The Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry fulfills the requirements for professional training established by the American Chemical Society, a national certifying agency. The B.S. degree in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry (also fulfills requirements of the American Chemical Society), prepares students for careers in biochemistry and various related fields. These curricula are designed to prepare students for research positions in industry and governmental agencies. The B.S. degree also prepares students who intend to continue their study into the graduate level.
The Department of Chemistry emphasizes hands-on learning. Our instruction and facilities are top-notch, with a modern computational chemistry laboratory available to majors, as well as other analytical and applied instrumentation, including GC-MS, AA, FT-IR, HPLC and a modern multi-nuclear FT-NMR.
A major factor influencing employability is preparation. How well a student investigates job alternatives, gains additional educational and experiential background to qualify for areas of increasing employability, and goes about applying for these position openings has a pronounced influence on employability. The student who is aware of, and interested in, specialty areas with increasing employment opportunities can benefit by preparing himself/herself for those employment areas. By looking into what course work, skills, and experiences an employer looks for, students can better prepare for forthcoming position openings. In general, the chemistry student with additional skills or a highly specialized emphasis has special advantages in the job market. Students also have a strong chance of increasing employability by strengthening their skills with additional course work from related disciplines.
A bachelor’s degree requires a total of 120 units. For a description of degree requirements to be fulfilled in addition to those listed below for the major, please see “Bachelor’s Degree Requirements ”. The Upper Division Area B General Education requirement is met by the coursework within the chemistry major.
Requirements for the Major (78-83 units)
Students must complete all courses in the major with a C- or better.