Chemistry
As a chemistry student at Earlham, you will engage in a core curriculum, approved and certified by the American Chemical Society, that offers you an understanding of matter and energy at the molecular and sub-atomic levels.
The chemistry major encourages undergraduate student research and faculty-student collaboration. It also offers the opportunity to take exciting new chemistry courses, such as forensics and biophysical chemistry.
The chemistry major at Earlham enhances the analytical, critical thinking and writing skills required to succeed in whatever career you choose.
“At Earlham there was always a table to join while doing homework or writing papers. It’s this sense of totally organically formed, unassuming, supportive community that drew me to Earlham, and it’ll be one of the things I remember most fondly in the future.”
Kerry Flannagan ’12
Chemistry major
“With my work with Earlham, my nuclear chemistry summer study and engineering study at Oak Ridge, I have been able to find my niche, and I found that I align pretty well with nuclear chemistry.”
Jessica Vadas ’13
Chemistry and physics major
“Earlham delivers challenging experiences to each of its students from the moment they step on campus, giving them a skill set, or tool box, with which to engage the world. I give Earlham a lot of credit for cultivating and honing this skill in me.”
Ian Henry ’01
Senior scientist at Procter and Gamble
Chemistry major
State-of-the-art facilities and collaborative research
Work on laboratory projects alongside our faculty using state-of-the-art instrumentation in a LEED-certified building named after Earlham chemistry alum and Nobel Laureate Wendell Stanley.
Hands-on experiences
Recent majors have done internships at organizations such as Belden, the Richmond Sanitary District, the Environmental Protection Agency and Newfields (formerly known as the Indianapolis Museum of Art).
Student-faculty collaborative research
Our foundation in research has allowed recent graduates to go on to Ph.D. programs at universities such as Harvard, Duke, Purdue, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Utah. Several of them were awarded prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships.
Our faculty
Earlham’s chemistry professors are scholars who teach. All classes are taught by faculty, not teaching assistants.
Program details
Through the chemistry program, you will gain the analytical, critical thinking and writing skills to succeed in whatever career you choose.
As a liberal arts college, Earlham offers multiple disciplinary and interdisciplinary majors and minors in which students cultivate deep and specific knowledge and experience. Equally important, the College expects every student to develop broad, general skills and proficiencies across the curriculum.
As part of their general education, students complete six credits in each academic division of the College: humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and visual and performing arts. In addition, students meet requirements for first-year courses, analytical reasoning, perspectives on diversity and wellness.
To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry, you must complete a total of 47-50 credits, made up of the following courses:
- Core Courses:
- CHEM 111 Principles of Chemistry
- CHEM 221 Organic Chemistry I
- CHEM 321 Organic Chemistry II
- CHEM 331 Equilibrium and Analysis
- CHEM 341 Thermodynamics and Kinetics
- CHEM 361 Inorganic Chemistry
- CHEM 480 Seminar
- CHEM 484 Ford-Knight Research or CHEM 486 Student Research
- CHEM 488 Senior Capstone Experience
- Two of the following courses (totaling at least 7 credits):
- CHEM 351 Biochemistry
- CHEM 371 Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology
- CHEM 421 Advanced Organic Chemistry
- CHEM 431 Advanced Analytical Chemistry
- CHEM 441 Quantum Chemistry
- CHEM 453 Cell Membrane Biochemistry
- CHEM 462 Organometallic Chemistry
- CHEM 463 Materials Chemistry
- CHEM 482 Special Topics
- MATH 180 Calculus A
- Either PHYS 125 and 235 Analytical Physics I and II (recommended); OR PHYS 120 and 230 General Physics I and II
- Comprehensive Examinations
- An independent research project is also required. This may be accomplished through an independent study in Chemistry, a summer research experience on or off campus, an approved Ford/Knight Research Project, or other research experiences as approved by the Chemistry Department. Careful early planning with your adviser should be done to determine the best option for the research experience.
View a full list of chemistry courses and their descriptions.
You can become certified by the ACS (American Chemical Society) if you have completed the curriculum approved by the ACS Committee on Professional Training (CPT).
Why should I get a certified degree?
- A certified degree in chemistry is a valuable personal credential which serves as national-level recognition for successfully completing a rigorous academic chemistry curriculum in an ACS-approved department. The extra rigor and additional requirements of the certified degree are valued by potential employers and graduate schools alike.
- Employers realize that graduates of approved programs have better preparation for technical employment.
- Although graduate school admissions committees are unlikely to consider overtly whether or not a graduate holds a certified degree, admissions committees will be impressed by the stronger preparation required for a certified degree and by a student being a graduate of an approved department.
Required courses for the certified chemistry major
- CHEM 111 Principles of Chemistry
- CHEM 221 Organic Chemistry I
- CHEM 321 Organic Chemistry II
- CHEM 331 Equilibrium and Analysis
- CHEM 341 Thermodynamics and Kinetics
- CHEM 361 Inorganic Chemistry
- CHEM 351 Biochemistry
- CHEM 431 Advanced Analytical Chemistry
- CHEM 441 Quantum Chemistry
- CHEM 480 Senior Seminar
- One course from the following electives:
- CHEM 371 Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology
- CHEM 421 Advanced Organic Chemistry
- CHEM 453 Cell Membrane Biochemistry
- CHEM 462 Organometallic Chemistry
- CHEM 463 Materials Chemistry
- CHEM 482 Special Topics
- Two semesters of calculus (MATH 180 and MATH 280)
- Two semesters of physics (either PHYS 125 and PHYS 235 – recommended; or PHYS 120 and PHYS 230)
- Comprehensive Examination
- A collaborative research project is also required. This may be accomplished through a summer (or May term) research experience on or off campus, an approved Ford/Knight or Student Research Project (CHEM 486, minimum of 3 credits) in Chemistry, or other research experiences as approved by the Chemistry Department. Careful early planning with your advisor should be done to determine the best option for the research experience.
Yes! To earn a minor in Chemistry, you must complete:
- Core courses
- CHEM 111 Principles of Chemistry
- CHEM 221 Organic Chemistry I
- CHEM 321 Organic Chemistry II
- CHEM 331 Equilibrium and Analysis
- Two courses from the following electives for a total of 24 semester hours in Chemistry:
- CHEM 341 Thermodynamics and Kinetics
- CHEM 351 Biochemistry
- CHEM 361 Inorganic Chemistry
- CHEM 371 Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology
- CHEM 421 Advanced Organic Chemistry
- CHEM 431 Advanced Analytical Chemistry
- CHEM 441 Quantum Chemistry
- CHEM 453 Cell Membrane Biochemistry
- CHEM 462 Organometallic Chemistry
- CHEM 463 Materials Chemistry
- CHEM 482 Special Topics
View a full list of chemistry courses and their descriptions.
A chemistry degree prepares you for a multitude of jobs, including:
- research chemist
- quality control associate
- chemistry laboratory technician
- chemical engineer
- chemistry teacher
- forensic scientist
- geochemist
- hazardous waste chemist
- materials scientist
- pharmacologist
Recent chemistry majors have interned at Loma Linda University Hospital, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute and the Earlham College Joseph Moore Museum, among other places.
Through our 3+1 Education Program, you can earn a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) and teaching license—all in just nine semesters.
You’ll leave Earlham with two degrees, licensed to teach grades 5-12 in Indiana. (And it’s easy to transfer your license to other states—many of our graduates do!)
If you are known for enjoying lab work, having strong math skills and being good at a variety of science subjects, this program would be a great fit for you. At Earlham, we will encourage you to do research as an undergrad and to collaborate with faculty when possible.