Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

With an over-burdened global health-care system, an increasing number of multi-drug resistant microbes, terrorism, and competition over dwindling planetary resources, life on earth is going to face some major challenges in the near and distant future. There is a need, not just for research scientists, but for science-educated citizens, capable of making decisions for the direction of their lives, their family, and their communities. Âé¶¹´«Ã½ strives to give students not just technical knowledge but insight and guidance about how science should be applied for the good of humanity and the betterment of society. As a Franciscan University, we are especially positioned to coordinate such goals.


Learning in leading-edge laboratory settings promotes development of knowledge and skills required to identify and pursue careers based on chemical science. Exploring broad-spectrum scientific concepts provides flexibility for students pursuing professional careers that demand knowledge of chemical systems, processes and interactions. Participating in internships and experiential learning enables students to apply academic theories and concepts to real-world challenges faced by professional chemists. And studying chemistry within the context of Franciscan traditions prepares chemists with the moral and ethical standards to employ science in the service of the world and its inhabitants.

In This Section
Chemistry
Chemistry students
Program Overview

 

Career Outlook


After earning your Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, you can pursue a variety of careers, including:

  • Alliance Pharmaceutical
  • Perkin Elmer Instrumentation
  • RFI Ingredients Quality Control
  • Merck
  • Optometry, medical, dental school
  • Ph.D. candidacy at graduate schools
  • Norsk Hydro
  • Dairy Farmers of America
  • Ortho Pharmaceutical Company
  • Akzo Nobel


Chemistry graduates from Âé¶¹´«Ã½ are employed by such reputable companies and research facilities as Johnson & Johnson; Walter Reed Army Institute of Research; Lancaster Laboratories; Spotts, Steven & McCoy; Lockheed Martin; National Medical Services; Church & Dwight; Wistar Institute; Ortho Pharmaceutical Company; and DrugScan.


According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers for chemists and material scientists are expected to grow by 8 percent between 2023 and 2033. The median annual salary in 2024 was $86,620.
 

Experiential Learning Opportunities


Through internships, students have opportunities to apply theories and knowledge learned in the classroom in a variety of professional settings. In addition to providing exposure to the activities and expectations of a real-world workplace, internship experiences help students develop their network of professional contacts.


As a chemistry major, you have the option to participate in at least 252 hours of chemistry-related activities off-campus under the supervision of an internship sponsor. Internships normally are completed during the junior year. A 2.5 or higher GPA is required to qualify for an internship.


Here’s a sampling of places at which chemistry majors at Âé¶¹´«Ã½ have completed internships:

  • Boston Police Department Crime Unit
  • St Joseph Medical Center
  • US Anodize
  • Custom Processing Inc.
  • NSF REU programs
  • Northampton County Jail
  • Giorgi Mushroom Company
  • Red Creek Wildlife Center
  • Superior Tube
  • Carpenter Technology Inc.
     
Application Instructions

Through a rolling admission process, prospective undergraduate students — including first-year, transfer, and international students — may apply via the  or . To learn more about how to complete your application, please visit our application page.

Financing Your Education

There are options to assist in financing your education and making the tuition affordable. Visit our Student Financial Services page for a detailed overview of the process, including a link to complete the FAFSA application, as well as more information about tuition, the tuition payment plan and the tuition deferment program we offer. Âé¶¹´«Ã½â€™s Title IV code for the FAFSA is 003233. The Office of Student Financial Services is available to help with any questions you may have. Call 610-796-8201 or email sfs@alvernia.edu.

Request More Information
Loading...
Opportunities for Majors

Science Association

The object of this club is to afford an opportunity for the students of science to become better acquainted, to secure the intellectual stimulation that arises from professional association, to obtain experiences in preparing and presenting technical material before chemical audiences, to foster a professional spirit among the members, to instill a professional pride in the sciences, and to build an awareness of the responsibilities and challenges facing the modern scientist.
 

Âé¶¹´«Ã½ Lab Staff

The object of this association is to work to prepare laboratory rooms for weekly course exercises.  It is equivalent to a Teaching Assistant (TA) position.  Students make solutions of correct concentrations or molarities, set up apparati, address chemical waste, log in new chemicals into the stockroom, and complete weekly preventative maintenance tasks for all classrooms.  Membership in the lab staff includes admittance to the lab staff prep room which is a festive and jocular environment complete with occasional pizza parties, pet lizards, and camaraderie.  Students are payed every two weeks for lab staff activities.  Freshman through seniors are welcome to join the lab staff.
 

Pre-Health Club

The Pre-Health Professions Club includes, but is not limited to, Pre-Medical, Pre-Dental, Physician Assisting, Occupational Therapy, Nursing, and Pre-Veterinary students. It provides a setting in which students who are working toward future careers in the health professions can get together, share information, learn more about the health professions in general, and develop friendships with students who share some of their interests. Members of this organization are composed of students pursuing study in several areas of science and related health fields.
 

Beta Kappa Chi

Beta Kappa Chi is the National Science Honor Society composed of chapters which seek to encourage and advance scientific education through original education, the dissemination of scientific knowledge and the stimulation of high scholarship in pure and applied science.  A yearly induction banquet is held at a restaurant complete with certificate presentation.
 

The Washington Center Experience

Âé¶¹´«Ã½ students have an opportunity to earn college credit by spending a semester or summer in Washington, D.C. where they serve as interns in a patent office, government agency such as the ATF or FBI, They also may intern with one of several non-profit groups dealing with the environment, women’s issues, the arts, education, science, or labor relations among others.


Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program

Âé¶¹´«Ã½ students can apply for a paid internship to work under a faculty member for the summer.  The program includes field trips to museums, roundtables about scientific ethics, biweekly journal club meetings, and overall is quite enriching to participants.

 

Industrial partnership with Custom Processing Inc.

Âé¶¹´«Ã½ students can seek to work under an internship at Custom Processing Inc. which is a Berks County, PA industry located about five miles from campus specializing in blending, drying, extraction, and milling.  Its repertoire of instrumentation complements the instrumentation on campus at Âé¶¹´«Ã½.

 

Academic partnership with The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)

Âé¶¹´«Ã½ students can seek to reserve a spot for admission into LECOM for post-graduate schooling in pharmacology, dentistry, or osteopathy.
 

Accreditation Statement


Âé¶¹´«Ã½ is an accredited institution and a member of the . MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
 


Get to Know Your Faculty

For more information about Âé¶¹´«Ã½â€™s Chemistry program contact the Admissions Office at 610-796-8269 or admissions@alvernia.edu. Or reach out directly to Chemistry Program Director Joshua Smith at 610-790-1915 or joshua.smith@alvernia.edu.