The majors in chemistry and biochemistry are designed for students with varying career goals. Students graduating with a major in chemistry or biochemistry are prepared to enter graduate school, begin or continue work in an industrial or government research laboratory, teach science at the secondary-school level, or begin further education in a health-related field such as medicine, pharmacy, dentistry or veterinary science. The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry also offers courses that support other majors, such as biology and nursing, and courses that meet the Integrated Curriculum requirements.

Students studying chemistry use the knowledge gained through courses in a variety of careers.  Beginning with the fundamentals and progressing to advanced studies of both theoretical and applied chemistry, you’ll be able to tailor a curriculum that suits your goals.  All majors start with the same core of course work, but allow for different combinations of advanced courses to meet your interests. 

The major in chemistry has the greatest scope because it allows you the greatest possible choice of advanced electives.  Although this major is enough to enter any career field that a chemist may choose, one of our specialty majors may fit your needs better. 

The major in chemistry with American Chemical Society (ACS) approval specifies advanced courses that are good preparation for graduate school. Our alumni have gone on to strong graduate programs across the country, including University of Wisconsin – Madison, University of California – Irvine, Boston University, North Carolina – Chapel Hill and more. 

Our newest major, the major in chemistry with industry concentration prepares students for industry and begins preparation for management roles by combining chemistry and business classes. Students who choose this option are ready to enter the MBA program at Elmhurst University or other institutions and can use these skills to work up the career ladder.

The major in biochemistry is an interdisciplinary major and is excellent at preparing students for entry into the biochemical field or entry into health-related professional fields such as medicine, pharmacy, dentistry or veterinary medicine. This is a popular major for students who can’t decide between chemistry and biology. 

Students interested in secondary-school teaching are served by the secondary science education major, but double majoring is strongly suggested.

Students may also choose a minor in chemistry to support another major, most commonly biology, or to complete the prerequisite courses needed and suggested for health professions.

Chemistry and biochemistry majors receive hands-on training with modern instrumentation. Undergraduate research is integrated into the major, along with professional skills such as oral communication, information fluency and technical proficiency. Students have the opportunity to gain job-related skills by working as a lab assistant for the department after their first year of classes, or completing an internship at a local industry site.

Students have the opportunity to participate in funded summer research projects as early as their first summer on campus.  Our students have also completed Research Experience for Undergraduates (REUs) at large research institutions around the country.

Departmental faculty work closely with students to advise them on the appropriate major to consider, the sequence of courses in which to enroll, aspects of career planning, and obtaining meaningful employment.

A major in chemistry or biochemistry is also an excellent beginning for further study and careers in fields that utilize chemistry. Examples include environmental studies, law, business (chemical, pharmaceutical and petroleum-related companies), technical writing and editing, and scientific information retrieval.

Mission and Goals:

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry endeavors to provide an excellent educational experience in chemistry and biochemistry for a variety of learners. We prepare our majors for diverse career goals such as direct employment in the chemical or biochemical industry, entry into graduate or professional programs, or careers in secondary school teaching by emphasizing:

• Hands-­on experiences with modern instrumentation

• Independent research

• Computer skills

• Scientific communication skills

We seek to provide all Elmhurst students with a fundamental understanding of chemical principles and scientific reasoning skills that will enable them to make informed decisions about issues relating to science and society.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of the program, students are able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of conventional facts and theories in: a) analytical chemistry b) inorganic chemistry c) organic chemistry d) physical chemistry and e) biochemistry, to the guidelines established by the American Chemical Society.

• Demonstrate mastery of: a) basic laboratory skills and familiarity with conventional classical laboratory tools and b) common instruments in the areas of spectroscopy, electrochemistry and chromatography.

• Use computers appropriately in chemistry, through classes, laboratories, seminars and projects in which software for word processing, spreadsheet calculations and data base applications, graphing and curve fitting, data acquisition and instrument control and molecular modeling/computational chemistry is actively employed.

• Demonstrate growth in understanding of chemical science and general scientific skills through involvement in: a) real-­world problem solving and b) experimental design.

• Demonstrate excellent (a) oral and (b) written communication skills, particularly through production of descriptive reports and oral presentations on individual chemical and physical studies or the scientific work of others.

• Demonstrate growth and understanding of ethical issues and inclusion in science within a diverse, global society.