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Advisers are best contacted by e-mail. Indicate your name and CUNYfirst EMPLID number, if available, to set up an in-person appointment or ask a question.
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees in chemistry.
The Bachelor of Science is the more rigorous course of study and is intended for students whose careers will be as chemists, including those planning further study in graduate school in chemistry or biochemistry.
The Bachelor of Arts degree is advised for pre-health professionals, as it leaves time to pursue the necessary course work in biology and other areas required for professional programs. Students interested in medical or other professional schools are strongly advised to discuss their plans with the campus preprofessional adviser, Benjamin N. Stewart.
Before you declare your major or minor, please have a look at the specific degree requirements.
View a full description of each course. Consult also the schedule of courses to plan for the upcoming semesters. To plan your course of study, please see the undergraduate adviser, Associate Professor Andrzej Jarzecki, to declare your major.
Requirements for chemistry majors include the course requirements of the Chemistry Department and College Residency Requirements.
Requirements for the B.S. degree are presented below. You should meet with your major adviser at least once every other semester to review your progress. Print this page or the pdf and bring it with you when you see the departmental adviser.
All of the following courses are required: {F} = Fall offerings; {S} = Spring offerings; * = Writing Intensive
Nine credits from the following list of advanced courses are required: {F} = Fall offerings; {S} = Spring offerings
Elective Courses
Chemistry majors must take a writing-intensive course (denoted by *) in an area relevant to the major.
Twenty-four credits in advanced chemistry courses must be earned with a grade of C- or better at Brooklyn College.
Information on careers in chemistry is available at the Chemistry Department website and on the department Career Blog.
Students interested in declaring a chemistry major or minor, or discussing chemistry graduate schools are strongly urged to meet with the chemistry undergraduate adviser as soon as possible to plan their course of study. When contacting the undergraduate adviser, include your CUNYfirst EMPLID number.
The Bachelor of Science degree is generally recommended for students planning to make a career as a chemist, including going on to graduate school. Students interested in medical or other professional careers are generally advised to take the Bachelor of Arts degree.
Students interested in medical or other professional schools are strongly urged to speak to the campus preprofessional adviser as soon as possible to plan their course of study.
Students may obtain research work in any laboratory that agrees to host them, and may begin at any time. Students are encouraged to look for mentors on campus and at the many medical and research institutions around New York City. Some institutions offer paid summer research internships in which students live and work on site for eight to 10 weeks, such as the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. The Chemistry Department maintains a file on such opportunities; inquire at the chemistry office for more information.
Those seeking academic credit for research within the Department of Chemistry should register either for the CHEM 5010–5030 (2 credits) or CHEM 5110–5130 series (3 credits, honors). CHEM 5110–5130 require a GPA of 3.20 or better within the major to register. Students seeking to register for these courses must work with a Chemistry Department faculty member; those working with faculty outside the department should register for an independent study course in that program. The format for CHEM 5010 and 5110 is very much the same. Prospective students should find a faculty member whose work interests them; a list of faculty and their research interests is available on the Brooklyn College website. Once students have found a mentor, they should contact the faculty member to discuss possibilities. If the student and mentor agree on a project and a set of expectations, the mentor will grant the student permission to register for the course.
Research requires time, and students should be sure they will follow through on their commitment before registering for credit. Provided a mentor allows it, students may choose to work in a lab without registering for a course; however, the student is still obligated to meet the mentor’s expectations and should communicate openly about possible problems with time or scheduling and work with the mentor to resolve them.
Only chemistry courses taken at Brooklyn College can be used to meet the 24-credit residency requirement. Course taken elsewhere or in other departments cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.
At the end of their junior year, students should go to the Office of the Registrar to request an official Degree Audit. This represents a list of all requirements the student must fulfill in order to graduate and commits the college to confer the degree once the specified work is completed. This is far superior to DegreeWorks (WebSIMS).
Students who graduate with a GPA of 3.50 or better within the Chemistry Department and have completed three or more credits in honors courses in chemistry are eligible for departmental honors. Honors courses in chemistry include CHEM 5110 and 5120. Students who believe they may be eligible for honors should contact the departmental adviser during their senior year.
Throughout your college career, come to see your undergraduate adviser at least once a year, and more often if you have questions. Bring this schedule with you to save time. At the end of your junior year, request a Degree Audit (see above) to ensure a timely graduation. Do not leave ABS or INC grades unresolved: If you receive an ABS or an INC grade, work with the appropriate department to resolve it quickly. Check your transcript periodically to make sure it is cleared. Your graduation can be delayed by pending ABS and INC grades.
Good opportunities exist for chemists, both at the bachelor’s level and for those with higher degrees. Students should also go to the Magner Career Center for advice on job-seeking and other issues, such as résumé writing and dressing for success.
Students completing the Bachelor of Science in chemistry and wishing to study further should consider either a master’s or a Ph.D. in chemistry or the related disciplines, such as biochemistry, materials science, and forensic science. Research experience is a critical prerequisite for graduate school, and students should commit as much time to it as possible. This not only provides students with useful skills, it makes it possible for a research adviser to write a strong letter of recommendation. Those interested in graduate school should begin the application process in the summer after their junior year. This should include identifying programs of interest and acquiring information about applications (including deadlines). Students should also plan to take the GRE during the summer of their junior year to ensure the scores are on file in time to support their application. Applicants will need both the subject area GRE (chemistry, biochemistry, etc.) and the general exam. Students should not attempt to do both on the same day, as this is grueling and can lead to poor performance.
Undergraduate Advisement (Major Code 024), updated spring 2023.
Requirements for chemistry majors include the course requirements of the Chemistry Department and College Residency Requirements. Requirements for the B.A. degree are presented. You should meet with your major adviser at least once every other semester to review your progress. Print this page or the pdf and bring it with you when you see the departmental adviser.
Five credits from the following list of advanced courses are required: {F} = Fall offerings; {S} = Spring offerings
Fifteen credits in advanced chemistry courses must be earned at Brooklyn College with a grade of C- or better.
Students interested in declaring a chemistry major or minor, or discussing chemistry graduate schools are strongly urged to meet with the Chemistry undergraduate adviser as soon as possible to plan their course of study. When contacting the undergraduate adviser, include your CUNYfirst EMPLID number.
Students interested in medical or other professional careers are generally advised to take the bachelor of arts degree, which is excellent scientific preparation for those careers but leaves time to pursue additional course work in biology and extracurricular activities necessary to prepare for professional programs. Students interested in teaching at the high school level after graduation should contact the department about the bachelor of arts: chemistry teacher degree.
Students interested in medical or other professional schools are strongly urged to speak to the campus health pre-professional adviser as soon as possible to plan their course of study.
Students may obtain research work in any laboratory that agrees to host them, and may begin at any time. Students are encouraged to look for mentors on campus and at the many medical and research institutions around New York City. Some institutions offer paid summer research internships in which students live and work on site for eight to 10 weeks, such as the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. The Chemistry Department maintains a file on such opportunities; inquire at the chemistry office.
Those seeking academic credit for research within the Department of Chemistry should register either for the CHEM 5010–5030 (2 credits) or CHEM 5110–5130 series (3 credits, honors). CHEM 5110–5130 require a GPA of 3.20 or better within the major to register. Students seeking to register for these courses must work with a Chemistry Department faculty member; those working with faculty outside the department should register for an independent study course in that program.
The format for CHEM 5010 and 5110 is very much the same. Prospective students should find a faculty member whose work interests them; a list of faculty and their research interests is available on the Brooklyn College website. Once students have found a mentor, they should contact the faculty member to discuss possibilities. If the student and mentor agree on a project and a set of expectations, the mentor will grant the student permission to register for the course.
Research requires time, and students should be sure they can follow through on their commitment before registering for credit. Students may choose to work in a lab without registering for a course, provided the mentor allows it. However, a student working in that position is still obligated to meet the mentor’s expectations and should communicate openly about possible problems with time or scheduling and work with the mentor to resolve them.
Only chemistry courses taken at Brooklyn College can be used to meet the 15-credit residency requirement. Course taken elsewhere or in other departments cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.
Throughout your college career, see your undergraduate adviser at least once a year, and more often if you have questions. Bring this schedule with you to save time. At the end of your junior year, request a Degree Audit (see above) to ensure a timely graduation. Do not leave ABS or INC grades unresolved: If you receive an ABS or an INC grade, work with the appropriate department to resolve it quickly. Check your transcript periodically to make sure it is cleared. Your graduation can be delayed by pending ABS and INC grades.
Undergraduate Advisement (Major Code 023), updated spring 2023.
Requirements for the minor in chemistry are presented below. You should meet with your major adviser at least once every other semester to review your progress. Print this page and bring it with you when you see the departmental adviser.
A total of 12 credits in advanced chemistry electives must be earned at Brooklyn College with a grade of C- or better. The advanced chemistry electives currently being offered are listed below. Only the courses offered and listed below may be used to fulfill the requirements for the minor in chemistry.
{F} = Fall offerings; {S} = Spring offerings; * = Writing Intensive
Students interested in declaring a chemistry minor are strongly urged to meet with the chemistry undergraduate adviser as soon as possible to plan their course of study. When contacting the undergraduate adviser, include your CUNYfirst EMPLID number.
Undergraduate Advisement (Minor Code 023), updated spring 2018
Requirements for the minor in biochemistry are presented below. You should meet with your major adviser at least once every other semester to review your progress. Print this page or the pdf and bring it with you when you see the departmental adviser.
Undergraduate Advisement (Minor Code 012), updated spring 2023.
The Department of Chemistry is an ACS-accredited program authorized to grant ACS-accredited B.S. degrees to students. The requirements for ACS certification amount to completing a B.S. in chemistry at Brooklyn College and completing a specific set of elective courses. ACS accreditation is not necessary either for a career in industry or for graduate work. However, it does serve to reassure prospective employers about the background of a prospective employee if they are unfamiliar with the program. While Brooklyn College (and CUNY generally) has an excellent reputation in the northeastern United States, those considering working elsewhere in the country or internationally may want to consider acquiring ACS accreditation. The requirements to obtain a Brooklyn College ACS-accredited B.S. degree are slightly different from those in the Brooklyn College Bulletin. Interested students should consult the departmental advisor.
