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As we move through the 21st century, many opportunities and challenges will evolve for chemists.
The challenges of developing energy technologies will grow. Petroleum feed stocks will dwindle and more efficient catalysts will have to be tailored. Alternatives to combustion engines, such as solar and fuel cells, will require chemical design. Medical technologies will have an increasing need for new sensor technologies. New drugs will be developed to treat disease. The remediation of environmental damage caused by abandoned chemical technologies will require the development of new and clever chemistries. The chemistry of materials will continue to grow, providing new materials with unique strength; flexibility; and thermal, electrical, and optical properties.
Why
Study Chemistry at Iowa?
The Department of Chemistry is committed to providing its undergraduate students with the skills needed to become talented professionals who can meet the chemical challenges of the future.
The University has a strong and expanding undergraduate program in chemistry that has been recognized in several national rankings, including studies by the National Research Council.
The department receives a significant amount of external research funding from such entities as the Office of Naval Research, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, Department of Defense, National Security Agency, National Institutes of Health, and National Science Foundation.
Faculty
Chemistry majors describe the department as “medium-sized and friendly, like an extended family.” With 28 faculty members, more than 100 graduate students, 25 postdoctoral associates, and visiting faculty, the department will give you the opportunity to know your professors personally. But the department is big enough to support a variety of research interests and a drive for national prominence.
Facilities
Modern chemical laboratories are equipped with a wide array of instruments, most of them automated. You’ll have access to a complete chemistry computer facility. Each workstation runs a powerful suite of programs for chemical structure drawing, manipulation and viewing of complex molecular models, statistical data analysis and plotting, and computer programming, as well as running word processing and spreadsheet software.
Course
Work
Undergraduate study in chemistry includes courses tailored for chemistry majors, courses that provide a basic science background for students from other science disciplines and engineering, and a course designed to acquaint liberal arts and sciences students with recent developments in chemical technology.
The department also offers one year of study for students who are not majoring in a science area but want a well-rounded, self-contained program in general chemistry. A two-year program in chemistry provides a good foundation for life science majors. The curriculum includes classes designed for students of general and organic chemistry.
BS in
Chemistry
The BS degree is the degree of choice for students who plan to do graduate work in chemistry or a related field and for students who plan to seek employment as chemists. Students meeting the requirements for the BS degree are certified by the American Chemical Society Committee on Professional Training for regular membership in the American Chemical Society.
Students usually take a set of chemistry courses totaling 46 semester hours, with up to four additional hours of research and chemistry electives.
BA in
Chemistry
The BA program offers a wider choice of electives. Students choosing this degree may qualify for high school teaching by taking the required College of Education courses.
The BA is an appropriate choice for preprofessional students in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, law, and other fields. It also provides a good background for teaching high school chemistry and related sciences.
The BA and BS curriculum are identical, with two exceptions: only one of the three advanced laboratories (physical measurements, analytical measurements, or inorganic laboratory) is required for the BA; and advanced inorganic, undergraduate research, and advanced science electives are not required.
Environmental
Sciences
The Environmental Sciences major has added a chemical sciences track to its degree program. The BS degree in environmental sciences is a good choice for students who want to combine their interests in environmental sciences and chemistry. The environmental chemical sciences track will provide the necessary training for entry-level positions requiring a basic understanding of chemical principles, and a working knowledge of basic chemical concepts applied in the environment. The programs will train students for employment opportunities in the fields of environmental sciences and environmental chemistry, or for graduate education in environmental chemistry.
Undergraduate
Research
Undergraduate research in chemistry is required for the BS degree and is available to candidates for the BA degree. Chemistry majors doing research have their own projects and work closely with a faculty member. Students report on their research each semester and have the opportunity to present their research to the public at an annual undergraduate research poster session.
Students who have worked on projects for several semesters often get their work published in a national journal.
Honors
Students with a grade-point average of at least 3.33 may enroll in the University of Iowa Honors Program by visiting the Blank Honors Center. To graduate with honors in chemistry, students must enroll in the Undergraduate Research course, choose an independent research project in consultation with a research advisor, and complete an honors thesis.
Student
Activities
Student organizations at Iowa related to chemistry include the Undergraduate Chemical Society, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), and Alpha Chi Sigma. (Also, see the Women in Science and Engineering Learning Community web site.)
Careers
Many chemistry majors are striving toward research and faculty positions. After graduation, students with a BS or BA can find positions with a starting salary of about $45,000 a year. These beginning salaries increase by about $20,000 for each additional degree earned (master’s, PhD). Chemistry majors often find that they are able to combine their interest in chemistry with a large number of fields, enabling them to be qualified for jobs in many areas, including environmental chemistry, laboratory research, pharmaceutical chemistry, polymer and plastics chemistry, and product development. To learn more about careers in chemistry, consult the American Chemical Society’s Chemical Careers in Briefs.
Scholarships
The chemistry department awards numerous scholarships to its students. They include the Shoemaker-Strickler Memorial Scholarship, which provides $8,000 per year for up to four years; George S. Schaeffer Scholarships, offering $2,000 for full-time undergraduate science majors from an Iowa farming community; and Goldwater Scholarships, providing $7,000 a year for up to two years to nationally selected sophomores and juniors intending to pursue careers in math or the natural sciences. Many chemistry students have also received Presidential and Old Gold Scholarships.
Refer to the Office of Student Financial Aid for
a complete list of available scholarships.
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