M.S. Candidates are expected to successfully complete 24 credit hours (CH) of course work, and this would include 20 CH from graduate level chemistry core courses and 4 CH of elective graduate level courses. Graduate students are required to conduct a research project under supervision of the faculty and write a thesis based on research results. Furthermore, candidates are expected to successfully defend the thesis work in a presentation and a final oral exam. Students who wish to transfer graduate level credit from another school may transfer up to 20 credit hours of graduate level courses to PVAMU. Prior approval from the department must be obtained before transfer credit will be applied to the degree. Students whose undergraduate degrees are not in chemistry may be admitted to provisional status and may be required to complete some undergraduate chemistry courses before admission to candidacy.