Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) Concentration for Chemistry Graduate Students

Computational Science and Engineering PhD Program

PhD students in the Department of Chemistry can choose to participate in the Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) graduate concentration. To be eligible for the CSE concentration as a Chemistry PhD student, the following requirements must be fulfilled:

  1. Satisfy all the regular PhD requirements for one of the six specialization areas within chemistry (analytical, chemical biology, inorganic, organic, materials, physical)
  2. Take two core CSE courses (listed below) or their equivalent
  3. Take two CSE courses offered in chemistry or other departments
  4. The PhD thesis must be related to computational science as well as to chemistry, as judged by the thesis committee
  5. Include on the thesis committee at least one faculty member affiliated with the CSE program

The student must satisfy the 20 hours coursework requirement for one of the six specialization areas within chemistry. The core CSE courses and the CSE courses in chemistry may count toward this total where appropriate.

CSE Core Courses

  • CSE 401 Numerical Analysis (CS 450)
  • CSE 402 Parallel Programming: Science & Engineering (CS 420)
  • CSE 510 Numerical Methods for PDEs (CS 555)
  • CSE 527 Scientific Visualization (CS 519)

CSE Courses in Chemistry

  • CHEM 576 Computational Chemical Biology
  • CHEM 550 Advanced Quantum Dynamics
  • CHEM 548 Molecular Electronic Structure

The following courses do not count as CSE courses in chemistry but do have a significant computational component:

  • CHEM 442 Introduction to Quantum Chemistry
  • CHEM 540 Quantum Mechanics
  • CHEM 544/546 Statistical Mechanics

University of Illinois course information (course catalog, timetable, etc.)