinary areas of chemical biology, complex systems, materials chemistry, and catalysis. The graduate program in chemistry includes course work, seminar participation, and research, and is designed to lead to a broad understanding of the subject.

The program is designed to be flexible so that individual programs of study in inorganic, organic, physical, biophysical, and materials chemistry may be devised to satisfy the particular interests and needs of each student. Students in the Ph.D. program are eligible to participate in the new interdepartmental Graduate Program in Quantitative Biology, which provides training in new research fields that cross the traditional boundaries between the life sciences and the physical sciences.

Brandeis University also offers a Master of Arts in Teaching in secondary education in chemistry.

Degree Options

Ph.D. in Chemistry (full-time)
M.S. in Chemistry (full- or part-time)
M.A. in Chemistry (full- or part-time)

Courses and Completion Requirements

For the most updated course listing, course descriptions, and degree requirements, please click here.

Faculty

We encourage you to explore one of the department’s greatest assets through our faculty pages. Learn more about the people who will help guide you along your graduate school path here.

Additional Resources

Consortium: Our membership in the Boston consortium allows you to take courses at Tufts University, Boston University, and Boston College, thus enhancing your Brandeis experience and the spirit of collaboration which Brandeis embodies.
Student Services: At Brandeis, you will become part of a community that is strengthened by life both within and outside of the classroom and laboratory walls. Please visit Student Services to see the array of University resources, events, and programming for graduate students, including our Graduate Student Services Center, Off-Campus Housing, Health Insurance, English as a Second Language (ESL) program, Disability Resources, Counseling Center, Career Services, and the Graduate Student Association.

Admission Information

Admission Semester:

Ph.D.: Fall only
M.A./M.S.: Fall & Spring

Application Deadlines:

Ph.D.: Jan. 15
M.A./M.S.: For fall admission, rolling beginning Jan. 15; For spring admission, Nov. 1.

Admission Requirements:

To apply for all programs, you need to submit:

• An application to the graduate school, which can be electronically submitted here;
• An application fee (please click here for instructions);
• Official transcripts from all universities and colleges attended; applicants must provide a final transcript indicating successful completion of an undergraduate degree program before registration;
• Two letters of recommendation, which the admissions committee prefers to be submitted online (please click here for more information);
• A curriculum vitae (CV) or resumé;
• A statement of purpose indicating your reasons for undertaking graduate study. In addition, please describe your qualifications for the academic program and your objectives in undertaking this program. Applicants to the doctoral program should clearly outline their research interests and how they would complement those of the faculty. Balancing student's research interests with those of the Brandeis faculty is a major factor in the admissions process. The application asks for the names of three or four faculty members with whom you are interested in working. If you are admitted, your choice of a research supervisor must be guided by the preferences that you express in your application. Applicants to the master's degree programs should discuss their plans for their academic and professional career and how the Graduate School will help them attain their goals.
• Standardized tests: GRE General Test is required. GRE Subject Test (in Chemistry) is strongly recommended, but not required. Our ETS institution code is 3092.

International students:  For additional requirements for international applicants (non-U.S. citizens or non-permanent residents), minimum TOEFL and IELTS scores, and important information regarding visas, please click here.

For a more comprehensive description of application requirements, please click here.

Financial Aid

Generous financial aid is available; for more information please click here.