Program Overview

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Chemistry Bachelor of Science Degree

Chemistry

Bachelor of Science Degree

Overview

RIT’s chemistry BS prepares you for work in all areas of chemistry. You will be prepared for a wide variety of professional positions in industrial manufacturing and research, government, pharmaceuticals, and health care. You will also be ready to continue with graduate studies in chemistry or professional education in medicine or other health-related fields.

Why Study Chemistry at RIT

• Prepare for Advanced Degrees: Follow in the footsteps of more than two-thirds of RIT’s chemistry students who have continued their education in graduate programs at top tier universities, including the University of Pennsylvania, University of California at Irvine, and Yale University.
• Industry Networking Opportunities: Join the student chapters of the American Chemical Society, Alpha Chi Sigma Professional Fraternity, or American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology to connect with other students and professionals in the field, attend national conferences, and access employment and career resources.
• Undergraduate Research: Participate in chemistry research starting as early as your first year, preparing you for a wide range of careers with hands-on experience.
• Pre-Med/Pre-Health Advising Program: Receive personalized guidance to become a competitive candidate for admission to medical schools and graduate programs in the health professions.
• Strong Career Paths: Recent chemistry graduates are employed at Granite State Analytical, Quest Pharmaceutical Services, University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Worthen Industries, Inc., and Environmental Standards.
• Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Available: Earn both your bachelor’s and your master’s in less time and with a cost savings, giving you a competitive advantage in your field.
• STEM-OPT Visa Eligible: The STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) program allows full-time, on-campus international students on an F-1 student visa to stay and work in the U.S. for up to three years after graduation.

RIT Chemistry Degree Curriculum

Through Chemistry BS courses such as analytical, physical, organic, and inorganic chemistry, you'll develop a thorough understanding of substances and their chemical properties, how they can be manipulated, and how they can be transformed into new materials. This chemistry BS also offers the chance to choose a concentration or minor in complementary fields such as:

• Imaging science
• Business
• Graphic arts
• Psychology
• Biology
• Criminal justice
• Computer science
• Engineering
• Environmental science
• Forensics
• Mathematics
• Packaging science
• Physics

Hands-On Experience in Chemistry

The chemistry BS provides additional opportunities to gain real-world experience. Students are encouraged to take advantage of:

• Undergraduate research experiences that are available with professors within the School of Chemistry and Material Sciences to practice real-world lab applications of the information they are currently studying.
• RIT’s cooperative education and internship program includes science co-ops, with Advisors and the Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education are available to assist you in identifying and applying to co-op positions.

Furthering Your Education in Chemistry

Combined Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Degrees

Today’s careers require advanced degrees grounded in real-world experience. RIT’s Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees enable you to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in as little as five years of study, all while gaining the valuable hands-on experience that comes from co-ops, internships, research, study abroad, and more.

• Chemistry BS/Chemistry MS: In this combined accelerated dual degree in chemistry, you will study matter at the molecular and atomic levels, preparing you for a wide range of careers in fields like pharmaceuticals, health care, manufacturing, and sustainability. With a strong emphasis on research at the undergraduate and graduate levels, you’ll work closely with mentors to get hands-on experience with the cutting-edge technology and techniques used by industry professionals. You’ll customize your degree during your graduate work with a concentration of courses and a research project that will help you stand out in the job market.
• Chemistry BS/Materials Science and Engineering MS: Set yourself apart with an accelerated dual degree combining a chemistry BS with a master’s in materials science and engineering. You’ll benefit from a comprehensive core curriculum while joining a close-knit chemistry community and engaging in hands-on learning from day one. You’ll have access to advanced technology and master bench techniques used by industry professionals with close mentorship from research-active faculty. The addition of a New York State certified professional master’s degree in materials science and engineering will equip you with in-demand skills that can be applied to developing new materials, systems, and technologies. Graduates of this interdisciplinary program are recruited for by top companies like Toyota, Tesla, Rocket Lab, 3M, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, Xerox, Northrop Grumman, and the NASA Glenn Research Center.
• +1 MBA: Students who enroll in a qualifying undergraduate degree have the opportunity to add an MBA to their bachelor’s degree after their first year of study, depending on their program. Learn how the +1 MBA can accelerate your learning and position you for success.

Pre-Med/Pre-Health Advising

RIT’s Office of Pre-Health Advising offers an advising program that’s open to all majors and provides personal, individualized academic counseling to help you create a comprehensive long-term strategy to assist you in building successful applications to medical, dental, and veterinary schools or graduate degrees in the health professions (e.g., occupational therapy, physical therapy, etc.). Our pre-health advisors will have in-depth conversations with you around critical topics that include academic planning and course selection, MCAT and other admission exams, undergraduate research opportunities, clinical experiences and field work, timelines, and much more. Learn more about pre-med/pre-health advising.

Careers and Experiential Learning

Typical Job Titles

• Chemist
• Quality Assurance
• Materials Engineer
• QC Chemist/Packaging Scientist
• Lab Technician
• Research Assistant
• Environmental Chemist

Industries

• Biotech and Life Sciences
• Consumer Packaged Goods
• Food and Beverage
• Manufacturing
• Medical Devices
• Oil and Gas
• Pharmaceuticals

Cooperative Education

What’s different about an RIT education? It’s the career experience you gain by completing cooperative education and internships with top companies in every single industry. You’ll earn more than a degree. You’ll gain real-world career experience that sets you apart. It’s exposure–early and often–to a variety of professional work environments, career paths, and industries.

Co-ops and internships take your knowledge and turn it into know-how. Science co-ops include a range of hands-on experiences, from co-ops and internships and work in labs to undergraduate research and clinical experience in health care settings. These opportunities provide the hands-on experience that enables you to apply your scientific, math, and health care knowledge in professional settings while you make valuable connections between classwork and real-world applications.

Cooperative education is optional but strongly encouraged for students in the chemistry degree.

National Labs Career Events and Recruiting

The Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education offers National Labs and federally-funded Research Centers from all research areas and sponsoring agencies a variety of options to connect with and recruit students. Students connect with employer partners to gather information on their laboratories and explore co-op, internship, research, and full-time opportunities. These national labs focus on scientific discovery, clean energy development, national security, technology advancements, and more. Recruiting events include our university-wide Fall Career Fair, on-campus and virtual interviews, information sessions, 1:1 networking with lab representatives, and a National Labs Resume Book available to all labs.

Curriculum

Chemistry, BS degree, typical course sequence

• First Year
  • CHEM-171 Advanced General Chemistry I (General Education)
  • CHEM-172 Advanced General Chemistry II (General Education)
  • CHEM-175 Advanced General Chemistry I Lab (General Education)
  • CHEM-176 Advanced General Chemistry II Lab (General Education)
  • MATH-181 Calculus I (General Education – Mathematical Perspective A)
  • MATH-182 Calculus II (General Education – Mathematical Perspective B)
  • YOPS-10 RIT 365: RIT Connections
  • General Education – Ethical Perspective
  • General Education – Artistic Perspective
  • General Education – Elective
  • General Education – First-Year Writing (WI)
• Second Year
  • CHMA-211 Quantitative Analysis
  • CHMA-215 Analytical Methods Lab
  • CHMB-402 Biochemistry I
  • CHMO-331 Comprehensive Organic Chemistry I
  • CHMO-332 Comprehensive Organic Chemistry II
  • CHMO-335 Comprehensive Organic Chemistry Lab I
  • CHMO-336 Comprehensive Organic Chemistry Lab II
  • MATH-219 Multivariable Calculus (General Education)
  • PHYS-211 University Physics I (General Education – Natural Science Inquiry Perspective)
  • General Education – Global Perspective
  • General Education – Elective
  • Open Elective
• Third Year
  • CHMA-311 Instrumental Analysis
  • CHMA-315 Instrumental Analysis Lab
  • CHMP-341 Physical Chemistry I
  • CHMP-342 Physical Chemistry II
  • CHMP-345 Experimental Physical Chemistry I
  • CHMP-346 Experimental Physical Chemistry II
  • PHYS-212 University Physics II (General Education – Scientific Principles Perspective)
  • Advanced Chemistry Elective
  • General Education – Social Perspective
  • General Education – Elective
  • General Education – Immersion 1, 2
  • Open Elective
• Fourth Year
  • CHEM-401 Macromolecular Supramolecular and Nanoscale Chemistry
  • CHEM-411 Science Writing and Communication (WI-PR)
  • CHMI-464 Structural Inorganic Chemistry
  • Advanced Chemistry Electives
  • General Education – Immersion 3
  • General Education – Electives
  • Open Electives

Advanced Chemistry Electives List A

• CHEM-489 Advanced Special Topics
• CHEM-498 Advanced Chemistry Independent Study
• CHEM-531 Climate Change Science, Technology & Policy
• CHMA-621 Advanced Instrumental Analysis Lab
• CHMA-650 Chemical Separations and Mass Spectrometry
• CHMA-670 Advanced Concepts of Environmental Chemistry
• CHMA-711 Advanced Instrumental Analysis
• CHMA-740 Practical NMR
• CHMB-405 Biochemistry Lab
• CHMB-610 Advanced Protein Biochemistry: Structure and Function
• CHMB-702 Protein Conformation and Dynamics
• CHMB-704 Advanced Nucleic Acids Biochemistry; Structure and Function
• CHMI-351 Descriptive Inorganic Chemistry
• CHMI-465 Preparative Inorganic Chemistry
• CHMO-420 Organic Reaction Mechanisms
• CHMO-535 Advanced Techniques in Organic Synthesis
• CHMO-636 Spectrometric Identification of Organic Compounds
• CHMO-637 Advanced Organic Chemistry
• CHMO-640 Mechanisms of Drug Interactions
• CHMO-710 Literature Exploration of Organic Synthesis
• CHMO-739 Advanced Physical Organic Chemistry
• CHMP-751 Colloid & Interface Science
• CHMP-752 Molecular Photophysics and Photochemistry
• CHMP-753 Computational Chemistry
• CHPO-706 Polymer Synthesis

Combined Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Degrees

Chemistry, BS/MS degree, typical course sequence

• First Year
  • CHEM-171 Advanced General Chemistry I (General Education)
  • CHEM-172 Advanced General Chemistry II (General Education)
  • CHEM-175 Advanced General Chemistry I Lab (General Education)
  • CHEM-176 Advanced General Chemistry II Lab (General Education)
  • MATH-181 Calculus I (General Education – Mathematical Perspective A)
  • MATH-182 Calculus II (General Education – Mathematical Perspective B)
  • YOPS-10 RIT 365: RIT Connections
  • General Education – Immersion 1
  • General Education – Ethical Perspective
  • General Education – Artistic Perspective
  • General Education – Elective
  • General Education – Social Perspective
  • General Education – First-Year Writing (WI)
• Second Year
  • CHMA-211 Quantitative Analysis
  • CHMA-215 Analytical Methods Lab
  • CHMB-402 Biochemistry I
  • CHMO-331 Comprehensive Organic Chemistry I
  • CHMO-332 Comprehensive Organic Chemistry II
  • CHMO-335 Comprehensive Organic Chemistry Lab I
  • CHMO-336 Comprehensive Organic Chemistry Lab II
  • MATH-219 Multivariable Calculus (General Education)
  • PHYS-211 University Physics I (General Education – Natural Science Inquiry Perspective)
  • General Education – Global Perspective
  • General Education – Elective
  • Open Elective
• Third Year
  • CHEM-499 Chemistry Co-op (summer)
  • CHMA-311 Instrumental Analysis
  • CHMA-315 Instrumental Analysis Lab
  • CHMP-341 Physical Chemistry I
  • CHMP-342 Physical Chemistry II
  • CHMP-345 Experimental Physical Chemistry I
  • CHMP-346 Experimental Physical Chemistry II
  • PHYS-212 University Physics II (General Education – Scientific Principles Perspective)
  • Advanced Chemistry Elective
  • General Education – Social Perspective
  • General Education – Elective
  • General Education – Immersion 2
  • Open Elective
• Fourth Year
  • Choose one of the following:
    • CHEM-790 Research & Thesis (Thesis track)
    • Graduate Chemistry Focus Courses (Project track)
  • CHEM-401 Macromolecular Supramolecular and Nanoscale Chemistry
  • CHEM-411 Science Writing and Communication (WI-PR)
  • CHEM-500 Experiential Learning Requirement for Chemistry and Biochemistry Programs
  • CHEM-670 Graduate Chemistry Writing
  • CHEM-771 Graduate Chemistry Seminar I
  • CHEM-772 Graduate Chemistry Seminar II
  • CHMI-664 Modern Inorganic Chemistry
  • General Education – Immersion 3
  • General Education – Electives
  • Open Electives
• Fifth Year
  • CHEM-773 Graduate Chemistry Seminar III
  • CHEM-774 Graduate Chemistry Seminar IV
  • Approved Chemistry Graduate Courses
  • Choose one of the following:
    • CHEM-780 Chemistry Project (Project track)
    • CHEM-790 Research & Thesis (Thesis track)

Chemistry, BS degree/Materials Science and Engineering, MS degree, typical course sequence

• First Year
  • CHEM-171 Advanced General Chemistry I (General Education)
  • CHEM-172 Advanced General Chemistry II (General Education)
  • CHEM-175 Advanced General Chemistry I Lab (General Education)
  • CHEM-176 Advanced General Chemistry II Lab (General Education)
  • MATH-181 Calculus I (General Education – Mathematical Perspective A)
  • MATH-182 Calculus II (General Education – Mathematical Perspective B)
  • YOPS-10 RIT 365: RIT Connections
  • General Education – Ethical Perspective
  • General Education – Artistic Perspective
  • General Education – Elective
  • General Education – Social Perspective
  • General Education – First-Year Writing (WI)
• Second Year
  • CHMA-211 Quantitative Analysis
  • CHMA-215 Analytical Methods Lab
  • CHMB-402 Biochemistry I
  • CHMO-331 Comprehensive Organic Chemistry I
  • CHMO-332 Comprehensive Organic Chemistry II
  • CHMO-335 Comprehensive Organic Chemistry Lab I
  • CHMO-336 Comprehensive Organic Chemistry Lab II
  • MATH-219 Multivariable Calculus (General Education)
  • PHYS-211 University Physics I (General Education – Natural Science Inquiry Perspective)
  • General Education – Global Perspective
  • General Education – Elective
  • Open Elective
• Third Year
  • CHMA-311 Instrumental Analysis
  • CHMA-315 Instrumental Analysis Lab
  • CHMP-341 Physical Chemistry I
  • CHMP-342 Physical Chemistry II
  • CHMP-345 Physical Chemistry I Lab
  • CHMP-346 Experimental Physical Chemistry II
  • PHYS-212 University Physics II (General Education – Scientific Principles Perspective)
  • Advanced Chemistry Elective
  • General Education – Immersion 1, 2
  • General Education – Elective
  • Open Elective
• Fourth Year
  • CHEM-401 Macromolecular Supramolecular and Nanoscale Chemistry
  • CHEM-411 Science Writing and Communication (WI-PR)
  • CHMI-464 Structural Inorganic Chemistry
  • MTSE Graduate Electives
  • General Education – Immersion 3
  • General Education – Electives
  • Open Electives
• Fifth Year
  • MTSE-601 Materials Science
  • MTSE-704 Theoretical Methods in Materials Science and Engineering
  • MTSE-705 Experimental Techniques
  • Choose one of the following:
    • MTSE-777 Graduate Project plus two (2) MTSE Graduate Electives
    • MTSE-790 Research & Thesis
  • MTSE Graduate Electives

Admissions and Financial Aid

This program is STEM designated when studying on campus and full time.

First-Year Admission

First-year applicants are expected to demonstrate a strong academic background that includes:

• 4 years of English
• 3 years of social studies and/or history
• 3 years of mathematics is required and must include algebra, geometry, and algebra 2/trigonometry. Pre-calculus isrecommended.
• 2-3 years of science is required and must include chemistry. Biology isrecommended.

Transfer Admission

Transfer applicants should meet these minimum degree-specific requirements:

• A minimum of college algebra is required. Pre-calculus or calculus ispreferred.
• Chemistry is required.

Accreditation

The RIT bachelor of science in chemistry is certified by the Committee on Professional Training of the American Chemical Society.

Faculty

• Jeffrey Mills
• Christina Goudreau Collison
• Hans Schmitthenner
• Christopher Collison
• Jeremy Cody

Research

Undergraduate Chemistry Research Opportunities

Many students join research labs and engage in research starting as early as their first year. Participation in chemistry research leads to the development of real-world lab techniques, enhanced problem-solving skills, and broader career opportunities. Our students have opportunities to travel to national conferences for presentations and also become contributing authors on peer-reviewed manuscripts. Explore the variety of chemistry undergraduate research happening across the university.