Program Overview

The chemistry and biochemistry programs at High Point University prepare those majoring in chemistry or biochemistry for graduate study in chemistry and chemistry-related professional programs. They also educate science majors in general chemistry, organic chemistry, and general physics.

A Focused Curriculum

There are three separate degrees offered between the chemistry and biochemistry programs:

There are two cornerstone beliefs that have informed the design of the Bachelor of Science in chemistry. First, we believe that the purpose of a university is to generate new knowledge. Second, we believe that new knowledge in the chemical sciences is only generated in the laboratory through research. Furthermore, exemplars of undergraduate education in chemistry utilize undergraduate research as the vehicle for the preparation of chemistry majors who not only attend highly competitive graduate and professional programs but also are sought by these programs. The expectation is that the majority of graduates with this degree will attend graduate school in the chemical sciences or closely allied fields.

The Bachelor of Arts major in chemistry should serve the educational needs of those students who are not interested in attending graduate school in chemistry but who may seek a career in the chemical industry, entry into professional school or secondary school teaching. Also, the major requirements should be more modest, not requiring as much mathematical rigor as the Bachelor of Science and should be flexible enough to allow students to pursue their interests in the special disciplines of chemistry or other fields.

Breakthroughs in the field of biochemistry have energized and revolutionized the fields of medicine and biotechnology and have transformed the study of biology and chemistry over the past 30 years. At High Point University, we are excited to now offer a B.S. in biochemistry with the goal of preparing graduates for competitive careers in this burgeoning interdisciplinary domain. The study of biochemistry requires a student to be well-versed in a variety of disciplines, including math, physics, biology, and chemistry. While the curriculum prescribes a demanding level of rigor and breadth, it also affords students the opportunity to tailor their choice of upper-level courses in biology according to their specific interests.

Students in the chemistry and biochemistry programs at High Point University have gone on to many wonderful careers after college. The interdisciplinary nature of the subject has led to the development of a wide range of techniques that have found exciting applications in fields as diverse as criminology to prenatal screening, agriculture to cosmetics, and home healthcare diagnostics to tailored drug therapies. In the last eight years, a large majority of our majors have gone on to pursue graduate and professional studies at the following institutions:

• American University

• University of California –Riverside

• Campbell University (Pharmacy School)

• University of Charleston

• Clemson University

• Colorado State University

• Duke University

• Duquesne Pharmacy School

• East Carolina University

• University of Georgia

• Georgetown University (School of Medicine)

• George Mason University

• University of Kansas

• Massachusetts School of Health Sciences

• North Carolina State University

• University of North Carolina (School of Pharmacy)

• Sherman College (Chiropractic School)

• Texas A & M University

• University of Pittsburgh

• University of South Carolina

• Vanderbilt University

• VirginiaTech

• Wake Forest University

• WestVirginiaUniversity (School of Medicine)

• Wingate University (Pharmacy School)

Requirements for B.A. in Chemistry Degree (43 credits):

• CHM 1510 General Chemistry I
• CHM 1511 General Chemistry I Laboratory
• CHM 1520 General Chemistry II
• CHM 1521 General Chemistry II Laboratory
• CHM 2510 Organic Chemistry I
• CHM 2511 Organic Chemistry I Laboratory
• CHM 2520 Organic Chemistry II
• CHM 2521 Organic Chemistry II Laboratory
• CHM 3030 Quantitative Analysis
• CHM 3060 Instrumental Analysis
• CHM 4099 Seminar in Chemistry
• One 3 credit chemistry elective:
• MTH 1410 Calculus I
• PHY 1510 General Physics I
• PHY 1511 General Physics I Laboratory
• PHY 1520 General Physics II
• PHY 1521 General Physics II Laboratory

Students will be advised in electing additional courses that will complement their career goals.