Chemistry Majors and Minors

The B.S. in chemistry at UWEC provided me with the critical thinking and lab skills necessary to work as a paid summer intern for Univar, a global chemical distributor. The challenging and high-quality chemistry courses prepared me to face whatever problems I might find in the chemical industry.

Anna Waller | chemistry liberal arts '16

Prepared for Success

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.

Many of our students go on to pursue chemistry-related graduate degrees at places like Cornell, the University of Minnesota or Northwestern. Careers after college include corporate or non-profit research chemists, industry or government product developers, environmental chemists, teachers, dentist, or physicians.

To learn more about health careers, students can utilize the Health Careers Center where they will find advising resources, workshop information, program materials and course information to help them prepare for a biomedical graduate program or health professional program.

Why UW-Eau Claire

Rankings / Reputation / Well-funded programs

UW-Eau Claire ranks in the top 3 percent of comprehensive undergraduate chemistry programs nationwide in the number of graduates going on to obtain chemistry PhD.s. Five of our chemistry faculty have received prestigious Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards, more than any other public liberal arts or comprehensive institution in the country.

Faculty typically generate about $400,000 per year in grants ($1.3 Million from 12-16), 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 

Hands-On Experience

Our outstanding chemistry faculty have a long tradition of productive collaborative research with students. Chemistry faculty have published more than 170 papers in peer-reviewed journals and have 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.