Academics & Options | Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Chemistry gives you the knowledge, skills, and experience you need for a future as an educator and researcher.

The Department of Chemistry offers both a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry. Within the B.S. degree, the department offers two options, Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Degree Programs

Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry

The B.A. degree provides less specialization in chemistry and greater opportunity for studies in other fields. This curriculum is recommended for those who wish to obtain a Standard Teaching Credential with Specialization in Secondary Teaching, students who wish to add a second major, and students switching from majors with different core courses from the B.S..

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

This B.S. is a rigorous program that fulfills the requirements for professional training established by the American Chemical Society, a national certifying agency. It is designed for students who will seek research positions in industry and governmental agencies and also prepares students who intend to continue study into the graduate level.

Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry

This B.S. is a rigorous program that prepares students for careers in biochemistry and various related fields. It fulfills the requirements for professional training established by the American Chemical Society, a national certifying agency. It is designed for students who will seek research positions in industry and governmental agencies and also prepares students who intend to continue study into the graduate level.

Department of Chemistry Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

By graduation with a major in the Chemistry Program, students will be able to:

demonstrate proficiency in literacy in the field of chemistry
apply chemical and mathematical models to interpret and explain concepts in chemistry
demonstrate the attainment of sufficient breadth, depth, and rigor in chemistry
demonstrate proficiency in designing, performing, and interpreting laboratory experiments and
demonstrate proficiency in written and oral communication sufficient to convey an appropriate level of understanding about chemical phenomena to a diverse audience.

Minor

Many students majoring in Biology, Cell and Molecular Biology and Microbiology as well as Environmental Science, Engineering, Oceanography and Physics opt to enhance their degrees with a Minor in Chemistry