Undergraduate Program in Chemistry

Wesleyan’s Chemistry Department offers a rare combination of close faculty mentorship, hands-on research, and access to state-of-the-art instrumentation—all within a collaborative community of faculty, staff, graduate students, and postdocs. Students are encouraged to begin independent research early in the major, which often leads to presenting at conferences, co-authoring publications, and completing senior theses. Our graduates go on to top Ph.D. and M.D. programs, as well as careers in chemistry, biotechnology, education, public health, law, and many other fields.

Programs of Study

• Chemistry Major (BA):

• • Chemistry (A-Track): A traditional chemistry program for students interested in the principles that govern matter and chemical change.

• • Chemical Biology (B-Track): An interdisciplinary program for students interested in applying chemistry to understand and influence biological systems.

• • ACS-Certified Degree: Students interested in earning an American Chemical Society-certified degree should consult the Chemistry Department as early as possible in their academic career to plan their coursework accordingly.

• BA/MA Program: A tuition-free program in which selected students remain at Wesleyan for a fifth year devoted to graduate-level coursework and independent research, leading to a Master of Arts degree.

• Chemistry Minor: A reduced program of study enabling students to build a foundation of chemical principles and laboratory techniques alongside their primary field of study.

Non-majors and Premedical Studies: Our department is committed to serving a broad range of non-majors and premedical students, offering essential chemistry courses that support their academic and career goals.