Chemistry

As a chemistry student at Earlham, you will engage in a core curriculum shaped by the American Chemical Society’s Committee on Professional Training, providing you with an understanding of matter and energy at the molecular and sub-atomic levels. Chemistry students have the option to graduate with an American Chemical Society certified degree if they complete the path of study outlined below.

The chemistry major encourages undergraduate student research and faculty-student collaboration. It also offers the opportunity to take exciting new chemistry courses, such as forensics and biophysical chemistry.

Start your adventure

Sign up for more information about Earlham College.

Graduate Icon
91%
of work seekers who majored in the natural sciences between 2018-2022 were employed, pursuing graduate school or volunteering within six months of graduation.
Jobs icon
46%
of 2018-2022 chemistry majors seeking work or advanced degrees were in graduate school within six months of graduation at institutions such as Emory University, University of Pennsylvania, Tufts University, Northwestern University and more.
Outcomes

Top career fields for recent chemistry graduates are healthcare, education, pharmaceutical industries and more. The chemistry major at Earlham enhances the analytical, critical thinking and writing skills required to succeed in whatever career you choose.

State-of-the-art facilities and collaborative research

Work on laboratory projects alongside our faculty using state-of-the-art instrumentation in a LEED-certified building named after Earlham chemistry alum and Nobel Laureate Wendell Stanley.

Hands-on experiences

Recent majors have done internships at organizations such as Belden, the Richmond Sanitary District, the Environmental Protection Agency and Newfields (formerly known as the Indianapolis Museum of Art).

Student-faculty collaborative research

Our foundation in research has allowed recent graduates to go on to Ph.D. programs at universities such as Harvard, Duke, Purdue, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Utah. Several of them were awarded prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships.

Professor and student studying molecular models

Our faculty

Earlham’s chemistry professors are scholars who teach. All classes are taught by faculty, not teaching assistants.

Frequently asked questions

Through the chemistry program, you will gain the analytical, critical thinking and writing skills to succeed in whatever career you choose.

A chemistry degree prepares you for a multitude of jobs, including:

  • research chemist
  • quality control associate
  • chemistry laboratory technician
  • chemical engineer
  • chemistry teacher
  • forensic scientist
  • geochemist
  • hazardous waste chemist
  • materials scientist
  • pharmacologist

Recent chemistry majors have interned at Loma Linda University Hospital, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute and the Earlham College Joseph Moore Museum, among other places.

If you are known for enjoying lab work, having strong math skills and being good at a variety of science subjects, this program would be a great fit for you. At Earlham, we will encourage you to do research as an undergrad and to collaborate with faculty when possible.

Next steps

EARLHAM ALERT:
We continue to monitor the effects of an industrial fire 1.1 miles from campus.
EARLHAM ALERT:
We continue to monitor the effects of an industrial fire 1.1 miles from campus.