Inside Chemistry

Lawrence
University


Welcome to the Lawrence

Chemistry Department

 

Students and their long-range interests

Graduate School
The Chemistry Major offers excellent preparation for students heading to graduate school in chemistry or biochemistry. The major program can be tailored to fit a student's interests, while remaining broad enough to provide every student with a solid general background in the discipline. Students aiming for graduate school are encouraged to complete the program leading to ACS certification. They should definitely include some research experience in their programs, too, beginning as early as possible.

Medical School
Students thinking of a career in medicine or dentistry can meet the requirements for medical or dental school effectively with a program in the chemistry department, and students with these interests are welcomed by the department. Most medical schools require that students complete, as a minimum, the equivalent of two Lawrence courses in biology, two in general chemistry, two in organic chemistry, and two in physics. A number of pre-medical students find that a major in chemistry meets their interests, while others build programs around the "Interdisciplinary Major in the Sciences" with primary emphasis in chemistry. Other students decide on a major in biology, or an interdisciplinary major emphasizing biology, while a few prefer to complete majors in other areas - philosophy, history, English, or psychology, for example. For many of these students whose major is not chemistry, a Chemistry Minor is a good choice. Beyond the introductory and organic chemistry courses that medical schools require, Biochemistry, Analytical Chemistry, and the Chemical Dynamics course are particularly valuable, and that set of courses would satisfy the requirements for a Chemistry Minor.

Secondary Teaching
Lawrence has a program leading to certification for secondary school teaching, and some chemistry majors complete those requirements. The requirements for certification to teach chemistry can normally be met by completing the chemistry major and a collection of courses from the education department's offerings. Students interested in this area should consult a member of the department early on.

 

 

 

Last updated September, 2006

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