Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science
Major: Chemistry
Hours: 120

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science -Chemistry

Delivery Options:

Chemisty Overview

The Lamar University Bachelor of Arts Degree in Chemistry is designed for you to apply chemistry principles in other fields, including medicine, education, dentistry, law, optometry and business. This might be a good fit if you’re interested in a career as a high school teacher, a chemical librarian, chemical salesperson, medical doctor, pharmaceutical salesperson or chiropractor. 

With in-depth understanding of analytical, organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, as well as knowledge in physics, mathematics and biology principles, you will have the opportunity to pursue careers in a variety of research domains.

This degree could send you to work on new drug designs or developing novel plastics in addition to possibly working in jobs related to all fields of chemistry, such as environmental analysis, forensic scientist or product quality design and operation. You may want this degree if you plan to enter a program of study in pharmacology, dentistry or medicine.

Lamar's Chemistry undergraduate program is designed to train you to become a professional chemist with American Chemical Society certification. You'll be qualified to obtain employment in industry or education, or you may choose to enter postgraduate programs in professional or academic areas.

Chemistry Courses You May Take

Organic Chemistry: You'll study current theories and chemical principles as they relate to the field of structure and reaction of the various types of organic compounds.

Inorganic Chemistry: This course includes generalization involving atomic and nuclear theory and properties of the elements with emphasis on periodicity. You'll also learn about non-aqueous solvents, acids, bases, oxidation-reduction and more.

Biophysical Chemistry: This course serves as an overview of the structural and physical properties of biomacromolecules. It includes discussions on protein stability, substrate binding equilibria and structure determination by both experimental and computational methods.

Chemical Communication: In this class, you'll gain an overview of the fundamental aspects of scientific communication as it pertains to chemistry, including chemical literature, scientific writing, oral presentations and poster communications.

Career Paths for Chemistry

About 25% of chemistry graduates go on to work in a directly-related field, generally in the private, for-profit sector. The job outlook in this field is good, and most positions pay well and are accessible with a bachelor's degree. Some of the higher-paying fields, like dentistry, pharmacy and radiology, require postgraduate study.

Primary Careers

Chemist, lab technician, nurse, postsecondary educator

Career Areas

  • Chemistry
  • Chemical engineering
  • Agriculture
  • Forensic science
  • Biology
  • Education

Median Salary

$57,460

Types of Employers

  • Hospitals
  • Diagnostic laboratories
  • Research facilities
  • Schools and universities
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Government research agencies

Meet the Faculty

Dr. Xiangyang LeiDr. Xiangyang Lei
Department Chair, Associate Professor
Dr. Ozge Gunaydin-SenDr. Ozge Gunaydin-Sen
Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry
Dr. P. ChandrasekaranDr. P. Chandrasekaran
Assistant Professor of Inorganic Chemistry