The Chemistry and Biochemistry Department provides students with the opportunity to develop a strong foundation in chemical principles and their laboratory applications. This foundation enables Chemistry and Biochemistry graduates to pursue a wide range of careers in chemical industry, research, chemical education, chemical engineering, or in interdisciplinary fields such as medicine, dentistry, other health professions, environmental science, biochemistry, forensic science, or patent law.
The Chemistry and Biochemistry Department has laboratories for instruction in the basic Chemistry and Biochemistry courses, as well as research laboratories, stockrooms, seminar rooms, departmental reading rooms, and computer facilities. Advanced laboratories are designed to allow flexibility in selecting experiments and conducting special projects. Advanced students have opportunities for course credit through external internships and independent research projects under faculty supervision.
Instrumentation is very important in modern chemical practice. Available instruments within the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department include: Ultraviolet/visible spectrometers, ultraviolet/visible spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infrared spectrometers, 400 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, atomic absorption spectrometer, luminescence spectrometer, gas chromatographs, high performance liquid chromatographs, magnetic susceptibility balance, polarimeters, electrochemical analyzer, lyophilizer, electrophoretic unit, differential scanning calorimeter, thermagravimetric analyzer, and a glovebox. Many of these instruments are interfaced with computers.