Working With Bachelor of Science in Chemistry: Life with Chemistry

Chemistry is more than the scientific study of matter and energy and how they interact. Chemistry is all around us. In its simplest form, it is also the study of life as a form of energy. The chemists create and develop processes, products and materials for the improvement of our everyday living. They analyze compositions, structures, reactions and other aspects of substances. Generally, they are the inventors who use basic and applied research for their new discoveries.

Chemistry Education

To become a chemist, you must first complete the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry degree. The course provides the opportunity to understand the science of matter and how it relates to our life and our surroundings. This degree enables students to examine and discover how molecules react and how energy works. It also covers the significant applications of chemistry including water analysis, forensics, polymer formations, introduction of new materials, agricultural chemistry and environmental science.

The bachelors’ degree in Chemistry prepares students for a broad variety of chemistry related careers and additional graduate study in chemistry, medical school, or engineering. Chemistry students can learn scientific research, organic, physical, analytic, and inorganic chemistry, along with calculus, biochemistry, quantitative analysis, and earth science.

Chemistry Specializations

1. Analytical Chemistry – This specialization determines the structure, composition, and disposition of materials by analyzing and determining their different components or compounds. Additionally, it is the study of interactions and connections between the areas of compounds and how to develop new approaches to carry out their function. This specialization has a broad variety of programs, including pharmaceuticals, food-safety, and pollution management.
2. Medicinal Chemistry – It mainly focuses on chemical compounds that may be utilized as pharmaceutical medicines. This specialization is the one responsible for making and analyzing new drug products. Additionally medicinal chemists help create new and improved production procedures to create new medicines over a large-scale efficiently.
3. Inorganic Chemistry – It specializes in the construction, properties, and reactions of molecules which do not include carbon, for example metals. Inorganic chemistry’s main focus is to comprehend the behavior and the features of inorganic materials from altering, separating, or utilizing of inorganic materials in products, such as ceramics and superconductors.
4. Organic Chemistry – Unlike inorganic chemistry, this study specializes in the construction, properties, and reactions of molecules that include carbon. Moreover, this specialization works on the design and makes new natural materials that have exceptional properties and applications.
5. Physical Chemistry – It is the study of fundamental characteristics of matter and how it reacts on atomic and molecular level. It also analyzes how chemical reactions happen. Physical chemists frequently work closely with other scientists to develop and analyze possible uses of new discoveries.

Chemists’ Salary

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median yearly salary of chemists in May 2010 was $68,320.  In various industries here are the median annual wages of a chemist; Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences $ 77,110; Federal government, excluding postal service $100,910; Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private $ 49,430; Testing laboratories $ 52,220; Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing $ 67,540.

A Bachelor of Science in Chemistry degree may not be the most lucrative career but it can be a fulfilling profession knowing that you can make a difference to humanity by just being part of a new discovery in medicine and other scientific researches. Based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment opportunities for chemists may expect to grow by four percent from 2010 to 2020. This employment projection is slower than the average of other occupations however with the growing demand of environmental research there might be new opportunities for chemists. Many organizations now invest millions to create breakthroughs on how to decrease carbon footprints and pollution. Chemists play a big role in these advancements by working on research and monitoring of environmental compliance of various organizations.