Chemistry, B.S.

With a rigorous program emphasizing hands-on learning, the B.S. in Chemistry prepares you to pursue a graduate or professional degree or to directly start a career in chemistry.

The program is certified by the American Chemical Society. Our faculty deliver award-winning classroom instruction with student-centered research to provide an ideal environment for training tomorrow's scientists, physicians and teachers.

Chemistry’s strong links to other sciences provide pre-health students (including pre-pharmacy, pre-medical, pre-veterinary, and pre-dental) with strong preparation for health professional programs such as medical school, pharmacy school, veterinary school and dental school.

A significant portion of the training takes place in our laboratories, both through labs associated with courses and through supervised research in pharmaceutical chemistry, marine and atmospheric science, biochemistry, organic and inorganic synthesis, analytical chemistry, computational and physical chemistry, and chemical education.

Much of this research results in publications in peer reviewed journals or presentations at professional meetings, most of which have student co-authors.

All lectures and upper-level lab courses are taught by Ph.D. level faculty.

Upper-level courses enroll fewer than 40 students, allowing close interaction between faculty and students. Interactions at this level are collegial, which provides the necessary atmosphere for the free exchange of new thoughts and ideas.

Graduates are well trained and highly sought, as is evidenced by our nearly 100% placement rate for students in industry, graduate programs and professional health-related programs.

Many chemistry majors participate in significant independent research during their degree. The department has state-of-the-art equipment facilities for student education and independent research.

Applied Learning Opportunities

Undergraduate students are provided with various immersing research experiences such as DIS and Honor thesis research.

Many chemistry majors have secured internships with international and local chemical, environmental, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

This degree is appropriate for students planning a career in chemistry, including those contemplating graduate school. It requires 400 hours of laboratory training above the 100 level.

An overall grade point average of “C” (2.00) is required in all chemistry courses counted toward the major.