The Department of Chemistry offers programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Research opportunities are available in a wide-range of contemporary areas of chemistry, including organic, inorganic, bioinorganic, physical, and analytical chemistry.Doctoral candidates must complete a minimum of six semesters of graduate study of which at least three semesters must be in residence at UH Manoa. Courses are selected from acceptable graduate courses in chemistry listed in this Catalog and from graduate offerings in related disciplines as directed by the faculty. Candidates must demonstrate mastery of core material in graduate courses in their chosen areas. Each candidate must pass a comprehensive oral examination consisting of the defense of an original research proposal written by the candidate and a resume, of the candidate's dissertation research and its current status. The most important requirement for the PhD degree is the research project that culminates in the dissertation. Prior to beginning the second semester of study, each candidate selects one member of the chemistry graduate faculty to serve as his or her research director. The research director works with the candidate throughout his or her program and chairs the candidate's dissertation committee.