Chemistry Overview

Are you curious? Do you like to explore problems? Do scientific questions fascinate you? Do you enjoy working in a laboratory? Do you want to better understand matter, molecules, atoms, and how they react? If so, you will be interested in a chemistry major or minor.

The Chemistry Department has three major goals: (1) to provide a strong chemistry major within a liberal arts framework for those entering the profession of chemistry or preparing for graduate work; (2) to provide cognate backgrounds in chemistry for biology majors, pre-medical and dental students, medical technologists, dietitians, science educators and others who may require chemistry; (3) to provide non-science majors with sufficient background to understand advances in technology, environmental implications of new laws, drug problems and health advances.

Specific Information
The Bachelor of Arts with a major in chemistry is designed for both students who want a career as a professional chemist and for occupations that require a moderate training in chemistry combined with training in one or more other areas. For example, students who desire chemistry as a major in programs of pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-veterinary, pre-law, or teaching chemistry in high school. Other examples are students planning prospective careers in sales or technical service, as technical editor, writers, or secretaries, or as technical librarians, chemical patent lawyers, or forensic scientists.

The Chemistry minor provides you with the skills and theory needed for an entry-level position as a chemical technician. It will prepare you to teach at the secondary level.

Career information
As a chemistry student, you will have a wide variety of excellent career opportunities available to you: from teaching at the middle or secondary levels to chemical industry to government work. Chemistry majors also often pursue advanced work in graduate schools. A chemistry background is also valuable to you if you major in the health science (nutrition, clinical chemistry industrial hygiene) and as you prepare for professional training in medicine, pharmacy and dentistry.

Special Elements of the Program

Academic Performance
Only required courses with a grade no lower than a C can be applied to fulfill the chemistry major or minor degree.

Standardized National Assessment Exam
All students majoring in Chemistry must participate in a National Assessment Instrument (i.e., MTTC, GRE, MCAT, ACS) prior to graduation (See F below).

Sigma Zeta National Honor Society
Sigma Zeta is a national science and mathematics honor society. It was founded at Shurtleff College, in Alton, Illinois in 1926. Today, more than forty local chapters are active in colleges and universities across the United States. The society encourages and fosters achievement of greater knowledge in the fields of science and mathematics. Outstanding scholastic achievement in the fields is recognized through membership in this society.

Program Offering
The B.A. in Chemistry program is primarily a day program, some courses are offered in the evening on a rotating schedule.