Chemistry

Students pursuing a degree in Chemistry have two degree plans to choose from. This helpful course map (PDF) shows the sequence of prerequisites in the department. 

1. Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

The BS in Chemistry is a rigorous course of study that incorporates more math and laboratory experience. This degree track is intended primarily to meet the needs of a student who wishes to seek employment in the chemical industry or to prepare for graduate study in chemistry.

Major Requirements: 69 hours of major courses, of which 23 hours are supporting courses from math, physics and biology.

General Education Requirements: In addition to the major program requirements, all students must satisfy the general education requirements. Talk with your success coach and faculty advisor about which courses are right for you. 

View and download the full degree plan for the BS in Chemistry major (PDF). 

2. Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry

This BA in Chemistry provides more opportunities to take non-science-related courses for a broader-based education and is intended primarily for students who wish to teach at the secondary school level or would like to use chemistry as a supporting discipline.

Major Requirements: 52 hours of major courses, of which 20 hours are supporting courses from math, physics and biology.

General Education Requirements: In addition to the major program requirements, all students must satisfy the general education requirements. Talk with your success coach and faculty advisor about which courses are right for you.

View and download the full degree plan for the BA in Chemistry major (PDF).

The Department of Chemistry also offers degrees in Biochemistry, Environmental Chemistry and Forensic Chemistry.

What You Will Learn

As a Chemistry major at St. Edward’s, you’ll learn to think both scientifically and creatively. You’ll delve into the study of matter — its characteristics, behavior and structure. You’ll examine the way materials act and react in certain situations, and you’ll produce and observe these reactions, both in nature and artificially in a lab setting. 

Through classroom studies, lab work and research, you’ll develop an understanding of how to collect, organize and interpret chemical data. In the process, you’ll learn to appreciate the world on the macro-scale while learning the underlying principles occurring on the molecular level.

Skills You Will Gain

As a Chemistry major, you’ll cultivate a range of skills that prepare you to excel in the workplace. You’ll be able to …

• Search, access, contextualize and effectively summarize readings of discipline-specific literature. 
• Apply basic principles of experimental design to the development of an experimental procedure in the appropriate subdiscipline of chemistry. 
• Use quantitative tools for data collection and analysis.
• Explain the purpose of general laboratory safety guidelines and their implementation in various lab settings. 
• Clarify the principles governing the function and mechanisms behind key experimental and instrumental techniques in chemistry. 
• Use appropriate experimental techniques and instruments to design and execute an experiment. 
• Communicate the findings of independent research in a manner appropriate to the audience, including oral presentations and the writing of experiments, research manuscripts, poster presentations, and research proposals.
• Demonstrate an ability to collaborate and arrive at a common goal within a team.

Research

You’ll perform research with cutting-edge equipment — St. Edward’s is proud to be considered one of the best-equipped and best-funded small college chemistry departments in the country. We’ve been highly successful in securing external funding in support of an advanced curriculum, modern laboratory instrumentation and undergraduate research. 

Departmental and Research Funding
Along with an ongoing research grant from the Welch Foundation, the Chemistry Department has secured curricular and equipment grants from the National Science Foundation, the Keck Foundation and the Educational Advancement Foundation. 

We are funded through the U.S. Dept. of Education under the Title V provision and through a five-year, $2.75 million grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences as part of a consortium that includes St. Edward’s University, Southwestern University and The University of Texas at Austin. 

Scholarships

• In addition to performing research over the academic year in one of the faculty-led research groups, students may apply for participation in the Chemistry Department’s full-time summer research program. The summer program is fully funded and successful applicants receive competitive student stipends. 
• Students in chemistry-related majors at St. Edward’s may apply for Welch Foundation undergraduate research scholarships — including a summer scholarship that provides a six-week stipend to conduct research.
• Win competitive summer research apprenticeships at universities across the country — funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) — where you can get experience studying different subfields of chemistry and focus on your career direction. 

NSF summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) include:

• University of North Carolina
• Michigan State University
• University of San Diego
• University of Nebraska
• University of Michigan
• University of Mississippi
• North Carolina State University
• Boston University

Conferences and Presentations

• Students are encouraged to present their results at professional meetings, such as regional and national meetings of the American Chemical Society and the Texas Academy of Science where they’ll rub shoulders with working scientists. 
• Students also have the opportunity to present at the annual SOURCE Symposium of undergraduate research on the St. Edward’s campus.

Our internship program acquaints students with practical experience. Our students have recently interned with …

• Bentoli AgriNutrition Inc.
• Sachem Inc.

STEM students at St. Edward’s can access paid internships offered by our National Science Foundation-funded Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4). For more information on these internship programs, please visit the Institute for Interdisciplinary Science (i4).

A Chemistry minor is available for students interested in the field of chemistry, or for students who would benefit from adding courses in chemistry to their education for their future endeavors. 

Required courses:

• General Chemistry
• General Chemistry Lab
  General Chemistry II
• General Chemistry II Lab

      Or

• Inorganic Chemistry I
• Inorganic Chemistry I Lab
• Organic Chemistry 
• Organic Chemistry I Lab
• Chemistry Electives