If you want to devote your career to using science to help people and solve problems, then Ball State’s departmental major in chemistry is right for you.
As a chemistry major a number of diverse opportunities open for you after graduation, including employment in fields requiring a strong background in chemistry or for further study in graduate school.
You may also want to double-major, pairing your chemistry education with another subject like:
What It’s Like to Major in Chemistry at Ball State
Our knowledgeable faculty and staff are committed to serving our students. We take great pride in our faculty-student interactions, incorporating faculty supervision in all laboratories, encouraging cooperative learning, and providing numerous opportunities for both formal and informal student-faculty engagement.
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The Chemistry Research Immersion Summer Program (CRISP) is one of the largest undergraduate research programs in chemistry in the nation. An average of about 40 students each summer have participated in CRISP over the past several years.
CRISP students do research, attend research group meetings, and have the opportunity to present their findings at weekly research meetings. All of the students in the program also present a poster describing their research at the CRISP poster session at the end of the summer session.
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We have a variety of state-of-the-art scientific equipment which our students are encouraged to use. Many of our instruments are the same kind you would find on the popular show CSI.
You will not watch idly as your professors use all this sophisticated equipment—you will work with the equipment yourself.
In addition, our department uses the University Imaging Laboratory, which includes electron microscopy facilities.
Departmental instrumentation includes:
- 400 and 300 MHz multinuclear NMR spectrometers
- FT-IR Spectrometers
- Gas Chromatographs
- High-Performance Liquid Chromatographs
- Fluorescence spectrometers
- Flame AA/AE and graphite furnace AA
- Differential Scanning Calorimeter
- Laser Flash Photolysis
- GC/MS
- Ultimate 3000 Rapid Separation LC unit coupled to an LTQ XL linear ion trap mass spectrometer
Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society (SAACS) is open to all students. This vibrant, award-winning group meets monthly to do service for the community and Ball State. SAACS members promote an interest in chemistry, address issues facing chemistry students, and promote an awareness of the responsibilities and challenges of today's chemists.
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Our small class sizes give students the opportunity to get the focused, one-on-one attention from instructors they need to succeed academically. Students also work closely together in our organizations, research labs, and in the community to promote chemistry education.
Major Requirements
This program consists of courses in chemistry, physics, and biochemistry and leads to a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree (BA/BS) in chemistry.
You will also need to meet course requirements set by our University Core Curriculum.
Credits
Total: 120
- University Core Curriculum: 36
- Major-Specific Courses: 34
Courses
A few of the classes you will take include:
- General Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
- Chemical Analysis
- Chemical Communications
You will also need to take classes in physics and calculus.
For a complete list of all the courses you will take and their descriptions, please see our Course Catalog.
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What Can You Do with a Degree in Chemistry
A chemistry major prepares you for jobs and advanced degrees requiring a strong background in chemistry. While some of our students have gone on to pursue graduate degrees that build on their chemistry education, other graduates have found chemistry-related jobs at companies like:
- Procter & Gamble
- Element Materials Technology
- AIT Laboratories
- Pfizer
- Roche Diagnostics
Paying for Your Education
On top of the dozens of funding options offered through Ball State’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, our department awards scholarships to our own students. Find a scholarship.
Ready to Apply?
Admission to Ball State is selective, and we carefully evaluate all application on an individual basis. Applying for admission is easy. Use our convenient, comprehensive, and secure online application.
Ready to Apply?
Admission to Ball State is selective, and we carefully evaluate all application on an individual basis. Applying for admission is easy. Use our convenient, comprehensive, and secure online application.