Chemistry
(Printable version)
Do you have an interest in a major that studies the composition, structure and properties of matter? The chemistry major at UW-Eau Claire encompasses the creation of new materials with useful and interesting properties such as drugs, plastics and industrial catalysts.
Bright futures
As a chemistry major, you’ll be prepared for many different roles in science and often advance quickly in your career because of the major’s broad, multidisciplinary nature and your ability to transfer knowledge between scientific disciplines. In addition, you will have access to technology in the Materials Science Center, providing hands-on research very few other undergraduate programs offer. An array of career options and opportunities are available to you, including the technical areas of industrial and biotech research product development and environmental protection, forensic chemistry, teaching, chemical sales and marketing.
Collaborative faculty
Our outstanding chemistry faculty have a long tradition of productive collaborative research with students. Chemistry faculty have published more than 120 papers have been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at regional, national and international meetings. Summer or academic year paid research positions are also available to help you further your experience in the field. The personal attention of faculty
in the lab, classroom and field provides meaningful contacts for grad school and industry work.
And the award goes to
UW-Eau Claire ranks in the top 7 percent of undergraduate chemistry programs nationwide in the number of graduates going on to obtain chemistry PhD's. We consistently rank in the top 5 in the nation for the number of chemistry graduates at masters level universities. Four of our chemistry faculty have received prestigious Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards, more than any other public liberal arts or comprehensive institution in the country!
Well funded
Faculty typically generate about $500,000 per year in grants ($1.9 Million from 08-11), which pays for student researcher wages and instruments that students use in labs. In addition the department offers about $11,000 in student scholarships each year.


Majors
Chemistry, A.C.S.*
comprehensive*
Chemistry w/ research emphasis, Liberal Arts
comprehensive
Chemistry, Liberal Arts
standard
Chemistry, Teaching
standard
*The A.C.S. Chemistry major is certified by the American Chemical Society (A.C.S.). The A.C.S. major has a few more chemistry requirements than the Comprehensive Chemistry major.
Minors
The Chemistry Department offers a minor that requires 24 credits in chemistry. Chem 100, Chem 127 and Chem 150 do not count toward the minor.
Course work
Chemistry courses are mostly sequential. Upper-division courses have chemistry, math and physics prerequisites that must be satisfied during
the first two years if possible. Many students participate in undergraduate research collaboration with a faculty member. This can begin as early as the first semester on campus and last throughout the student's career.
Program readiness
Chemical Principles (Chem 115) requires superior preparation in high school chemistry. Successful students have often taken AP chemistry, and/or earned strong grades in high school chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Students who do not have sufficient high school chemistry preparation or who place into a lower level math course should take General Chemistry (Chem 103 and Chem 104) first.Suggested curriculum
Chemical Principles
Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry
Calculus and Analytic Geometry
Introduction to College Writing
General electives
More advising information
Our graduates
Nearly 40% of our students go on to pursue chemistry-related graduate degrees at places like Cornell, U of M or Northwestern. Careers after college include corporate or non-profit research chemists, industry or government product developers, environmental chemists, teachers, dentist, or physicians.
More career information
Places you’ll find recent graduates:
- Graduate School, U of M
Cornell
Northwestern University
- Chemist, Glaxo-Smith-Kline,
North Carolina
- Consultant, Technology
Solutions, Chicago, IL
- Graduate student, Chemical
Chemical Program,
UC-Berkeley
- Clinical pharmacist,
Grand Itasca,
Grand Rapids, MI
- Nutritional Chemist,
Commercial Test Lab, Inc.,
Colfax, WI
- Quality Control Chemist,
Nestle Nutrition, Eau
Claire, WI
- Graduate student, Chemistry,
U of M Twin Cities
Department contact information
Patricia Benson
jennemp@uwec.edu
715-836-3417

