The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers the Graduate Summer Bridge program (GSBP) in an effort to give incoming graduate students a head start on their graduate studies. Participating students will have the advantage of becoming familiar with the UMBC campus and becoming acclimated to the Department before classes begin. The GSBP is an eight-week program starting in early to mid-June, consisting of four discussion and problem solving sessions per week. These sessions will focus on a review of the principles of Organic and Physical Chemistry. Participants in the GSBP will also complete a research rotation in a faculty member's laboratory. The Department strongly encourages all students to participate in the GSBP, but it is not required. All incoming graduate students are required to take ACS placement exams in Organic and Physical Chemistry prior to registering for classes.