Chemistry (BS)

As a student in WPI’s Chemistry degree program, you will do much more than learn about chemical processes and materials—you will gain hands-on experiences using them to make exciting discoveries about the world around us.

Our undergraduate students begin working in labs right away, enabling them to connect classroom knowledge to real-world applications. You will conduct research and projects alongside our expert faculty in state-of-the-art facilities, such as the WPI Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center at Gateway Park.

You will emerge as a complete chemist who challenges the status quo and is fully prepared to take on real-world problems.

Curriculum

Through our well-rounded chemistry curriculum, you will develop a broad base of knowledge and hands-on expertise using scientific tools and techniques.

You’ll gain a strong foundation by delving into fundamental and advanced topics in experimental, organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry. Since chemistry plays a critical role in many other disciplines, you can complement your studies with courses and projects in subjects including physics, mathematics, biology, medicine, engineering, psychology, and more.

When you’re not in the classroom, you’ll be in the lab conducting experiments and exploring problems of interest to you—from the creation of new materials, to the discovery of cures for diseases and methods for cleaning up the environment.

Undergraduate Catalog

Available concentration

Medicinal Chemistry

Similar Majors

Biochemistry (BS)

Chemical Engineering (BS)

Students working in chemical engineering lab

Environmental Engineering (BS)

Environmental Engineering Students working on a boat

Project-based Learning

WPI undergraduate students are immersed in project work across all four years of study, in the classroom and around the globe. Along the way, students not only conduct high-level research, but also master critical thinking, sharpen communication skills, learn to work effectively in teams and undergo life-changing experiences.

WPI's Global Projects Program immerses students in communities as close as our home city of Worcester and at more than 40 other locations worldwide. Students work in teams with a faculty advisor and are accountable to a project sponsor on a specific problem that connects science or technology with social issues and human needs.

As a Chemistry student, you can undertake projects in classes and laboratories as well as in off-campus communities. Projects you might find yourself working on:

Recycling of rare earth metals
Absorbent solids that remove harmful compounds from contaminated water sources
Growing semiconducting crystals for solar energy harvesting
Catalytic strategies in green chemistry

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Getting Involved

At WPI, there are hundreds of ways to get involved and connect with other students outside the classroom. You can take part in arts, sports, music, and clubs for just about every interest, including our Skeptical Chemists for future chemists.

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Students organizing project tasks with sticky notes on a whiteboard

After Graduation

Our graduates continue their education at prestigious universities and medical schools and find high-level jobs in industry, government, or hospital laboratories. Chemistry also provides a good background for many positions in other fields, including conservation science, science writing, regulatory affairs, patent law, and K-12 STEM outreach.

Chemistry & Biochemistry Department

American Chemical Society Approved