Majors & Minors

The Chemistry Major

A student and an instructor examine a test tube

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers two undergraduate degrees:

Within the chemistry program, students may pursue several specializations or credentials:

All chemistry degrees are excellent preparation for the pre-professional tracks, such as pre-medical, pre-optometry, and pre-dental, offered within the College of Arts and Sciences. More information about pre-professional programs can be found on the Pre-Health Professions website.

Honors

Students pursuing either of the ACS-certified Bachelor of Science in Chemistry tracks (BCH-chemistry or BCH-biochemistry) may apply for admission to the honors program. Chemistry honors are awarded in recognition of academic and research accomplishments.  Students receiving honors will complete an honors thesis in their senior year.  To receive chemistry honors, students must complete the following requirements:

  • Complete the ACS-certified degree (BCH) in either the chemistry or biochemistry track
  • Maintain a 3.30 GPA in chemistry courses, with no more than one C, and a 3.0 cumulative GPA
  • Complete one semester of CH 493/494, Honors Research Seminar
  • Complete at least one semester of CH 396/398/399. This course must be taken with the same research mentor as the CH 497/498/499 course
  • Complete one semester of CH 497/498/499 with a grade of B– or higher. This course would typically be taken in the final semester while writing the senior thesis
  • Complete an acceptable senior thesis based on research conducted with a chemsitry faculty member while enrolled in CH 39X/49X courses.

Please contact the Director of Undergraduate with questions about the chemistry honors program.  To apply, complete the Honors Application Form.

Minor

The Department of Chemistry offers a minor in chemistry. Students earning degrees in biology or chemical engineering, or who are planning on going to a professional school in a health-related field, will be very close to completing the minor after finishing the necessary degree requirements for these programs.

Visit the UA Undergraduate Catalog for information about the minor program, including course requirements.

More Information

Learn more about our undergraduate programs in the UA Undergraduate Catalog, or see our Undergraduate FAQ page.

Find suggested plans of study on the Undergraduate Resources page.

For questions, contact Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy, director of undergraduate studies, at kshaughn@ua.edu.