Graduate School
The Chemistry and Biochemistry Majors offer 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 a Chemistry major with 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 will build programs around
the new (2008) major in Biochemistry.
Other students decide on a major in 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 members of the Chemistry and Education departments
early on.
A few students have entered secondary teaching via the "Teach for America" program or other less traditional routes.
Work in Chemistry
A number of students have gone directly in work in chemistry. Opportunities include technical or bench work at chemical or pharmaceutical companies or testing laboratories; technician positions in academic labs (some students do this for a year or so between graduation and starting a medical or graduate school program); government lab positions; and the like.
Other Health-related Academic Programs
Recently there has also been an increase in the number of Lawrence chemistry majors
who have chosen to explore graduate programs in Pharmacy or Pharmaceutical Chemistry or other allied health programs.
