The chemistry and biochemistry department offers foundational courses in the five core chemical sub-disciplines: organic, physical, analytical, inorganic, and biochemistry. Additional elective courses explore a variety of topics, including computational chemistry, materials chemistry, food chemistry, environmental chemistry, and organic synthesis.
Classes are small, with fewer than 40 students in introductory-level chemistry lecture sections and 16 students in laboratory sections. Our faculty members are active researchers and work side by side with undergraduate students in the research lab. Many students engage in collaborative research with faculty in areas such as materials science, chemical biology, nanotechnology, biophysical chemistry, green chemistry, and climate science. Students have regular access to specialized state-of-the-art instrumentation and gain proficiency in a wide range of techniques. The small classes, abundant opportunities for independent research, and close and frequent interactions with faculty offer students the ideal environment for gaining a strong foundational training in chemistry or biochemistry.
