The School of Molecular Sciences offers three accelerated BS/MS programs: Biochemistry MS, Biochemistry (Medicinal Chemistry) MS, and Chemistry MS, each of which can be earned by completing a Thesis, Applied Project, or Capstone Project.
These pathways allow eligible undergraduate students to begin coursework towards a master's degree during their senior year, completing both the bachelor's and master's degrees in five total years instead of six.
Eligibility and Minimum Requirements for Admission
- Enrollment in one of the eligible BS degree programs with no more than two semesters (fall/spring) remaining. See the matrix below for eligible BS degrees for each accelerated pathway.
- Completion of 85 semester hours with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.4 or better on a 4.0 grading scale.
- Identification of a Research Advisor and establishment of a research project for the Thesis or Applied Project track.
- All faculty within the School of Molecular Sciences are approved to serve as research advisors. A co-advisor may be added with approval from the School of Molecular Sciences.
Eligible BS Degrees by Pathway
Biochemistry MS
- Biochemistry BS
- Biochemistry (Med Chem) BS
- Chemistry BS
- Chemistry (Env Chem) BS
Biochemistry (Med Chem) MS
- Biochemistry BS
- Biochemistry (Med Chem) BS
- Chemistry BS
- Molecular Biosciences and Biotechnology BS
Chemistry MS
- Biochemistry BS
- Biochemistry (Med Chem) BS
- Chemistry BS
- Chemistry (Env Chem) BS
Recommended Courses
Below are the recommended courses a student should have completed or be prepared to enroll in at the time of application. Please speak with an SMS Graduate advisor to ensure you are on track with the relevant courses.
Completion or enrollment in BCH 461 the semester the program is initiated. Recommended, not required.
Completion of BCH 461 and completion of or enrollment in BCH 462 the semester the program is initiated. Recommended, not required.
Completion of CHM 345 and CHM 348 and completion of or enrollment in CHM 346 and CHM 349 the semester the program is initiated. Recommended, not required.
Completion of CHM 302 and CHM 303 and completion of or enrollment in CHM 325 and CHM 326 the semester the program is initiated. Recommended, not required.
Students should speak with SMS graduate staff early and often to ensure they take the right courses to prepare for the application. Recommended, not required.
Available Programs
Students can apply for an accelerated pathway to the Chemistry MS, Biochemistry MS, or Biochemistry (Medicinal Chemistry) MS. During the application process, students must indicate their culminating experience for the program; Capstone, Applied Project, or Thesis. Applied Project and Thesis applicants must have a research advisor at the time of application.
Capstone, Applied Project or Thesis
The Thesis and Applied Project tracks are research-focused, allowing students to partner closely with a faculty advisor to complete an original experimental or computational biochemistry/chemistry study. These options are ideal for future PhD or MD candidates.
The Capstone track is structured primarily around advanced graduate coursework and an intensive review of a narrow research field. This pathway can be optimal for students who are more interested in gaining a credential for work in education or industry than in gaining hands-on research experience.
All SMS accelerated programs allow students to share up to 12 credits between their bachelor's and master's degrees. A total of 15 pre-admission credits can be taken during the bachelor's portion of the program.
All SMS MS degrees require a total of 30 credits for graduation.
How to Apply
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. To streamline the process, they should be submitted by November 15 for spring admission and by April 15 for fall admission.
You will need the following information to complete the Application:
- Personal statement that includes your professional goals and how they relate to the accelerated MS program of your choosing.
- Two letters of recommendation are required for all applications. Students applying for the Thesis or Applied Project options must include one letter from the selected MS research advisor. In cases where the current and future advisor are the same, or in the absence of a current research advisor, a letter from a course or laboratory faculty instructor can be substituted. Letters must be submitted electronically. Email addresses are used to track the letters, so applicants must be sure to enter the correct email address for each person listed. These email addresses will be entered within the online Application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Those received after the deadline may be reviewed and considered for admission if space permits and timing allows. Everything needs to be fully processed and completed by the start of the semester.
The best time to apply is at the end of the junior year (or when you have only two semesters remaining in the BS degree). Applications are accepted for both fall and spring starts. This will afford a full year of overlap and two years of research toward the MS degree.
The accelerated programs can be beneficial for students who are considering pursuing a PhD degree, but may need more research experience prior to applying. The Medicinal Chemistry BS/MS program was created with pre-med and other pre-health related majors in mind as a way for them to remain engaged academically during the gap year between the BS and the start of a professional program, while also allowing them to earn an MS degree during that time.
The GRE is not required.
Students with the New American scholarship will be able to utilize any remaining eligibility for the 4+1 program. For other scholarships, you will need to check the eligibility requirements. Most scholarships awarded toward the completion of the BS will terminate upon completion of the degree. For grants, you will need to check with the awarding agency.
The Graduate College does maintain a website with opportunities for which you might be eligible. There is an Accelerated Master's Award that students can apply for to support them with funding during the Graduate portion of the program.
Students applying for the Thesis or Applied Project options must include one letter of recommendation from the faculty member who will be their research advisor for the MS degree. This should be a faculty member from SMS. The second letter can come from a previous research supervisor or instructor from a class. Letters from supervisors not related to the degree are not especially helpful, as the committee will be looking for guidance on your potential success in both the research part of the program and the graduate coursework. Students not pursuing the Capstone track should also seek letters from a previous research supervisor or instructor from a class.
There is no form for recommendation letters; they are submitted electronically. Within the application, you will provide email addresses for your recommendation writers. An email will be sent to each recommender with instructions on how to submit a letter in support of your application. We can only accept letters of recommendation that are submitted electronically using our system.
Professors' group requirements change constantly, so we are unable to provide a list of faculty actively recruiting. You should reach out to faculty with whom you have an interest in working and determine if they are taking MS students and if they would be willing to serve as your research advisor.
The research advisor should be from the School of Molecular Sciences. The research being conducted for the MS degree should be in chemistry or biochemistry in nature. If you are working in a lab outside of SMS, but conducting biochemistry research, finding a co-advisor from SMS may be allowable. Faculty from outside SMS may serve on the supervisory committee, but at least 50% must be from SMS.
The School of Molecular Sciences Admissions Committee will begin its review of applications close to the deadline. Every effort will be made to provide final decisions at least a month before the start of the respective semester.
No. The Accelerated Program application does not include any fees. Students who are accepted into the program will not need to submit a graduate application through ASU. As long as a student intends to continue to the MS portion of the program and can successfully graduate from their undergraduate program, they will be accepted into the MS program.