Obtaining a graduate degree in chemistry while working full-time is often an insurmountable challenge. Balancing courses with work and personal responsibilities is difficult enough, but it is especially difficult to do a thesis on a part-time basis. It has typically been an unrewarding, frustrating experience for faculty and students alike.
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UNCW has worked with local industry to overcome these problems. Graduates of this program are successfully employed in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.
Building on this success, we are now extending our program beyond southeastern North Carolina. By tailoring the thesis and through the use of distance learning, graduate students will complete their requirements without traveling to Wilmington. The program is offered only in conjunction with partner companies who nominate valued employees for admission to the program.
There are unique advantages for both the partner company
and the employee/student, including the flexibility obtained by the
use of distance education.
There are a number of advantages that have been shown to companies who offer our program to their employees. These include:
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Providing a reward mechanism for valued employees - the company nominates employees for the program
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Building camaraderie among the group.
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Employees receive graduate training and acquire more skills
- Stimulating collaborations between the employees, their supervisors and UNCW faculty
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Improving employee retention
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Recruiting tool
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CROs can bill at a higher rate
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Mechanism to get research done on an area of interest to the company
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Company recognition - potential for papers and presentations
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Can involve senior technical staff as mentors - some opportunity to give them job growth
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Portability- employees transferred employees within the company can still finish their degree from the new location
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Ability to remain employed full-time while earning a masters degree.
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Increased knowledge and skills enable greater job responsibility and satisfaction
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Program flexibility allows balancing demands of personal life, job, and school.
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Portability- if transferred within the company can still finish the degree from the new location.
- More time flexibility. Not the standard MWF at 6:00 p.m. course so if work or personal demands interfere can cover the course material at another time.
- Can set your own pace, based upon your experience and background. If familiar with a topic, can quickly move through that section of the course. Conversely, can spend more time on a topic if it is unfamiliar or difficult.
- Portability- can take the course anywhere with internet access: at work, home or while traveling.
- 2 credits for CHM 595(seminar)
- 2 credits for CHM 591 (independent Studies)
- 2 credits for CHM 501(Intro to Research)
- 6 credits for CHM 599 (thesis)
- Remaining 18 credits from 6-3 credit courses
On-line 3-credit Courses
- Advanced Analytical Chemistry
- Advanced Biochemistry
- Advanced Inorganic Chemistry
- Advanced Physical Chemistry
- Advanced Organic Chemistry
- Computational Chemistry
- Industrial and Polymer Chemistry
- Medicinal Chemistry