Iowa State offers two undergraduate degrees in Chemistry, a Bachelor of Science (BS) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA). Scholarships are available for excellent entering or continuing students. Applications can be obtained by calling 515-294-6352, emailing isuchemistry [at] iastate [dot] edu or from your academic advisor.
The BS degree meets the standards of the American Chemical Society for the preparation of chemists for entry into graduate school in Chemistry or entry directly into careers in Chemistry. Most all of our BS students carry out research with one or more of the research groups during their careers at ISU.
The BA program requires fewer courses and is designed for programs of study in which Chemistry is pre-eminent, but expertise in other areas is also required. For example, students interested in a career in medicine, veterinary, or high school teaching may opt for the BA in order to take more courses outside the Department of Chemistry. Research opportunities are always open for our BA students as well.
Chemistry offers a variety of challenging and exciting professions. We hope you will join us in sharing it!
The Department of Chemistry offers both Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Masters of Science (MS) degrees in Chemistry. Graduate coursework is required, but the heart of a graduate degree in Chemistry is the research experience. Original research is carried out under the guidance of one or more of our faculty.
The MS degree is not a prerequisite to the PhD. Students earning their BS from another institution directly apply to the PhD program at ISU. Admission to MS-only applications is rare, but some students elect to take a MS degree after they have been in graduate school for a while.
The PhD program in Chemistry at Iowa State is first rate. Our graduates find positions in many of the best industrial settings and many enter academia. Just as importantly, it is an exciting period of rigorous study and stimulating research. Please take a look at the variety of research programs available by checking the faculty page and feel free to apply online or download our application under admissions.
Chemistry is now offering a Concurrent BS/MS in Chemistry. The concurrent degree program reduces by one to two years the usual pattern of a four-year undergraduate degree and a two to three-year MS program.
