Established in 1905, and certified by the American Chemical Society since 1948, Wheaton’s chemistry program has a rich legacy of training skilled scientists, researchers, and healthcare practitioners. Rigorous academics and plenty of hands-on learning prepare Wheaton chemistry majors for graduate and medical school, as well as to go directly into the industry.
Within six months of graduation, nearly 99% of Wheaton’s Class of 2021 found work in their field or continued their education.
Three-quarters of the most recent graduating class pursued at least one internship.
Small class sizes mean individualized attention and greater access to faculty.
You can reach us anytime via admissions@wheaton.edu.
At Wheaton, you will learn chemistry through hands-on experiences that span the classroom, teaching and research laboratories, and seminars. Experimentation and practical applications infuse our curriculum at all levels and our faculty maintain active research programs driven by undergraduate participation. Our Chicagoland location also provides a rich resource for internship opportunities with renowned scientists at local research universities, Argonne National Laboratory, and many science and technology businesses.
Sized just right, our close-knit program allows students to form solid relationships with their professors and each other. Our faculty’s commitment to research not only provides high-quality hands-on experiences for students, but their scientific inquiry also keeps their teaching fresh. And our first-rate instrumentation and research equipment is available to all students to enhance your learning.
* The department recommends an ACS major for those who are interested in jobs in industry or graduate programs in chemistry.
The Chemistry department offers an honors program which requires independent projects with original laboratory research culminating in a scholarly paper and oral examination.
Our department recognizes outstanding chemistry majors with annual awards for student achievement in General, Organic, and Physical/Analytical Chemistry. We also award a research prize, the Hanchett Prize, to an outstanding undergraduate researcher. To honor current outstanding chemistry majors, one sophomore, one junior and two senior students are chosen to receive internal awards.
Our faculty members have a wide range of research interests, including bacterial toxins, chemical information, nanoscale materials, computational chemistry, metals, industrial chemistry, and drug design and development.
All Wheaton chemistry majors are provided with the opportunity to gain practical experience in all major analytical techniques and research equipment. You’ll learn, discover, and experiment in the Meyer Science Center, a world-class facility with modern labs and first-rate equipment and instrumentation.
Chemistry students gain real-world experience in many ways, from working as lab assistants and tutoring non-science majors to shadowing medical professionals and interning with companies of all kinds.
Interdisciplinary learning is a way of life at Wheaton. Aside from your work within your chosen major, you can enrich your educational experience and connect with peers and professors across campus (and beyond) in many ways.
Students interested in cultural anthropology can also choose from a number of other study abroad and domestic travel experiences offered by Wheaton and partner programs, such as:
A Wheaton education is built on the foundation of our unique Christ at the Core general education curriculum. As a Chemistry major, you'll learn about the molecular details of God’s world—the foundation and interactions of matter. Disciplined study of chemistry enhances our worship of the triune God by providing insight into the molecular details of God’s world and strengthens our service, both to the church and to society, by providing foundational knowledge about matter and the interactions of matter. Our graduates are prepared to advance Christ’s kingdom through a wide range of vocations in chemistry and beyond.
Whether they take their analytical chemistry skills right into the workforce or continue along the path of scientific discovery, Wheaton chemistry majors are prepared to succeed.
Recent alumni found positions such as:
Our alumni were accepted into medical and professional programs such as:
Joshua Dunbar '21 was awarded a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship in 2021. Considered the nation's premier undergraduate award in the sciences, this honor comes along with a $7,5000 scholarship. Dunbar was one of only 396 students nationwide awarded this scholarship in the 2020-2021 academic year. After graduation, he pursued a PhD in chemistry at Colorado School of Mines.
– Joshua Dunbar ‘21“Wheaton’s rigorous academic standards have helped me realize my full potential academically. More importantly, the tremendous mentorship I received from my science professors has been critical in developing me as a scientist and communicator.”
If you want to dig deeper in this area of study or you're a current student needing resources, here is some additional information to explore.
Visit our department website to learn more about our major, concentrations, faculty, and more.
Visit the Wheaton College catalog for specific degree requirements and course descriptions.
Interested in learning more about studying chemistry at Wheaton? Request more program info or start your application today.