| 1. What is the difference between the B.S. and B.A. degree in Chemistry? The B.S. degree in Chemistry is an undergraduate degree program in chemistry that is approved by the American Chemical Society. It encompasses all the basic chemistry courses required for certification as well as biology, mathematics and physics. The B.A. degree program in chemistry was set up to allow students to get a broader education by taking more elective courses in place of several required chemistry and mathematics courses as part of their degree. The B.A. degree is ideal for students who wish to earn an additional degree in another department in H&SS, Fine Arts, Business, or Computer Science but note you can not combine it with an additional degree in an MCS department (e.g. Biological Sciences). See the degree comparison chart.
2. I am interested in biochemistry. What does the Chemistry Department have to offer? Also, several faculty members in chemistry have very active research groups in the field of biochemistry and you would have the opportunity to do research under their supervision. See the Degree Options page for more information. Please talk to your advisor if you wish to pursue the biochemistry option.
3. If I am pursuing a B.S. degree in Chemistry, what additional courses will I need to get a Minor in Biological Sciences? The Minor in Biological Sciences requires: and (B) Two biology electives from the following list: Please talk to your advisor if you wish to pursue a Minor in Biological Sciences.
4. If I am pursuing a B.S. degree in Chemistry, what additional courses will I need to get a Double major in Biology? In addition, six additional biology electives must be completed with two at the advanced level (03-3xx), exclusive of undergraduate research. Students must also take or be excused from 2 units of Topics in Research (03-411/412). The required two semester of the Biology Colloquium (03-201,202) will count for two semesters of the regular Chemistry Seminars. Please talk to your advisor if you wish to pursue a double major in Biological Sciences.
5. I am interested in going to medical school. Is chemistry an appropriate major? The University's Health Professions Program can aid you in your pursuit of a medical career. Health Professions Program
6. I am interested in studying environmental chemistry. Is there an environmental program in the Chemistry Department? Also, there are opportunities to do undergraduate research in an area of environmental chemistry in the Chemistry Department. Professor Collins and several of his students have been cited for their work in this field. Please talk to your advisor if you wish to pursue an Option in Environmental chemistry.
7. What other Option Programs does the Chemistry Department offer as part of their undergraduate degrees? By taking usually at least four courses in these subjects, you can earn an Option in that particular area. Options are important to many students. They show an employer or graduate school that as part of your undergraduate training you have acquired depth in a specialty that others may not have. See the Degree Options page for more information. Please talk to your advisor if you wish to pursue an option.
8. What are the differences in the following programs: The Computational Chemistry Track, a degree in Chemistry with a Minor in Computer Science, and the Computational Chemistry Option? To earn the minor, a few more courses are required, and your degree will read B.S. (or B.A.) in Chemistry with a Minor in Computer Science. The minor also requires Concepts of Modern Math (21-127), Fundamental Structures of Computer Science I and II (15-211 and 15-212), but in addition requires one software project course in Computer Science, and two Computer Science courses at the 300 level or above. The Computational Chemistry Option is recommended to students who do not want to undertake the demands of taking upper-level computer science courses, but do have an interest in focusing their regular electives on courses that will give them a good background on using computers in chemistry. Four courses are required for the Option: Data Structures (15-200), Numerical Methods (21-369), Computational Chemistry (09-560) and one elective computer related course. A notation will appear on the student's transcript indicating the completion of the option. Which to pursue? If you start with the Computational Chemistry Track, you will have the base prerequisite courses in case you have the time and decide to pursue additional courses in Computer Science and earn the Minor or even a double major. If you pursue the Option, you will not have the prerequisite to take additional upper-level courses in Computer Science. The Option is designed for students who want some exposure to computers and chemistry, but with considerably less rigor on the computer science part.
9. What are the requirements for an Honors Degree in Chemistry?
In this latter course, you are given 6 units of credit for writing and defending the required thesis describing the results of your research. The thesis defense may be before a faculty committee, or at a poster or scheduled presentation at the annual Carnegie Mellon Meeting of the Minds Symposium. Students contemplating this degree should apply for consideration to the undergraduate honors committee in the Department no later than by the end of the junior year. A committee will monitor the progress of the degree and certify its completion.
10. What do I need to do to get MCS Research Honors with my degree?
Final approval of nominations for MCS research honors will come from the Dean of MCS and the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs. See the MCS research honors page.
11. What is the Honors BS/MS Honors Degree in Chemistry?
12. What is the general difference between a double major and a double degree? In a double degree program, two separate degrees are awarded, one from each department. All requirements for the second department must be completed, but to qualify, each additional degree requires an additional 90 units of total coursework. In most cases this will mean a requirement of 450 units.
13. What are opportunities to do undergraduate research in the Chemistry Department?
14. I am interested in major in chemistry, but what does Carnegie Mellon offer that other schools do not?
15. What do most chemistry majors do after they graduate? |
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| Carnegie Mellon University | Mellon College of Science | Department of Chemistry |
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