Careers in Chemistry
Pursuing a major in chemistry provides a solid foundation for further study in other related fields such as biochemistry, pharmacology, environmental science, geology and chemical engineering, all of which require a substantial chemistry background. Chemistry also provides a solid background for medicine and related fields such as dentistry and pharmacy.
The Department of Chemistry offers a minor in chemistry, Bachelor of Science degrees (with an option of obtaining an ACS certified degree and a non-certified degree), and master's degrees in chemistry.
The department offers the Marti Barrett undergraduate scholarship, typically awarding two $1,250 scholarships on an annual basis. The scholarship is made available to UCD undergraduate women majoring in one of the natural or physical sciences. Applications for the scholarship are accepted throughout the months of November and December on a yearly basis.
Students seeking a master's degree in chemistry are given the opportunity to obtain a teaching assistantship position within the Department of Chemistry. Full-time positions are equivalent to five lab sections during the academic year, three during one semester and two the other, paying approximately $10,000 during the academic year for graduate students.
According to the American Chemical Society (2009), the overall median salaries by degree are:
BS—$73,905
MS—$87,408
Salaries earned by chemists are dependent on degree level and on whether they are employed in industry, government or academia.
With chemistry often called the "central science," a chemistry background is a powerful tool to launch you into your career.