Chemistry Major

Humans are part of a chemical world. The cells that make up our bodies, the foods we eat, the medicines we take, the clothes we wear, and the homes we live in are all composed of chemical substances.

The B.A. in chemistry at Marian University enables you to examine the composition and structure of chemicals at atomic and molecular levels. You will learn what substances are made of and how chemistry improves quality of life and makes our world a better place. 

As a Chemistry major, you will also build a firm academic foundation in the humanities, combining science courses with an exploration of the liberal arts. 

Upon graduation as a Chemistry major, you’ll be prepared to pursue careers that require broad chemistry and scientific knowledge, strong analytical abilities, good communication and collaboration skills, and a strong understanding of people. 

Learn more about our Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences and faculty

Why choose a B.A. in chemistry at Marian?

The B.A. in chemistry at Marian University is excellent preparation for careers in fields that draw upon chemistry and science, including the health professions, education, and business.

It is appropriate for students who want to work in scientific and technological business enterprises in which a general knowledge of chemistry would be of benefit. It is also appropriate for students who want to teach, work in government or public service roles, and health professions like physical or occupational therapy that require one-on-one interactions with people of all ages and backgrounds.

With a B.A. in chemistry, you'll graduate with knowledge and skills that make you an attractive job candidate for positions that require both an understanding of science and an understanding of human behavior.

Compared to the B.S. in chemistry, this program provides you with more flexibility to pursue diverse interests, like foreign language, art, psychology, global studies, and other humanities that will help you broaden your perspectives and way of viewing the world.

Another important difference is that the B.S. in chemistry may be a better choice if you want to work as a research or laboratory chemist, pursue a graduate degree in chemistry, apply for medical school, or work as a professional engineer.

What makes our program unique?

• A high-impact, hands-on curriculum provides you with broad perspectives about the chemical, physical, and biological world.
• The B.A. in chemistry can be paired with a second major, an academic minor, or a concentration area in another discipline. Talk with your academic advisor about your options.
• Marian’s chemistry classes are rigorous, but we’ll help you excel. Our faculty will guide, encourage, and support you every step of the way. You’ll get an exceptional amount of individual attention and personal mentoring from faculty recognized for their teaching and scholarship. And you’ll build close relationships with both professors and your peers.
• You will have multiple opportunities to participate in multidisciplinary research projects and present your work at on- and off-campus symposia and research conferences.
• Because the general education portion of our curriculum is grounded in the liberal arts, you’ll gain the communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills that are essential for success in the workplace.
• Marian University’s location in Indianapolis, a thriving major metropolitan area with a vibrant employment market, means you’ll have access to a range of internship opportunities that will help you build a professional network before graduation.

What will you study?

• You will take courses that enable you to study and explore current trends, challenges, and opportunities in the field of chemistry.
• You’ll explore the interdisciplinary impact of chemistry on current topics, like cell and gene therapy, cancer, and disease.
• Because Marian is a leader in green chemistry education, you can choose courses which include a focus on sustainability and environmental protection.
• Faculty will teach you how to understand and appreciate scientific knowledge and methodology.

Courses are sequenced to provide you with early foundational knowledge in chemistry, progressively building upon what you’ll learn through your last semester. You’ll start with 100-level courses that teach you the fundamentals of general chemistry and physics. You’ll complete at least 34 credits in chemistry at or above CHE 151.

Required courses include:

• CHE 151-152: General Chemistry I and II
• CHE 300: Analytical Chemistry
• CHE 305: Organic Chemistry I
• CHE 325: Physical Chemistry I
• CHE 490: Chemistry Seminar
• MAT 230-231: Calculus and Analytic Geometry I and II
• PHY 110-111: General Physics I and II
• PHY 111: General Physics II
• PHY 201: Mechanics
• PHY 202: Heat, Electricity, and Optics

Sample four-year plan and checklist

What are your career paths?

The B.A. in chemistry degree leads toward a range of careers which require knowledge of chemistry and science, but in which you are more likely to work with people than work behind a microscope in a laboratory or research setting.

• For some students, completing a B.A. in chemistry is the first step in a continuing educational journey. These go on to earn master’s and doctoral degrees in fields like law, business, education, and healthcare.
• Students who don't plan to attend graduate school pursue careers as middle and high school chemistry teachers, technical writers and editors, sales and marketing managers, government affairs specialists, public health specialists, and nonprofit directors.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), examples of career paths, including employment projections and median salaries, you could pursue include:

Talk with your admission counselor and academic advisor about your career interests and goals. We’ll help you put together a personal plan of study that prepares you for the career of your dreams.

Chemistry is in and all around us. From the clothes we wear to the medicine we take, the food we eat, and the cells that make up our bodies, humans are part of a chemical universe.

How can we better understand a world in which everything that we taste, smell, and feel is made of chemical matter? By studying chemistry!

Chemistry is a scientific discipline which addresses the structure, composition, reactivity, and energetics of substances down to their very atoms and molecules. It tells us what substances are made of and how they will behave. And importantly, by understanding chemistry, we can change the world for the better.

Learn more about our Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences and faculty

Why choose a B.S. in chemistry at Marian?

Advances in chemistry are improving human health and well-being around the world. Those who understand chemistry are uniquely situated to address global needs—and discover, develop, and implement solutions to some of the modern world's toughest challenges.

Whether you want to practice medicine, be an engineer, teach, work in the pharmaceutical or biomedical sciences, or be a “green” (environmental) chemist, a B.S. in chemistry from Marian University will help you develop the technical and cognitive skills you need to make your career goals a reality.

What makes our degree in chemistry program unique?

• Hands-on teaching and learning gives you deep knowledge, broad perspectives, and keen understanding about the chemical, physical, and biological world.
• You can choose one of three concentration areas (bio-organic chemistry, chemical physics, and environmental science) with which to customize your studies.
• Engage with chemistry faculty who provide you with an exceptional level of personal attention, so you thoroughly understand key concepts, theories, and learning outcomes. And, since Marian classes have an average 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio, you’ll build close relationships with both professors and peers.
• Our classes are rigorous and you can expect to be academically challenged. But you’ll have support and access to tutors and other academic resources that help you excel.
• Put your values into practice! Marian is a leader in green chemistry education. Our curriculum and laboratory practices encourage you to practice one of our key Franciscan values: responsible stewardship. And we’ll help you explore careers in which you can integrate this value into your professional work after graduation.
• You can partner with faculty in chemistry and the biomedical sciences on multidisciplinary research projects, presenting your work and discoveries at on-campus symposia and at regional and national conferences.
• Thanks to our general education curriculum grounded in the liberal arts, you will develop strong communication, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. These skills are important in all professional settings and are essential to those practicing chemistry, including those who plan to attend graduate school for medicine or the health sciences.
• Indianapolis is home to top global employers in the pharmaceutical, life science, manufacturing, and other industries, so you can pursue a range of internship opportunities in the field of chemistry and build a professional network before graduation.

What will you study?

As a B.S. in chemistry major at Marian, you will complete at least 128 total credits, including required general education, core, and elective courses.

Through our high-impact, experiential curriculum you’ll gain the technical and cognitive skills needed to:

• Design and perform a wide array of laboratory experiments.
• Analyze complex substances using state-of the-art instrumentation.
• Show creativity and innovation through your coursework and research.
• Prove that you are an independent thinker by conducting your own research investigations.
• Develop and showcase your ability to communicate inspiring concepts and ideas by writing, speaking, and presenting your work to diverse people in various settings.
• Demonstrate specialized scientific and technical knowledge that is attractive to employers and graduate programs, including medical schools.

You will also take courses that enable you to study and explore current trends, challenges, and opportunities in the field.

• Courses are specifically sequenced to provide you with early foundational knowledge in chemistry, progressively building upon what you learn through your last semester as a senior.
• You will start with 100-level courses where you will master the fundamentals chemistry. Then you’ll progress into upper division courses in analytical, organic, and biological chemistry.
• You’ll explore the interdisciplinary impact of chemistry on topics like cell and gene therapy, cancer, disease, sustainability and environmental protection, and physics.
• Faculty will teach you to understand and appreciate scientific knowledge and methodology.

At least 60 credits focus on the chemical and physical sciences. You’ll complete courses such as:

• CHE 275: Practical Computational Chemistry
• CHE 300: Analytical Chemistry
• CHE 305-306: Organic Chemistry I and II
• CHE 325-326: Physical Chemistry I and II
• CHE 430: Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

You can also add a concentration in one of these fields to your plan of study:

• Bio-organic chemistry
• Chemical physics
• Environmental science

Depending on whether and which concentration you chose, you’ll complete courses like:

• CHE 270: Environmental Chemistry
• CHE 310-312: Biochemistry, Biochemistry I, and Biochemistry II
• CHE 315: Environmental Toxicology
• CHE 435: Physical Biochemistry

Throughout your studies as a chemistry major, you’ll also complete a two-credit chemistry seminar and one-to-four-credit special topics in chemistry courses.

In addition, you’ll have opportunities to complete directed research and independent study courses as well as earn two to six credits through an off-campus internship in chemistry.

You’ll work closely with your academic advisor to choose required and elective courses that (1) fit your career interests and/or (2)  prepare you to be a competitive candidate for admission to graduate school, if plan to continue your education in a master’s or doctoral degree program.

Sample four-year plan and checklist

What are your career paths?

For some Marian students, earning a B.S. in chemistry degree is the first step in an academic journey focused on the health sciences. After earning their undergraduate chemistry degree, they apply for admission to a graduate degree program and complete advanced studies to become physicians, dentists, optometrists, and other types of professional healthcare providers.

Other chemistry majors want to work in fields like advanced manufacturing, environmental protection, or the biosciences.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) reports employment for chemists and chemical specialists typically falls into one of five categories: industry, academia, government, non-profit, or entrepreneurship.

Chemists work in a range of roles and organizations:

• Research and development, quality control, technical support, sales, marketing, or manufacturing
• Environmental protection and management, public health, law and public policy, the military and law enforcement
• K-12 and higher education
• Regulatory affairs, technical communication, and information management/informatics

Among the industries that hire the most chemists:

• Pharmaceutical companies
• Scientific research enterprises, both public and private
• Chemical manufacturing companies
• Paint, coating, and adhesive manufacturers
• Petroleum and gas extraction companies
• Petroleum products manufacturers
• Aerospace research, development, and manufacturing enterprises

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), examples of career paths, including employment projections and media salaries, for chemistry majors include: