Expand Your World with a Bachelor Degree of Science in Chemistry

A Bachelor of Science in Chemistry is one of the most difficult and also most rewarding degree courses out there. It also paves the way towards master’s and doctoral advancements. Those who want to take up this program are advised to prepare for it during high school by making sure they manage to finish up to Chemistry 11 and that their grades in all chemistry subjects are all outstanding. Math grades should also be above average. The student should also be great at problem solving and troubleshooting and should be persistent in finding the best solutions. For this reason, a recommendation letter from the student’s chemistry teacher is required by most colleges and universities before someone can apply for the degree program.

Co-operative Education Program

A co-operative education program is a new scheme utilized by a growing number of colleges and universities offering a degree program in Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. It involves the integration of supervised work experience into academic learning. This is to assist students who want to become researchers in the future become familiar with the work environment of researchers. Becoming a researcher is one of the most popular career paths of finishing the degree. One can perform research for the government or a private company in which he will immerse himself in research and development aimed at developing new products or processes or improving the already existing ones. The scheme also helps students develop the necessary attitude, knowledge, and skills as early as possible. Faculty members and advisers also routinely provide tips and pieces of advice to the students particularly on technical issues. The scheme can last from one year to one and a half years.

The co-operative education program can be availed only by students who have already completed all their basic courses which means only those in the third year of the degree program can enrol for it. There is also a minimum required academic performance as there are often only limited slots available. Availability depends primarily on the work placements offered by the participating organization and the number of faculty advisers available to provide regular assistance. Applicants will be required to pass a resume and go through an interview so that their suitability to the scheme can be assessed.

Students enrolled under the co-operative education program are still required to complete all regular requirements. In addition, they should finish the courses of CHEM 398, 399, 498, 499 to graduate from the program. Successful completion of the program will be noted on the academic records of the individual. Such accomplishment will provide him with a competitive advantage after he graduates and looks for employment or a sponsor for his research. The program in effect causes an extra load to a student so he should find ways to manage his time efficiently to accommodate the co-operative education program units.

Laboratory and Tutorial Courses

Students are also allowed to take up extra laboratory and tutorial courses to further advance their academic proficiency and competency to do research. Laboratory courses focus on experimentation and troubleshooting while tutorial courses focus on strengthening the weaker competencies of the student. Both these are important for future researches since they will be spending most of their time inside the lab looking for ways to improve our way of life.

Other Option

Other than being a researcher, a student of Chemistry can also opt to join the education sector as a professor.