Chemistry

Chemistry provides answers to questions about the living and material world around us. Knowledge of chemistry is essential to understanding fields ranging from cell biology to materials science.

• Four majors certified by the American Chemical Society are offered: (B.S., B.S with concentration in Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Discovery, B.S with concentration in Biochemistry, B.S with concentration in Materials Chemistry) as well as a Bachelor of Arts.
• In the 2024 edition of Undergraduate Research Day, the celebration of collaboration held on Family Weekend each year, 61.1% of tenured or tenure-tracked faculty mentored one or more students who presented their findings.

The Chemistry degree is offered as a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), and a minor.

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Our model and curriculum educate the whole person and often help students discover interests they had never previously discovered. Students generally take 100-200 level courses during their first year of college, while registering for higher level courses as upperclassmen.

Sample courses that you may take as a Chemistry student include:

* Courses listed above are offered during the current academic year. Course availability and offerings can change at any time. Refer to the Academic Bulletin to view all major requirements.

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Chemistry majors develop skills that may lead to a wide variety of occupational tracks. Trained to think both analytically and creatively, chemists solve practical as well as research problems– skills that are readily transferable to many careers.

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Joining a club or organization is a great way to get involved and do more with your major. Our Chemistry students participate in the following programs:

• American Chemical Society
• Beta Beta Beta
• Bioethics Club
• Women in STEM

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Careers that often interest Chemistry majors, and fields our graduates work in, include:

• Astronomer
• Chemical Engineer
• Chemist
• Dentist
• Dietician
• Educator
• Food and Drug Analyst
• Food Technologist
• Forensic Chemist
• Genetic Counselor
• Hospital Administrator
• Laboratory Analyst
• Medical Laboratory Technician
• Medical Researcher
• Meteorologist
• Pharmaceuticals Researcher
• Pharmacist
• Physician
• Toxicologist

Kasha Patel (’12) is a former NASA climate-change researcher who has become a reporter and editor on the topic for The Washington Post. For several years, she has managed to do the impossible: stand-up comedy based on science.

In addition to graduate studies at universities including Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest, the first few cohorts of graduates have worked as an Emergency Medical Technician and product-development executives, among other industries and jobs.