Chemistry and Nanoscale Science, Ph.D.

Early Admission – January 15

Regular Deadline – March 1

Final Deadline – June 1

The following are general guidelines for successful admission into the Ph.D. program in Chemistry and Nanoscale Science – Note: GRE scores are no longer required for application to the program.

1. A bachelor’s or master’s degree in a science or engineering discipline relevant to nanoscale science is required for admission to full standing in the Chemistry and Nanoscale Science Ph.D. program.
2. A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or, if the applicant is currently enrolled in a graduate program or has earned a master’s degree, a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in a relevant science or engineering master’s program.
3. Three strong, positive letters of recommendation, at least two of which should come from faculty in the applicant’s current or previous academic program. All letters should be written by individuals in a position capable of judging the applicant’s likely success in a Ph.D. level program. Letters should address the applicant’s suitability for a Ph.D. program and ability to complete the program in a timely manner.
4. Admission of students who are not native English speakers must submit an official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo score. To be considered official, the scores must be sent directly from the testing agency to UNC Charlotte. Please visit the English Language Proficiency website for additional information.

An admissions committee will review applications and recommend to the Program Director whether each applicant should be admitted and, if so, under what conditions. Additional information can be found from the Graduate School about the Chemistry and Nanoscale Science Ph.D. program.

Course Courses (27 credit hours)

• NANO 8001 – Perspectives at the Nanoscale (2)
• NANO 8101 – Introduction to Instrumentation and Processing at the Nanoscale (3)
• NANO 8102 – Nanoscale Phenomena (3)
• NANO 8103 – Synthesis and Characterization of Nanomaterials (3)
• NANO 8105 – Life at the Nanoscale (3)
• NANO 8203 – Collaborative Research Proposal (3)
• NANO 8301 – Nanomedicine (3) or  NANO 8351 – Nanoscale Materials for Energy Applications (3)
• NANO 8681 – Nanoscale Science Seminar (1) *
• NANO 8682 – Nanoscale Science Colloquium (1) **

Note: * Students must enroll in NANO 8681 during every semester in residence, except when enrolled in GRAD 9800 or GRAD 9999, for a minimum of four semesters.
** Students must enroll in NANO 8682 during the three semesters immediately following enrollment in NANO 8001.

Elective Courses (6 credit hours)

In addition to completing the Core Courses, students must complete a minimum of 6 credit hours of Elective Courses. Elective Courses are selected in consultation with the student’s advisor (normally the dissertation advisor) to best meet the student’s needs and interests. Any of the following courses may be used to meet elective requirements: 

• BIOL 7000-8999 – Biological Sciences Elective
• CHEM 7000-8999 – Chemistry Elective
• ECGR 7000-8999 – Electrical and Computer Engineering Elective
• MEGR 7000-8999 – Mechanical Engineering Elective
• OPTI 7000-8999 – Optical Science Elective
• PHYS 7000-8999 – Physics Elective

Other courses may be used to satisfy elective requirements, provided that prior approval has been obtained from the Graduate Program Director. Students may count one 5000 level course towards meeting elective requirements if approved in advance by the Graduate Program Director.

Dissertation Research (18 credit hours)

Students must complete a minimum of 18 credit hours of the following:

• NANO 8900 – Dissertation Research (1 to 4)

Additional Coursework (21 credit hours)

The remaining 21 credit hours are fulfilled by enrolling in any combination of the following courses.  Students may count other courses towards meeting the 72 credit hour requirement with approval of the Graduate Program Director.

• NANO 8400 – Nanoscale Science Internship (1 to 9) 
• NANO 8681 – Nanoscale Science Seminar (1) 
• NANO 8900 – Dissertation Research (1 to 4) 
• NANO 8000-8999 – Nanoscale Science Elective
• BIOL 7000-8999 – Biological Sciences Elective
• CHEM 6150 – Seminar-Internship (1 to 3) 
• CHEM 7000-8999 – Chemistry Elective
• ECGR 7000-8999 – Electrical and Computer Engineering Elective
• MEGR 7000-8999 – Mechanical Engineering Elective
• OPTI 7000-8999 – Optical Science Elective
• PHYS 7000-8999 – Physics Elective

Current tuition rates are available through Niner Central. There are several sources of funding available to assist in paying for a graduate program at UNC Charlotte.

Use our Cost Calculator to get a clear picture of the estimated costs for UNC Charlotte’s graduate programs. Share your information to receive tips, updates, and resources on making your graduate education more affordable.

Wondering if you are considered in-state or out-of-state for tuition? Learn more about residency requirements.