Department of Chemistry
The department’s undergraduate programs are designed to ignite curiosity and passion for the chemical sciences. Chemistry majors graduate well prepared for advanced graduate study and rewarding careers in research, teaching, or science policy. Many chemistry majors pursue a pre-health track, preparing for medicine or public health careers. Others leverage their chemistry expertise in diverse fields, including business, law, or even art conservation.
The department offers several distinct majors in chemistry, allowing students to tailor their coursework to meet their interests. The curriculum for each major is built on a strong foundation of core courses spanning the principal areas of chemistry—chemical principles, analytical, organic, physical, inorganic, and biological chemistry—and advanced undergraduate courses offer training in materials chemistry, biophyisical chemistry, chemical physics, and computational chemistry.
Most chemistry majors engage in at least one year of laboratory-based research or teaching. Research is central to the department’s mission, enriching student learning both in the classroom and the lab. The department emphasizes both traditional chemistry areas and interdisciplinary fields like biophysical chemistry, medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry, materials science, and educational research. Most chemistry majors engage in at least a year of research, gaining hands-on experience with state-of-the-art instruments—many even graduate with publications in peer-reviewed journals.
We offer two options for our flagship major in chemistry. Option A is an American Chemical Society certified degree that allows for a flexible curriculum, allowing students to pair their Chemistry degree with minors in natural science, mathematics, or computer science, or participation in the Modular Medical/Dental Integrated Curriculum (MMEDIC) program. Option B provides a streamlined curriculum with fewer requirements, giving students freedom to design a personalized program with more elective choices outside of their chemistry major. Students must receive a grade of at least C in all required courses to satisfy major requirements. Students wanting to pursue more in-depth studies can elect to enroll in our BA/MA or BA/MS programs, providing graduate-level coursework and research experiences. We also offer several interdisciplinary chemistry majors, including the Chemistry & Physics major and specializations in Chemical Biology and in Materials Chemistry and Nanoscience. The department also participates in interdisciplinary programs, including the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology program and the chemistry specialization within the Science Education program.
Through coursework taken in the Chemistry Department, all students majoring in chemistry will complete a majority of their general education (BU Hub), including Scientific Inquiry, Quantitative Reasoning, and Communications units, and may also satisfy the written and oral communication requirements, depending on the chemistry electives they choose.
Prospective chemistry majors are strongly encouraged to consult with the department’s Undergraduate Program Specialist and their academic advisor early in their college careers to help with planning their chemistry curriculum.
Departmental Regulations
Approved safety glasses and lab coat must be worn in all laboratory courses. Students with prescription eyewear may wish to obtain prescription safety glasses.
For all sequenced courses in the Department of Chemistry, units may be received for the first course in a sequence without taking the subsequent course. In our year-long chemistry courses, including General Chemistry 1 and 2 and Organic Chemistry 1 and 2, the first course is prerequisite to the second, and students starting in one track cannot change tracks for the second semester. This means that if a student starts general chemistry in CAS CH 109, they must take CAS CH 110 or CAS CH 112 and cannot change to CAS CH 102. A grade of C or better, or permission of the instructor, in the first course of a sequence is required to continue the sequence to ensure students have adequate foundation before engaging with more advanced topics.
Students may receive units for only one sequence in general chemistry (CAS CH 101, 102, 201, or CH 109, 110, or CH 109, 112), as well as the organic chemistry sequence (CH 203, 204, 220, or CH 211, 212, or CH 203, 214). Students may not receive units for both CAS CH 172 and CH 174 due to the overlapping content of these two courses.
Seniors, BA/MA, and BA/MS students completing undergraduate research or senior Honors in Chemistry research are required to present the results of their research at the Departmental Undergraduate Research Colloquium held at the end of the spring term. All students engaged in undergraduate research are encouraged to participate in the departmental colloquium and specialized seminar series.
Honors in Chemistry
Honors in Chemistry is awarded to graduating seniors who have completed honors research (CAS CH 401 and 402) in their senior year and successfully defended their honors thesis before a committee of three faculty. To be eligible for Honors in Chemistry, a student must also graduate with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA and a 3.2 GPA in required chemistry major courses. Applications for Honors in Chemistry are due before the fall term of the senior year.
Organizations
Sigma Xi
See Honor Societies.
Chemia
The student affiliate chapter of the American Chemical Society, Chemia, is open to all students interested in chemistry. It sponsors free tutorial sessions for all freshman and sophomore chemistry classes, meetings with visiting lecturers, tours of scientific facilities, and social activities.
Scholarships
Lambert Scholarship
The Department of Chemistry awards the Lambert Scholarship to undergraduate students majoring in chemistry or the natural sciences based on financial need. Preference is given to students who have overcome a personal challenge, come from a historically underrepresented student group, represent the first generation in their family to attend college, or experience socioeconomic disadvantage.
J. Philip Mason Memorial Award
This award is given each year to one or more upper-level students in one of our chemistry programs. It recognizes academic excellence, a strong interest in chemistry, and a demonstrated commitment to achieve a high level of performance under difficult conditions. J. Philip Mason Summer Awards for undergraduate research are also available.
Anne Gounaris Scholarship
This award is given to one or more deserving CAS students majoring in chemistry, with a preference for female students receiving financial aid. It recognizes excellence and high motivation in the field of chemistry.
Laursen Summer Research Scholarship
This award is given in alternate years as a summer stipend to enable a rising junior or, preferably, a rising senior to remain on campus in the summer to do research.
