Program Overview
KU Chemistry: A Multidisciplinary Experience
In our department, graduate students participate in projects including the location and function of neurotransmitters in the brain, how supercritical fluids can enhance the activity and selectivity of catalysts for chemical transformations, the details of what happens at the solid/liquid interface as materials begin to melt, how nuclear pore membrane proteins open to allow access to the genetic material in the nucleus of the cell, and how the HIV virus does such an effective job of evading detection by the human immune system. Chemical Sciences research at KU is an extremely exciting collaborative experience.
Graduate Program Statistics
Graduate Program Info
Graduate students in Chemistry have an opportunity to choose from a large number of laboratories performing state of the art research in a wide variety of research disciplines. To learn more, use the list below to select a research area that interests you.
- Bioanalytical Chemistry
- Biological & Biophysical Chemistry
- Catalysis
- Energy & the Environment
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Materials
- Nanoscience
- Organic Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
- Spectroscopy
- Synthesis
- Theory & Computation
To view each individual research group's poster summarizing their research, please visit the "Research Areas at a Glance" page.
The department does not require that students first earn a Master's Degree before they seek the PhD. Thus, the department does not award many Master's Degrees and these are only available by special arrangement. Students interested in pursuing the Master's Degree instead of the PhD should interact with the Director of Graduate Studies to explore the possibilities before submitting an application.
Information regarding the Master's Degree Program can be found on the Graduate School Program Profiles page.
All entering PhD students in the Department of Chemistry who are making satisfactory progress towards the degree will receive an annual stipend $26,000 either from a Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) or a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA). Tuition support will be provided by the University or by the student's mentor. The stipend is quite competitive relative to other institutions considering the low cost of living in Lawrence, Kansas.
Fellowships
Competitive Fellowships that provide support for Graduate Study are available for outstanding student. For more information, please visit the websites for the individual programs:
- Self Graduate Fellowship
- Graduate Training Program in Dynamic Aspects of Chemical Biology
- NSF Internet of Catalysis Research Traineeship
Health Insurance
The University will pay 75% of your health insurance if you select the Graduate Student Health Insurance option.
Please visit our "How to Apply" page for instructions on the application process, including information on application fee waivers.
Contact Us
Please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator, Avery Meadows (aimeadows@ku.edu), with any questions about the application process. You may also consider reaching out to the Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Jon Tunge (tunge@ku.edu).