The University of Chicago’s Department of

Chemistry is a world leader in basic chemical

research. Fifteen Nobel Prize recipients in chemistry

have been affi liated with UChicago as faculty,

researchers, or students. Two winners of the

National Medal of Science are on the chemistry

faculty. The department includes members of

the American Academy of Arts and Sciences,

the Royal Society of London, the Royal Society

of Chemistry, the National Academy of Sciences,

and the American Association for the Advancement

of Science.

“Undergraduate courses are advanced and challenging, and they strike a good balance between teaching the funda-mentals and demonstrating the experimental applications. If you’re a smart person, you can really show that here.”William LetsouSB’11 Major: Chemistry

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Sample CoursesQuantum Mechanics

Students explore quantum mechanics,

the Schrödinger wave equation with exact

and approximate methods of solution,

angular momentum, and atomic spectra

and structure.

Organic Synthesis and Structure

In this course, students consider the

mechanisms, applicability, and limitations of

the major reactions in organic chemistry, as

well as of stereochemical control in synthesis.

Chemical Dynamics

This course develops a molecular-level

description of chemical kinetics, reaction

dynamics, and energy transfer in both

gases and liquids. Topics include potential

energy surfaces, collision dynamics and

scattering theory, reaction rate theory,

collisional and radiationless energy transfer,

molecule-surface interactions, Brownian

motion, time correlation functions, and

computer simulations.

Polymer Chemistry

Students are introduced to a broad range of

polymerization reactions, their mechanisms

and kinetics, as well as new concepts of

polymerization and new materials of current

interest. The physical properties of polymers,

ranging from thermal properties to electrical

and optical properties in both a solution state

and a solid state are also presented.

New Synthetic Reactions and Catalysts

This course covers recent highlights of

new synthetic reactions and catalysts for

effi cient organic synthesis. Students discuss

mechanistic details and future possibilities.

Chemistry majors at the University of Chicago experience the excitement of real science by collaborating in the laboratory.

Seven current faculty members have been honored at UChicago with the Quantrell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, including Laurie J. Butler, Gregory L. Hillhouse, Ka Yee Lee, and Joseph Pic-cirilli. Undergraduates benefi t from the close, personal attention of faculty. As a result, the Department of Chemistry attracts the bright-est and most motivated students from the United States and around the world.

Curriculum

Undergraduates can earn the bachelor of science or the bachelor of arts degree in chemistry. Combined bachelor of science and master of science degree programs are available to advanced students majoring in chemistry or biological chemistry.

Students generally begin their studies in chemistry with yearlong sequences of introductory courses in general chemistry,

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mathematics, and physics. Each of these sequences is taught at a number of levels, including highly rigorous honors sections available to exceptionally prepared students. Chemistry students then embark upon advanced course work in organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry. The curriculum emphasizes the interdependence of experi-mental and theoretical work, and all students are encouraged to take advantage of the many opportunities at the University of Chicago for undergraduate research. Like-wise, students benefit from the proximity of the PhD program in the Department of Chemistry and the wealth of classes the pro-gram opens up to undergraduate enrollment.

Research Opportunities

Three-quarters of all chemistry and biological chemistry majors work on substantive research projects with University faculty before they graduate, and many submit their work as hon-ors theses. As part of a research team of faculty members, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, undergraduates conduct federally and privately funded research with access to equipment, laboratory experience, and financial resources unmatched at other colleges and uni-versities. Undergraduates have recently studied high-temperature superconductors, destruction of the ozone layer, quantum scattering theory, stereoselective organic synthesis, and biochemi-cal cell-to-cell signaling. Both volunteer and paid positions are available in laboratories across campus, and research can be easily conducted throughout the academic school year. Many students choose to take advantage of the sum-mer to conduct research, and there are many stipends and fellowships that reward students for their work. Additionally, undergraduates majoring in chemistry may find the Jeff Metcalf Fellows Program incredibly appealing, as it provides $4,000 stipends for internships in all different fields in cities around the world.

Interdisciplinary Opportunities

At the University of Chicago, chemistry and biological chemistry majors and faculty conduct research in such related fields as molecular genetics and cell biology, biochemistry and molecular biology, physics, astronomy and astrophysics, and geophysical sciences.

In addition, the James Franck Institute, Enrico Fermi Institute, Argonne National Laboratory, Ben May Department for Cancer Research, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, Compu-tation Institute, and Materials Research Science and Engineering Center bring together members of the Department of Chemistry with colleagues from physics, biological sciences, geophysical sciences, astronomy and astrophysics, and mathematics for studies into physical phenomena that are both wide-ranging and interdisciplinary.

Facilities

Faculty offices and research laboratories for the department are housed in the Gordon Center for Integrative Science, George Herbert Jones Laboratory, Searle Chemistry Laboratory, and James Franck Institute. Teaching laboratories are housed in Kent Chemical Laboratory, which was the first chemistry building at the University.

The 430,000-square-foot Gordon Center for Integrative Science, which opened in 2006, houses 80 senior scientists and 700 investigators and students, giving students interested in a cross-disciplinary approach exciting opportunities to participate in and learn from projects that cross the boundaries between the divisions of the biological and physical sciences.

The University of Chicago Library system houses extensive collections for conducting research in the chemical and biological sciences. In particular, the John Crerar Library, with more than one million volumes,

is one of the largest private collections in the country specifically devoted to the natural sciences. It also houses major research journals of physical, organic, inorganic, polymer, biological, and theoretical chemistry.

Extracurricular Activities

Chemistry students may choose to partici-pate in such student organizations as the Chemistry Society and Triple Helix, an international journal of science, society, and law. Chemistry students interested in pursu-ing medicine may find that their interests align with the Student National Medical Association and the Pre-Medical Students Association, both of which work extensively with graduate students, researchers, and faculty members.

Student Achievements

UChicago chemistry and biological chemistry majors continue to be recognized with the most competitive and prestigious distinctions in the country and around the world. These recognitions include graduate fellowships from the National Science Foundation, Hertz Foundation, and U.S. Departments of Defense and Energy, as well as Marshall and Churchill Scholarships. Of the students graduating with degrees in chemistry, approximately half continue their education at top medical schools, while others pursue graduate studies in chemistry and related disciplines.

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