Chemistry majors at Wells College are active participants in both the classroom and the laboratory, exploring and discovering how nature works at the atomic and molecular level. Modern equipment and engaging experimentation are a part of every class, with a focus on research and hands-on learning. We also offer cross-registration at Cornell University, giving you the opportunity to experience a variety of learning strategies and broaden your study of chemistry off-campus. The Chemistry major at Wells College leads to a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree and is also offered as a minor.
As a chemistry major at Wells College, you’ll take core courses in chemical analysis and organic chemistry, advanced courses in physical and inorganic chemistry and instrumental analysis, with related courses in calculus and physics. From there, our bachelor’s degree program is designed to help you discover your strengths and use them to plan for your future. Elective courses pursue topics like biochemistry, solid state chemistry, and others that allow for focus on areas of individual interest.
You’ll be introduced to developing fields such as nanochemistry, green chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and more. Laboratories are based on real-world practices and problems, and your lab experiences will be guided by your interests. There is also a Senior Capstone Project that you choose and design, with the guidance of faculty who help you to plan a project that will best prepare you for your career goals after completing your bachelor’s degree.
Our chemistry and other science majors get to conduct their own research, often with faculty and as part of paid research opportunities. Wells’ Center for Sustainability and the Environment offers another way to ground your scientific study in important research through internships and experiences with a variety of visiting scholars as you pursue your bachelor’s degree. There is also a weekly Science Colloquium Series that brings professional guest speakers to our Aurora, New York, campus to present their leading work in chemistry and other sciences.
At Wells, you’re part of a hands-on chemistry and science program designed to prepare you for real-world challenges. When you earn your bachelor’s degree, you’ll enter the job market with firsthand experiences working with other scientists, adjusting your process based on the advice and expertise of others, writing about your work, and presenting papers for an audience. Read on to learn more about internship and study abroad opportunities you’ll find as an undergraduate chemistry major at Wells.
Explore careers and make valuable professional connections in medicine, research, public policy, and other areas through diverse internship opportunities at Wells. These are just a few of the places where our chemistry and other science majors recently held internships:
Interested in taking your undergraduate chemistry studies overseas? Learn more about study abroad programs at Wells.
If you’re interested in pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, you might also consider one of our other related science programs:
Science and technology jobs are growing at a rapid pace all over the world, and chemistry majors go on to do exciting work in a wide range of careers including research, chemical engineering, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and much more.
Recent graduates of our chemistry and other bachelor’s degree science programs are now working as research associates, laboratory technicians, dietitians, pharmacists, veterinarians, marine biologists, genetics counselors, physicians’ assistants, and in many other professional roles. Other Wells chemistry and science majors have gone on to graduate school programs such as Harvard Medical School, Cornell University, Georgetown University, the University of Tennessee, Stony Brook University, SUNY Binghamton and Buffalo, and many other top colleges and universities.
Christopher Bailey, Professor of Chemistry, team taught a summer faculty workshop on "Materials Science and Nanotechnology for Chemists" at Beloit College. Among the topics covered were the synthesis of several types of nanoparticles, self-assembling monolayers, solid state stoichiometry, semiconductors, quantum dots, organic solar cells, light emitting diodes, optical transform, and piezoelectricity.
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Lindsay Burwell had a paper accepted for publication in the Journal of Free Radical Biology and Medicine on the effect of long-term vitamin E and selenium supplementation on urine F2-isoprostanes, a biomarker of oxidative stress.
Take the first step toward earning your bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at Wells College. Apply now.
Ready to learn more about Wells College and our Chemistry Bachelor of Arts program? Request more information.
