Why Major in Chemistry?

At Bradley University, the discipline of Chemistry has a long tradition of excellence. The department has been accredited by the American Chemical Society for the professional education of chemists since 1948 when accreditation began.

Since Chemistry can serve as a basis for a wide variety of job opportunities, the Chemistry Department offers six programs in Chemistry. These programs include: Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemistry-Premedicine, Chemistry-Secondary Education, Chemistry-Business, and Environmental Science-Chemistry. Our objective is to provide the student with a solid foundation in each of these areas. Thus, each program is built upon a solid core of Chemistry, with additional science courses that provide the special knowledge needed in a particular program.

Within a given program, each student has the opportunity to individualize an actual program of study to meet specific career goals. At Bradley, the student is able to interact on an individual basis with faculty members in well equipped classrooms and laboratories. The chief concern of Bradley faculty is the education of the student. Chemistry classes are generally small in size. Freshman level classes have between 35-40 students and 8-20 students are common in junior and senior level classes. Each lecture class is taught by a Ph.D. faculty member.

Chemistry students are encouraged to consider participating in undergraduate research, industrial cooperative education assignments, assisting in the laboratory, and in the Chemistry Club. These experiences prepare Bradley chemistry majors well for either immediate employment upon graduation, or for further study at the graduate or professional level. In recent years, between 16 and 20 students have graduated per year from Bradley University in Chemistry or related areas. These graduates have experienced outstanding placement. Approximately 45% entered graduate school full-time; 40% were employed as full-time chemists; and 15% entered professional schools of medicine, dentistry, or veterinary medicine.

All of our graduates who have applied to graduate school have been admitted with either a graduate assistantship or a fellowship. In Chemistry and Biochemistry, a student attending graduate school can be financially self-sufficient. Currently, most graduate students in chemistry receive tuition waivers and assistantships or fellowships ranging from $10,000 - $18,000 per year. In follow-up correspondence with our graduates who have entered graduate schools, we are told that their preparation for graduate work is equal to or superior to other graduate students. Our graduates in medical schools also tell us that they feel especially well-prepared in chemistry and biology.

Chemistry graduates have pursued Ph.D. studies at various universities such as University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois, Purdue University, Indiana University, Northwestern University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Minnesota, University of Michigan, University of Iowa, Washington University, Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, Harvard University, MIT, Princeton University, University of Rochester, Syracuse University, University of North Carolina, University of Oregon, University of California - Irvine, Colorado State University, Loyola University, Marquette University, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, Texas A&M University, University of Maryland, Miami University, University of Akron, and Washington State University.

Bradley Chemistry graduates have also been very successful at obtaining employment in all areas of chemistry immediately after graduation. Recent Chemistry graduates have been hired by companies and laboratories such as Abbott Laboratories, Stepan, Nalco, Eli Lilly, Monsanto, Sigma Chemical, Mallinckrodt, Texas Instruments, Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard, The United States Department of Agriculture, American Maize, Centeon, Platinum Technology, Flavor Chem, Lonza Chemical, Environmental Science & Engineering, Environmental Monitoring Technology, and Rollins Environmental Services.

For Prospective Students

Why Major in Chemistry?