Academic Programs

Program Overview

Chemistry is the study of a micro world comprising atoms and molecules, from simple diatomics such as N2 to proteins and nucleic acids. Chemists are the molecular architects, the builders, and the surveyors of the natural landscape in this world which has nanometer dimensions. The Department of Chemistry at UMT provides a learning environment which enables students to obtain strong foundation of chemical knowledge, laboratory skills, and problem solving skills at levels appropriate for the variety of students that we serve. The chemistry faculty members strives to produce a new generation of chemical science professionals, prepared to become leaders in research, teaching and industry.

In our graduate program you will be engaged mainly in research, the most stimulating part of chemistry: the synthesis of new compounds, discovery of new reactions, elucidation of reaction mechanisms, uncovering of new principles, understanding naturally occurring substances, or working out theories of chemical bonding or reactivity, providing knowledge that will be written into the textbooks for your successors to learn about.

Mission

The Department of Chemistry at UMT provides a learning environment which enables students to obtain strong foundation of chemical knowledge and problem solving skills at levels appropriate for the variety of students that we serve. The chemistry faculty members strives to produce a new generation of chemical science professionals, prepared to become leaders in research, teaching and industry.

In the context of the university mission the department goal is to promote appreciation of scientific concepts, understanding of “how we know” what we know in science, and the acquisition of skills required to become independent inquirers regarding the natural world.

Aim of the Program

The aim of the graduate program in chemistry is to provide an environment for individuals to develop the skills to become leaders in scientific research and education, capable of making original contributions to the advancement of chemistry and related disciplines. The program is sufficiently flexible in its electives to provide an excellent preparation for careers in many different areas of chemistry. The Chemistry Major is designed to provide an education based on science both for students planning to go on to doctoral study, and for those intending to immediately pursue professional careers in chemistry or an allied field in which sound knowledge of chemistry is important.

The Department of Chemistry organizes and implements its strategic plan around the following goals:

1. Launching tomorrow’s leaders
   • Develop new facilities for interaction with and educating our students.
   • Provide an outstanding graduate experience in the chemical sciences.
   • Provide mentoring and support for young faculty and researchers who will become leaders of their field.
2. Discovery with delivery

• • Create advanced molecular sciences facilities in the chemical sciences
  • The teaching and learning of chemistry.
  • Achieve a ranking of the Department at UMT as one of the top departments in the country through world-class basic and translational research (in 5-10 yrs).

      3. Meeting global challenges

• • Strengthen the scientific, economic, and societal impact of the Department’s discoveries, innovations, and achievements, and increase awareness of the contributions made by the department to issues of global importance and increase and improve global scale connections.           

     4. Building diverse communities of excellence

• • Recruit and retain a distinguished and diverse faculty, staff and student body.
  • Develop and maintain a vital, supportive and collegial work/study environment.

This program will be anticipating trends and providing students with integrated, cross disciplinary scientific knowledge and professional skills.

Need and Demand

The proposed curriculum is designed to prepare the students for future positions in industry or government research by providing them an opportunity to work beyond traditional scientific boundaries to examine the theoretical underpinnings of chemicals and learn how they are part of a bigger picture. Career opportunities in chemistry include the areas of applied research and development, biotechnology, materials for alternate energy solutions, chemical analysis, manufacturing, and marketing. In addition, a degree in chemistry can be an excellent background for careers in many related fields, including law, medicine, business, environmental science, and other areas of science. The industrial map of the Chemical Knowledge Transfer Network shows that there are hundreds of companies/industries which are active in the areas of organic, inorganic chemicals and devices, fertilizers, polymers, nanomaterials synthetic medicines and natural products which are all key areas that are covered by our MS degree. Taking this degree will immediately open up access to jobs in many multinational companies, which need highly skilled staff with a chemistry background.

Admission Criteria

All applications are evaluated on the basis of merit as determined by their previous academic record. Candidates must have qualification to meet the HEC's criterion as given below:

1. Sixteen years of schooling or 4 year education (124 credit hours) after HSSC/F.A. /F.Sc/Grade 12 equivalent will be required for admission in the MS.
2. The GAT-General (www.nts.org.pk/gat/gat.asp) conducted by the National Testing Service with a minimum 50% cumulative score will be required at the time of admission to MS. The GAT-General test is valid for a period of two years.
3. Interview

Graduation Requirements

Minimum 30 credits are required to earn the degree. Attendance of all MS students is mandatory in the Departmental research seminars and talks by invited speakers. MS seminars aim to introduce students to various topics in Chemistry and its applications and facilitate their research work towards the MS Thesis. 

The distribution of credit hours required for graduation is given below:

Total Credit Hours = 30 (Minimum)

The minimum passing grade for each semester is 60%.

Therefore, the requirements to qualify for the MS. degree are:

•    Passing all courses

•    earning 30 credits overall
•    Final CGPA = 2.5 or above

To qualify for a MS degree the student must have at least 30 credits of graduate work. There are three options to achieve this target.

1. 5 core courses (15 credits) and 5 elective courses (15 credits) from Chemistry that are listed.
2. 5 core courses (15 credits), 3 elective courses (09 credits) from Chemistry that are listed and MS thesis (6 credits) earning for research.
3. 5 core courses (15 credits), 3 elective courses (9 credits) from Chemistry that are listed and 2 elective courses (6 credits) from other departments in UMT.