Students
Undergraduate Studies
When you understand chemistry, you begin to understand the extraordinary nature
of the world down to its most basic particles. Chemistry is the science
of the materials we use, the medicine we take, the environment we live in and
the food we eat. Our department gives students the opportunity to learn skills
that will lead to tomorrow’s discoveries.
Through in-depth instruction
,
hands-on research
and independent projects conducted with award-winning
faculty
, chemistry students learn to question, experiment and innovate.
Students with an undergraduate chemistry degree pursue a variety of careers.
Our graduates have successfully found jobs in industries like pharmacy,
manufacturing, government and public service. and in government facilities. Basically,
any career that benefits from a solid science background is an option. Many
students go on to medical school or pharmacy school, and others earn graduate
degrees in other STEM fields as well as journalism, law, public service and
manufacturing. The department offers a
Bennett Careers for Chemists
program every April to provide students with the perspective and advice
of professionals in several careers.
The Department provides strong interaction between the faculty and the chemistry majors. Students are encouraged to take Chemistry Research (CHEM 497) as part of their coursework to further develop connections with faculty. In this course, you work in a research lab with close supervision of a faculty supervisor, and possibly a postdoctoral associate or graduate student. The undergraduate research experience is especially advantageous for students planning to apply to medical or pharmacy schools as well as to chemistry graduate programs.
The ACS Student Affiliates offers close ties with other chemistry and science undergraduates and several group activities, such as the Chemistry Learning Center and magic shows for area schools. The Chemistry Learning Center is staffed with tutors who are members of the ACS Student Affiliates.
Degree Requirements for the B. A. and B. S. Degrees Offered by the WVU Bennett Department of Chemistry
The Bennett Department of Chemistry offers a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and is involved with the Intercollegiate Bachelor of Sciences in Biochemistry, which was launched in fall 2013. The B.S. chemistry degree, which provides a more in-depth coverage of the academic sub-disciplines of chemistry (analytical, inorganic, organic, physical, and biochemistry), has been approved by the American Chemical Society since 1941. Whereas the B. A. chemistry degree has a formal foreign language requirement of 12 credit hours in the same language, the B. S. chemistry degree does not.
All of the required chemistry classes in the B. A. and B. S. degree programs have specific prerequisites that must be met. Students majoring in chemistry need to be aware that the Department of Chemistry requires a minimum grade of C in all prerequisite chemistry courses. For example, a minimum grade of C in Chemistry 115 is needed for a chemistry major to enroll in Chemistry 116.