Chemistry

A chemistry degree can lead to pursuing advanced degrees in fields such as medicine, pharmacology, materials science or environmental science. Graduates go on to professional careers such as:

• Research or pharmaceutical scientist
• Analytical chemist
• Lab technician
• Materials scientist
• Forensic scientist
• Environmental chemist
• Chemical engineer
• Quality assurance or quality control specialist
• Patent examiner
• Professor
• Regulatory affairs specialist
• Science writer or communicator

The American Chemical Society (ACS) has an insightful Career Navigator on its website where you can explore different career paths.

In short, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) is for students going on to medical school or those wanting to double major in another field. These students may also go into secondary education, technical sales, science writing, chemical patent law or forensics. A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) is a rigorous, ACS-certified program with a substantial laboratory research component. It is designed for students aspiring to graduate school or professional chemistry careers. Both degrees are challenging, requiring foundational mathematics and physics, and they offer strong preparation for post-graduation goals.

It is! A chemistry degree provides excellent preparation for medical school. First, it covers off on most of your prerequisites such as general chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry. Second, it helps you develop the well-honed analytical skills that are critical for success in the field of medicine. Besides it being essential for the study of medicine, chemistry is a demanding program that is highly regarded by professional schools. It is second only to biology as the leading undergraduate major accepted into medical school.

SMU serves up many opportunities for undergraduates to participate in high-impact research with a faculty who specializes in many areas of research. The Department of Chemistry also offers the SMU-UT Southwestern Undergraduate Research Fellowship, designed to provide selected students with a unique opportunity to perform scientific research at the UT Southwestern (UTSW) Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences under the guidance of UTSW faculty and a mentor from SMU faculty.  

A chemistry degree is largely considered one of the more challenging STEM majors due to its rigorous, laboratory-intensive nature. At Southern Methodist University, the Department of Chemistry offers a demanding curriculum, especially the American Chemical Society (ACS)-certified Bachelor of Science degree. Each degree is balanced with attentive faculty, small class sizes, undergraduate research opportunities and full academic support. Students find the Altshuler Learning Enhancement Center to be an invaluable resource. Here, students can get help in improving grades and managing stress levels. Peer tutors offer free assistance, covering things like course material, areas of focus and more. Another resource – the Writing Center – gives students a place to consult with faculty members to hone their research and improve their critical reading and writing skills.

Yes, you can absolutely double major or add a minor while completing a chemistry degree at SMU! In fact, the curriculum is designed to allow for interdisciplinary studies, enabling you to combine a chemistry B.A. or B.S. with fields in Dedman College, Cox School of Business, Lyle School of Engineering or Meadows School of the Arts. The chemistry B.A. is specifically structured to be flexible, making it well-suited for those wishing to pursue a second major and, while more rigorous, the B.S. allows for additional minors or majors.

Glad you asked! SMU offers specialized graduate programs with a strong focus on Ph.D. and M.S. paths in theoretical and computational chemistry, organic and medicinal chemistry, and materials and polymer chemistry. These programs are designed for research-oriented careers in industry or academia. Students may also consider related interdisciplinary fields like biochemistry.