Bachelor [Chemistry] From Texas Tech University

The undergraduate student may take courses leading to a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. Either program offers a wide choice of minor subjects in Arts and Sciences or other colleges. Consult the undergraduate advisor prior to registration for a particular minor program.

The B.S. in Chemistry degree prepares a student for graduate school or a career as a professional chemist. This degree program is technically oriented, requiring greater depth of mathematics, physics, and chemistry than does the Bachelor of Arts degree. This degree requires 120 credit hours and has a heavier chemistry requirement than the B.A. degree program. As a result, students have fewer elective courses to pursue other interests. Completion of the B.S. curriculum leads to automatic American Chemical Society certification of a student as the recipient of a professional degree.

The B.A. in Chemistry degree requires 120 credit hours for graduation and has a curriculum primarily designed for those interested in using an undergraduate major in chemistry as the background for a career in which extensive training in chemistry is either valuable or essential (e.g., medicine, dentistry, forensics, environmental protection, clinical and pharmacological chemistry, technical sales, and chemical patent law). Though a B.S. is generally preferred by employers, a B.A. may also provide a sufficient background in chemistry for employment as a chemist in a small laboratory or for entry into a graduate program leading to the M.S. or Ph.D. degree in chemistry.