Graduate

Frequently Asked Questions – Admission

Will you consider me for Spring admission? 

We typically do not consider applicants for spring admissions, except in special cases, and if our budget allows it. In some circumstances, students may be admitted for a term other than fall, including spring and/or summer with the approval of the Graduate Program Director and the Director of Graduate Admissions. Requests for an exception would need to be emailed to the Graduate Program Director.

Can I apply with lower GPA?

Applicants with a GPA below a 3.0 may be admitted under exceptional circumstances.  All of our graduate degrees are research-based, and we have limited research lab space.  We conduct our admissions process looking for the best possible applicants who we feel will be successful both in coursework and in the research laboratory.  We admit students with weaker GPAs only in extraordinary cases where the applicant shows great promise in research despite a low GPA.

What is the required GRE score?

We do not have a minimum score for the GRE, however our successful applicants typically had verbal and math scores each in the 146-155 range.  The writing scores have been in the 3-4 range.  Applicants should bear in mind that the GRE score, which is currently an optional component, is only one factor in the whole application; we look at the full set of data for each applicant which also includes grades, performance in chemistry courses, research experience, and recommendation letters.

Do you require any GRE tests? 

No.  The GRE (general and subject tests) are completely optional. The absence of GRE scores will not impact any decision to make an offer to a student. If a student does include GRE scores, they will be used in the decision making process.

My undergraduate degree was not in chemistry or biochemistry; do I still qualify?

While the curricula for our three graduate degrees vary, they are all set firmly within rigorous chemistry or biochemistry fields.  We prefer our applicants to have a significant chemistry background, but have admitted promising students with degrees in other fields (such as Biology or Pharmaceutical Sciences) who at minimum had outstanding performance in a full year of organic chemistry.  However, these type of graduate students usually need to take undergraduate courses (such as Physical Chemistry) here, in order to qualify for some of the courses required for their graduate degree.

Can I enroll in a graduate degree program part-time?

Over the years we have had several part-time students in our MS programs.  However, the UNCG Graduate School sets a time limit for all MS programs (even for part-time), which is 5 years beginning with the first graduate course to be applied to the degree.  The main challenge for part-time students is not the coursework, but rather finding a significant research project that can be completed on a part-time basis.  Some faculty may be hesitant to take part-time students because of the nature of their research program.  If you are considering a MS degree but wish to do so part-time, please contact the faculty you are most interested to work with to assess whether or not they are willing to involve part-time graduate students in their research.  Finally, we have not had any part-time students enrolled in our relatively new PhD program.  For the time being, we expect all PhD students to be full-time students.

Can I transfer to the PhD program after beginning the MS program?

No, students enrolled in a MS program here must apply to the PhD program just like any new applicant interested in the PhD program.