Majors/Minor Pathways

So you want to be a chem major

Or at least, you're thinking about it. First off, congratulations! You couldn't have chosen a more interesting discipline. While the chemistry curriculum can be demanding, this guide is here to show you the ins and outs of planning for your future classes. Because there are so many different pathways (and so many different chemistry students), we've separated the course work into a series of decisions that you should start thinking about as soon as possible. If you're planning for next semester's courses, it might be good to read through with a pen and notebook in hand to mark down what you'll need to be taking. Let's get started!

The Undeclared Underdog

This is where it all begins! There aren't many hard choices to make here, but you should start thinking about what type of chemistry major you're interesting in being: ACS, Non-ACS, Biochemistry concentrator, or Biochemistry + ACS. An ACS (American Chemical Society) certified major is primarily for those planning to do graduate work or enter the science job market right after graduation, but will affect the courses you take throughout your major. If you're interested in coding (or computing), check out the scientific computing concentration, which is a little more complex than the other routes. Your first and second years is where you'll be building the foundation for your major specialization to come. It's a good idea to plan what courses you want to have taken by the end of your sophomore year (see major tracks below) and then fit them into your first four semesters. Take heart! The first couple years can be a grind, with larger class sizes and a ton of material, but you're building the knowledge base you need to start doing some really exciting work.

First Year

Your first year of chemistry will naturally start in general chemistry (Chem 111 or 113 in the fall and Chem 112, 114, or 104 in the spring), but this is also a great time to knock out some of the prerequisites to higher level courses. Most chemistry students will be taking Chem 304 (physical chemistry) in junior year, which requires at least Math 118 (Calc II) or placement into Math 121 (multivariable calculus). Math 121 is still HIGHLY recommended for Chem 304, and can be taken during the first year. In addition, ACS majors will need to complete a year of physics (Phys 101, 102 or Phys 105, 106), as will chemistry majors not planning to take biology, which can be done during your first or second year. Optionally, students can chose to take Math 215 (linear algebra) which will help them understand the mechanisms behind what they learn in Chem 305 (quantum chemistry), but this is by no means required. In short:

You must take:

You can take:

Second Year

You've got a year of chemistry under your belt and have arrived at your first major decision: Bio 200 (intro to bio), Chem 222 (biological organic chemistry) or both. You must take Chem 222 (and second semester, Chem 225, synthetic organic chemistry) if you want to continue to be a chemistry major. On the other hand, you must take Bio 200 if you want to be a biology major, biochemistry concentrator, or are on the pre-health track. If you received < 3.0 in Chem 112, it is suggested you either choose one, or seek the advice of either the biology or chemistry chair (or both!). Other than that, you should look over the optional courses mentioned in the first year section to complete what you can before going into your junior year. 

At the end of your sophomore year, you should have completed:

Mandatory:

Conditional:

So, You're a Major

What now? A lot, actually. By now you've likely decided whether you're an ACS major, biochemistry concentrator, pre-health, or just a good old fashioned chemistry major. If you haven't you really should. Like right now. Because from now on, what courses you take heavily depend on what track you're shooting for. An American Chemical Society (ACS) certified major requires additional coursework and is recommended for students interested in pursuing graduate study in science and engineering, or who wish to directly enter the job market in a chemistry-related field after graduation. However, not all students who graduate with a chemistry degree go into industry/academia. For those students, pursuing a non-ACS major may give their schedule the added flexibility needed to explore and build upon other interests.

ACS Chemistry Major

Want to go to grad school? Get a job as a laboratory assistant straight out of graduation? Go on to work in the sciences? The ACS major is probably the way to go. This will leave you with a solid foundation in all things chemistry and well on your way to working in the field!

By now you should have taken:

You still need to take:

Math(1),biochem(1), physics(2). Fall Junior: P Chem 304, SL 301. Spring Junior P Chem 305 or Inorg 320 & Inorg35x, SL 302. Fall senior: Research 36x, elective 35x & elective 35x, 391. Spring Senior: Research 36x, 391, elective 35x, Pchem 305 or Inorg 320 & Inorg 35x

Non-ACS Chemistry Major

You like chemistry, but maybe academia isn't for you. You're interested in patent law, scientific communication, all manner of non-research based jobs. Maybe you've just decided this whole science thing is neat, and you'd like to major, but you'll be moving on after that. The non-ACS major may be for you! 

Note: if you are planning to pursue graduate level work scientific work or enter the chemistry job market immediately after graduation, an ACS (American Chemistry Society certified) major is likely better for you.

By now you should have taken:

You still need to take:

Math(1),bio200(2) or physics(2). Fall Junior: P Chem 30x, SL 301. Spring Junior: Inorg 320 & Inorg35x, SL 302. Fall senior: Research 36x, elective 35x, 391. Spring Senior: Research 36x, 391, elective 35x

BioChemistry Concentration

You're a bold and brash chemistry student who wants to work at the interface of chemistry and biology, understand how biological systems work from a granular chemical perspective. Or perhaps you're already pre-health, so this is a fairly easy concentration to fulfill. Either way, get ready to culture some cells, breed some insects, or whatever else it is those mad scientists get up to in your very own biochem superlab! Be sure to check out the department's dedicated homepage as well.

Note: if you are planning to pursue graduate level work scientific work or enter the chemistry job market immediately after graduation, an ACS (American Chemistry Society certified) major is likely better for you.

By now you should have taken:

You still need to take:

Math(1),bio200(2), physics(2). Fall Junior: P Chem 30x, SL 301. Spring Junior Inorg 320 & Inorg351, Chem 303 or Bio 302. Fall senior: Research 36x, elective 352/7 & bioelective 3xx, 391. Spring Senior: Research 36x, 391, bioelective 3xx

Biochemistry Concentration + Acs Major

So you're really into this whole biochem thing, huh? You really want to study biochemistry as a job? Go to grad school? Maybe work as a research assistant at the interface of chemistry and biology, understand how biological systems work from a granular chemical perspective? Break into one of the fastest growing scientific industries? Yeah that sounds pretty cool. And this is part of how you'll so it. Be sure to check out the department's dedicated homepage as well.

By now you should have taken:

You still need to take:

Math(1),bio200(2), physics(2). Fall Junior: P Chem 304, SL 301. Spring Junior: P Chem 305 or Inorg 320 & Inorg351, Chem 303 or Bio 302. Fall senior: Research 36x, elective 352/7 & bioelective 3xx, 391. Spring Senior: Research 36x, 391, bioelective 3xx, Pchem 305 or Inorg 320 & Inorg 351

Scientific Computing Concentration

For those interested in taking a computational approach to chemistry, the scientific computing concentration can be a nice tassel to put in your graduation cap. The concentration requires a number of classes outside of a normal chemistry education, however, so it would be good to plan ahead. Because so many courses span so many disciplines, a comprehensive roadmap would be impossible. Instead, we'll go through the requirements, show you which are typically completed on a "standard" chemistry track, and explain which requirements you'll still have to fulfill outside of the chemistry department's curriculum. A link to all courses involved in scientific computing (as well as full explanation of the concentration) can be found here.

Requirements:

The requirements are split into "categories" A, B, C, and D. Don't let that overwhelm you, it's just a way of grouping courses from a wide array of disciplines. They are not meant to be chronological (see timeline section below)

Requirement A: Year-long introduction to Computer Science

Requirement B: One course involving regular programming assignments

Requirement C: three credits worth of electives in which real-world phenomena are investigated using computation

Requirement D: a project-based experience in which computation is applied to investigate a real-world phenomenon

Timeline:

Because there are many chemistry requirements to fulfill in your later years (junior and senior year), it's best to get a head start on some of the courses you can take as a freshman and sophomore. Below is a general timeline that can be tweaked to each student's personal situation.

First Year

Sophomore Year

Junior Year

Senior Year

If you have any questions or to clear up an ambiguity it is always advisable to consult the chemistry department chair.

Ok, but can I study abroad?

Yes! Many chemistry students have successfully been able to study, albeit it does require some planning. As most students choose to study in the fall or spring of their junior year, it's important to consult with the chemistry chair or you advisor about how to complete your superlab requirement. Some students can get a quarter credit of superlab by taking a lab intensive class abroad, while other choose to take a semester in their senior year.

Below are some of the programs students have best support them abroad in completing chemistry major requirements:

Chemistry, general

Environmental Science/Chemistry

Biochemistry concentration

It is possible to study abroad elsewhere and not take Chemistry classes, though this requires careful planning.

If you're thinking about studying abroad, it's best to reach out the the chemistry chair and/or Rebecca Avery (director of study abroad) to help you plan your junior and senior year!

But wait! I want to be a chemistry minor

Oh cool, thanks for scrolling down this far. That's actually pretty easy. Assuming you made it through up until junior year and completed all the core chemistry classes (both semesters of general chemistry and organic chemistry), you will only need to complete:

Chemistry Courses FAQ

Note: While this section serves as a guide for common questions, it is always best to consult with your advisor or the chem department chair to account for individual circumstances

Q: Can I be a chemistry major if I didn't take any chemistry courses in freshman year?

It is very difficult, but not impossible, to be a chemistry major with a "late start".  Taking approved courses elsewhere over the summer can help to "catch up" (i.e. taking the equivalent of two semesters of organic chemistry), but that should be done with lots of discussion and pre-planning with the department. The prerequisite structure means that many 300-level classes would end up on top of each other (and on top of senior research) during the senior year if you were still taking 200-level courses as a junior.  But the Biochemistry concentration (as a Biology major) and Chemistry minor are still definitely open to students who start Chemistry later, and it is also very possible to get involved in Chemistry research without being a declared Chemistry major.

Q: Do I have to complete a research based thesis to be a Chemistry major?

No! While you do have to complete a thesis to graduate at Haverford, students have in the past opted to do a one semester literature review instead of a classical research thesis. It would be best to talk with your advisor/the department chair to see if this is the right decision for your circumstance and future career goals.

Q: How do I decide between chemistry and biology?

This is a hard one and in the end is up to you alone. Have you taken both organic chemistry and intro to biology to compare your academic experiences and excitement? Have you looked at the research professors in both departments are doing to see what most excites you? Have you considered your long-term plans and how chemistry or biology would fit into them? These are all good ways of gathering information to make the best personal decision. In addition, the biochemistry concentration is a great way to work at the interface of these two disciplines. In the end it's up to you, but you can be sure you have all the info at your fingertips, and do be afraid to reach out to professors/advisors for help!

Q: Help! I failed a core class for chemistry? How do I make this up?

Courses can be re-taken and the passing grade then substitutes for the lower grade on your transcript. Students are encouraged to consult with the department to make a plan for moving forward in this scenario, which could involve a number of different timing strategies (including doubling up on classes and/or waiting on specific classes until better grades are in hand): the department is very open to working with students who might struggle early to make their Chemistry experience as full as possible.

Page created by Corey Model '21 -- Fall 2020