Chemistry

What Can I Do With a Major in...Chemistry?

Individuals with a degree in Chemistry study the structure and make up of chemical substances and the way their interaction changes and transforms them.

Before you begin to look at the different types of opportunities available to Chemistry majors, you must look at yourself and ask yourself a few basic questions:

What am I good at?

Understand your major strengths, skills and accomplishments. Some examples of skills and qualities employers look for are:

Computer literacy
Attention to detail
Independence
Curiosity
Manual dexterity
Analysis
Decision making
Math
Teamwork

What do I like to do?

Examine your interests. What kind of life style do I want to lead? Examine your values...is money what you're after, job security, challenging work?

If you are having trouble answering these questions, you are not alone. Make an appointment an advisors in the Career Center. We want to help you!

Positions

Once you know yourself, you are ready to decide where and how you want to apply this knowledge.

The field of Chemistry has many specialty areas such as:

Analytical
Organic
Inorganic
Physical
Biochemistry
Chemical Oceanography, etc.

A bachelor's degree in Chemistry and the appropriate skills and/or experience can lead to positions in:

Analysis and testing
Technical sales and service
Teaching, secondary education

Experience in the field or an advanced degree could lead to certain positions in:

Research
Computer programming
Teaching in colleges/universities
Higher education administration
Consulting
Art conservation
Patent law, etc.

For information on graduate schools, consult Peterson's.

Learn More

To help you decide which area to pursue you must do in-depth research into each area of specialization and/or industry you have an interest in.

Places to begin:

Join the Career Centers COACH Program

The Occupational Outlook Handbook

Talk to people in the field, talk to your professors, write to and/or join one of the following associations:

American Chemical Society, Career Services 1155 Sixteenth Street, NW, Room O-816 Washington, DC 20036 (800) 227 - 5558 www.acs.org

Association for Clinical Chemistry 2101 L Street, NW, Suite 202 Washington, DC 20006 (800) 892 - 1400 www.aacc.org

Society of Cosmetic Chemists 120 Wall Street, Suite 2400 New York, NY 10005 (212) 668 - 1500 www.scconline.org

For additional lists of Associations consult the Encyclopedia of Associations