Why Major in Chemistry?
Studying chemistry gives you tools to explore the building blocks of the world. By studying chemicals and how substances interact, you'll develop an understanding of how the world works. You'll also receive excellent preparation for careers in a variety of industries from medicine and research to engineering and teaching.
At Belmont, you’ll have the freedom to create a chemistry program of study that aligns with your passions and career interests. Whether you’re pursuing a career in forensics, environmental science, teaching or research, you can choose the courses and experiences that will help you reach your goals.
Beyond the classroom, you can build your expertise through independent research, community outreach and other experiential learning. For example, our Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships in the Sciences program immerses you in a focused, six-week research project. You may also be able to receive scholarship support for research with a faculty mentor.
What You'll Learn
The chemistry curriculum gives you a solid grounding in general chemistry, organic chemistry, quantitative analysis and research techniques.
Depending on your interests, you can also explore topics such as peer tutoring, chemistry of the environment, medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutical studies.
As a chemistry student at Belmont, you’ll choose from four areas of emphasis:
- Advanced Chemistry is a good choice if you’re considering a career in chemical research.
- Pre-Health Chemistry offers a solid foundation for medical school, dental school or pharmacy school.
- Applied Chemistry leads to careers in quality assurance or control labs, environmental monitoring, forensics or scientific equipment sales.
- Chemistry Education is a great fit if you want to teach at the high school level. If you minor in education, you can apply for admission to Belmont’s accelerated Master of Arts in Teaching program, a specialized 4+1 program that makes you eligible for teaching licensure in your fifth year and earns you both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in just five years.
Whichever path you take, you’ll build the skills you need to launch a career in teaching, research, industry and beyond.
Career Possibilities
A chemistry degree gives you a strong foundation for a fulfilling career in research, industry, pharmacology, medicine, government and much more. Here are just a few of the professions you'll be prepared for:
- Academic researcher
- Analytical chemist
- Forensic scientist
- Chemical engineer
- Pharmacologist
- Medical scientist
- Computational chemist
Program Details
Curious about your coursework? View requirements for this degree in the course catalog.
Conduct cutting-edge research, meet new people and explore the world. At Belmont, you’ll have the opportunities of a lifetime.
- Get an international perspective by traveling to Iceland, Ghana, China or beyond. You’ll earn credit while immersing yourself in another part of the world.
- Explore your interests by joining a student group devoted to chemistry, women in science, the environment or another shared passion. You’ll learn new things and build lifelong friendships.
- Immerse yourself in scientific research. Working with a faculty mentor, you’ll develop key skills and make discoveries about the world – and about yourself.
Student Researchers Build Game-Changing Device
A chemistry major contributed to groundbreaking progress on a new device that can detect heavy metal contamination.
Ryan Gagnon
Chemistry
"Belmont’s chemistry program offers significant opportunities to learn from amazing faculty, work hands-on in lab environments and participate in cutting-edge undergraduate research. The tight-knit community that this program has fostered is welcoming and provides an enriching experience to grow as a scientist."
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