college of arts and sciences
ba in chemistry
our chemistry program is certified to meet the standards set by the american chemical society, the largest scientific society in the world
about the major

the bachelor of arts program is primarily for students who have a special interest in chemistry but who intend to pursue careers in such related fields as medicine, dentistry, education, business, or law.
degree requirements
a total of 58 credits is required that includes core chemistry courses and electives, as well as courses in physics, mathematics, and computer science.
required courses
the bachelor of arts in chemistry requires a total of 39 credits in core chemistry courses such as:
college chemistry
quantitative analysis
organic chemistry i and organic chemistry ii
physical chemistry i and physical chemistry ii
for more information, and to see a complete list of degree requirements, visit the course catalog.
additional requirements
you must complete an additional 6 credits of advanced chemistry courses, as well as 8 credits of physics and mathematics courses, and a computer science course such as:
- calculus-based physics i
- calculus-based physics iii
- algebra-based physics i
- calculus i and calculus ii
- programming foundations
for more information, and to see a complete list of additional degree requirements, visit the course catalog.
learning outcomes
bachelor of arts in chemistry students will:
- learn fundamentals of chemistry and build to more complex concepts.
- learn the language of chemistry: compounds, structures, naming, and chemical reactions.
- understand the context of the answer to a problem and apply the answer to their model of how the physical world operates. be able to assess this model of the physical world.
- use reason and logic in the solving of chemical problems.
- be able to understand and perform fundamental laboratory procedures and build to more complex procedures.
- interpret instructions and collect, evaluate, and interpret data in the chemistry laboratory.
- gain an understanding of the main areas of chemistry: organic, analytical, physical, and inorganic.
- be able to process and translate written information in order to solve a problem or perform a laboratory procedure.
- be able to express and convey information in both oral and written formats.
bachelor of arts in chemistry with pre-pharmacy option
in conjunction with the university of saint joseph pharmacy school
bachelor of arts in chemistry with pre-pharmacy option
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learning outcomes chemistry with pre-pharmacy option
bachelor of arts in chemistry with pre-pharmacy option students will:
- learn fundamentals of chemistry and build to more complex concepts.
- learn the language of chemistry: compounds, structures, naming, and chemical reactions.
- understand the context of the answer to a problem and apply the answer to their model of how the physical world operates. be able to assess this model of the physical world.
- use reason and logic in the solving of chemical problems.
- be able to understand and perform fundamental laboratory procedures and build to more complex procedures.
- interpret instructions and collect, evaluate, and interpret data in the chemistry laboratory.
- gain an understanding of the main areas of chemistry: organic, analytical, physical, and inorganic.
- be able to process and translate written information in order to solve a problem or perform a laboratory procedure.
- be able to express and convey information in both oral and written formats.
laura pence, phd
professor of chemistry ,
the one-on-one mentoring and coaching that i’m doing with students on what they want to do after college is huge."