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Master of Science in Chemistry - Frequently Asked Questions

Where should the application materials be sent?

All materials need to be sent to the CSUF University Admissions office except for the letters of recommendation, which should be sent to the Department Graduate Advisor along with the reference form that is provided.

How many letters of reference are required?

Make sure to have at least two letters (three is preferred) sent to the Department Graduate Advisor, together with the reference form.

When are the deadlines for admission to the MS Chemistry program?

The official Fall application deadline is March 1 but the Department will continue to consider new applications on a case-by-case basis until December 1. Please note that review by the University Admissions Office often takes several weeks (sometimes months), so be sure to apply well before the July 1 and December 1 deadlines to be considered for admission.

How is the evaluation of applications conducted?

The University Admissions Office evaluates the application first. If it meets University standards, it will be forwarded to the Department at which time our admissions commmittee will evaluate the applicant's file and a decision is made. The Departmental evaluation process usually takes about 2-3 weeks. Note that our Department has a higher standard for admission that the University; we require a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 as well as (science) GPA of 2.75 or above in chemistry and biochemistry classes. Other things taken into account are letters of recommendation, research experience, etc. Based on the Departmental evaluation you may be accepted without conditions, accepted with conditions, or rejected. We will be in touch wih the applicant via email once the decision is made. At any time during this period if you have a question, feel free to contact the Graduate Advisor.

What GPA does the University Admission Office consider for admission into a graduate program at CSUF?

The University evaluated files by looking at the overall GPA (a GPA of 2.5 or better is required in order to meet University requirements). When you report your GPA, you need to report the overall GPA.

When your application arrives in our Department, we will look at your science classes as wel as your performance over time (sometimes students start off poorly but do better towards the end of their undergraduate studies so this is a more reliable way to look at student performance. In other cases, students take classes after obtaining their undergraduate degree and then those grades are taken into consideration as well). Your evaluation will take everything into account, however, note that our Department has a higher standard for admission than the University; we require a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 as well as science GPA of 2.75 or above in chemistry and biochemistry classes.

What if the student's GPA is lower than the minimum GPA required for admission by the University?

The University admissions office reviews applications first and they have a California State mandated requirement of a minimum overall GPA of 2.5. Applicants trying to enter a graduate program with a GPA lower than that will be rejected. Since this requirement is a State regulation, there is no way to admit students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement. The only way to get into the MS program at CSUF (or any other Cal State) would be to raise your GPA to at least 2.5. This can be done by taking classes at a community college or at a University. However, we would like to see those to be science courses in chemistry and/or biochemistry. Alternatively, you could repeat science courses that you took as an undergraduate and performed poorly to elevate your GPA. The Department's standards are higher than those of the University so at least a 2.75 GPA in your science courses would be required to get accepted.

Are there assistantships available for graduate students?

The MS program at CSUF does not offer stipends like those of a PhD program. Although there are some opportunities such as teaching assistantships and graduate assistantships, they can only provide limited financial support. Students are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week and the maximum amount one could earn through this mechanism is approximately $12,000 per year. This does, however, take away a significant amount of time from your research activities and other coursework. Also, securing a teaching assistantship or a graduate assistantship is not guaranteed; they are assigned every semester by the Vice Chair of the Department, based on the departmental needs for that specific semester.

Is there any Tuition Waiver available for graduate students?

If you are an out-of-state student the Department will attempt to see if a tuition waiver can be obtained; however, this is a competitive process so the Department cannot guarantee anything.

What undergraduate level chemistry courses are required for admission to the MS program in Chemistry?

In order to be eligible for admission to the MS program in Chemistry you must have taken the following chemistry classes: General chemistry plus lab (1 year), Organic chemistry plus lab (1 year). Additional requirements can be taken while in the MS program if you have not already taken (conditional acceptance may be given provided other requirements are met) are: Quantitative (analytical) chemistry plus lab (1 semester each), Physical chemistry (1 year; no lab requirement). Ideally we also want at least one semester of biochemistry although this is not required.

Is the subject GRE required?

Without evaluating the GRE subject (chemistry or biochemistry) exam scores, we cannot admit students with undergraduate degrees from institutions outside of North America to our graduate program. If you have not taken the GRE subject exam, we recommend that you apply to the CSUF graduate program and immediately register for the first possible GRE subject exam date. If your application is strong enough, you may get a conditional acceptance with the restriction that you must submit your GRE subject exam score prior to the start of the graduate program in the semester that you are admitted to start the program.

How long does the MS Chemistry program take to complete?

The MS degree in chemistry is a research-based degree, which means that you will spend a significant amount of time in a research laboratory doing experiments as well as writing a thesis. You should count on one full year including a full summer for the actual research portion of the degree. If you add on the required classes and thesis, it will typically add up to at least two years for a full-time student. This means that if you are a part-time student, it will take you proportionally longer to finish everything.

Where can one find out about the application status?

You can access your "To Do List" via the CSUF portal (pin number for this access is provided by the University). If you are missing any documents you will see it there as to what is missing as well as current status of your application is displayed. If there is an issue with your application and the issue specified is a University issue, you will need to contact the University Admissions Office. Once the University approves your application, it will be forwarded to our Department, at which time we will start our review.

To find out if the letters of recommendation for your file have reached the Department, please contact the Graduate Advisor.