The Department of Chemistry began with the establishment of Sultan Qaboos University. Four departments were initially established in the College of Science and the Department of Chemistry had been the major hallmark of the college since its inception.

Infrastructure, Location and Facilities

The Department occupies the second floor of the College of Science building, consists of six laboratories for undergraduate teaching, several research labs, and one glass-blowing workshop. These laboratories are equipped with wide-ranging facilities including specialized instruments such as 60MHz NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer), IR (Infra-Red Spectrometer), HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatograph), GC/MS (Gas Chromatographs / Mass Spectrometer), flame photometers and UV/Vis (Ultra Violet / Visible) spectrophotometers and a laser optics lab. Over the years most of these instruments were replaced by state-of-the-art instruments including 400 MHz NMR, GC/MS, CHN analyzer, AAs, CE, CV Voltammetric Analyzer, Bipotentiostat, Rotating Disk Electrode, Low Current Module, etc. 

HoD & Faculties

The development of the Department of Chemistry has been remarkable. During the earlier years, the department had seven faculty members, five technical staff and one coordinator all of them were expatriates. The number of faculty grew from seven to twenty-nine including thirteen Omanis. The number of technical staff increased from five to seventeen technicians. The number of undergraduate students increased from eight to 75 students per cohort, and the number of MSc candidates grew from five to ten per cohort. 

Chronological listing of the departmental Head

Chemistry department landmarks  

Vision

The department of Chemistry aspires to maintain its standing as a center of excellence for training in chemistry and applied chemistry in our sub-region. The department prepares students for a competitive and challenging world. We strive to contribute to a chemically literate society through teaching (with classrooms, labs, and research), scholarship, and service.

The Department of Chemistry is dedicated to: 

• providing a comprehensive and significant curriculum at undergraduate and postgraduate level  
• producing career oriented and knowledgeable graduates for academic, industrial and government services.
• committed to conducting research on fundamental and applied problems.
• promoting the development of innovative interdisciplinary research programs.
• independent thought, collegial exchange of ideas, and high ethical standards.
• use of modern educational technology in lecture and laboratory courses.
• development of strategic partnerships with other departments, academic institutions, and the chemical industry.
• carry out world-class research and scholarly work with relevance to contemporary problems facing society and industry.

Mission

The department of chemistry's mission is to achieve excellence in the area of chemical science, research, and community service by promoting the principles of scientific analysis and creative thinking, and supporting the scientific development of Oman. The department provides rigorous preparation for citizens whose career paths require expertise in chemistry. The department is dedicated to rigorous standards for content knowledge, communication skills, research quality, and professional behavior. The mission is to educate the students on research to meet global environmental issues through chemical education. Department is committed to consolidate funding for research and development of infrastructure facilities.

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the official website of the Department of Chemistry, Science, at SQU.

The department offers two undergraduate programs, BSc in Chemistry and BSc in Applied Chemistry. Both programs received accreditation by the Canadian Society of Chemistry. The programs offer an innovative curriculum that prepare the students with outstanding training for a range of career sectors such as the petroleum, and industry sectors besides education and academia. Our faculty members are engaged in the modern teaching technique including active learning and innovative teaching methods. In addition, our faculty are also involved in student’s academic advising and social activities by participating in workshops or other social events. 

At the postgraduate level, we offer MSc and PhD programs based on course work and research respectively. The MSc program was recently accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2015. Our faculty run research projects in different fields of chemistry. The department provides the necessary research facilities and instruments which support research and teaching activities as well. Our technical staff are highly skilled and provide the necessary support in teaching and research. In addition, our faculty staff have strong local and international research collaborations, and presented good reputation in the science community.

Please, explore our website for the degree plans and learning outcomes of our offered courses. You can also explore the research interests of our faculty staff and the research facilities in our research laboratories. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me on nrasbi@squ.edu.om

Dr. Nawal Al-Rasbi (HoD)

Department of Chemistry 

College Of Science

Sultan Qaboos University

PO Box 36, Al Khod 123

Sultanate of Oman

Phone: (+968) 2414 2370