Chemistry is the study of the composition and properties of matter. Wesleyan’s chemistry major combines the personal attention of a small college with the advanced research opportunities of a larger university. This unique combination represents the university's long tradition of close collaborative interaction between students and faculty.

Chemistry majors are problem solvers who often pursue careers in teaching, research, chemical engineering, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, environmental, and public policy, with many going on to graduate and medical school. BA/MA and PhD programs are also offered.

What You'll Study

  • At Wesleyan, high-quality contemporary research programs are active in synthetic and physical organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, bioorganic and biological chemistry, biophysics, and physical and computational chemistry. You can choose to work in any of these areas as early as your freshman year.
  • As a chemistry major, you’ll participate fully in faculty research programs. With your faculty mentor, you’ll design and conduct experiments and interpret the results. You might also have the opportunity to present the results of your research in a departmental seminar or at a national conference. Many students coauthor papers published in the scientific literature, and most produce a senior thesis based on their research.
  • Full-time summer research stipends preceding your junior and senior year will allow you to focus on the work you’ve done part-time during the academic year.

Minor Requirements

  • Minors must complete both the general and organic chemistry sequences, three laboratory courses, one 300-level course taught in the Chemistry Department, and one semester of the departmental chemistry symposia.