Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Chemistry with a concentration in chemical science

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: Science (Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway))
Brightpoint Community College
Program description

The curriculum in chemistry prepares students for graduate study in chemistry and related fields and for admission to schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine. It prepares students to teach in secondary schools or to work in chemical and industrial laboratories and in related fields of business and industry.

With the proper selection of electives, the degree satisfies admission requirements to most schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine.

The chemical science concentration is tailored for the pre-professional study of the health sciences and other interdisciplinary areas where an emphasis on chemistry is sought. This concentration for the bachelor's degree in chemistry permits students to select more courses from other disciplines. With fewer requirements in mathematics, physics and chemistry, this concentration is one option for students planning to study medicine or dentistry.

Career opportunities

The employment pathways for chemical professionals can be divided into five main sectors: industry, academia, government, non-profit, and entrepreneurship.  Within each of these sectors, areas of career opportunity include research and development, quality control/regulatory, environment and health, law and policy, manufacturing,  education, military and law enforcement, and technical communication. Common skills include science, critical thinking, reading, active listening, mathematics, and both deductive and inductive reasoning. Technical skills are highly preferred in areas such as analytical/scientific software, computer aided design (CAD), databases/query software, graphics, and Office suite.   With the proper selection of electives, the degree satisfies admission requirements to most schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Chemical Technician
  • Environmental Science and Protection Technicians
  • Food Technologist
  • Materials Scientists
  • Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
  • Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
  • Operations Research Analysts
  • Quality Control Analysts
  • Regulatory Affairs Specialists
  • Secondary School Teachers
  • Social and Community Service Managers
  • Survey Researchers
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Chemist
  • College Professor
  • Material Scientist
  • Research Director
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 201 or higher
Science required
  • Core only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Chemistry with a concentration in chemical science

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Science)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend Tyler Orientation.
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway.
  • Register for SDV course.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your ENG, CHM, and MTH classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Meet with VCU STEM Transitions Transfer Coordinator to discuss options and create a plan for a successful transition to VCU.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus or in your community.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Create Linkedln profile.
  • Get involved with a student or professional organization.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Visit career services to begin cultivating your own virtual brand across all social media profiles.
  • Browse careers related to chemistry through the career coach.
  • Understand how you will fund your education. Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Take a career assessment through the career coach.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Use SDV 100 to create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
Experience Year 2
  • Meet with your academic advisor.
  • Use Navigate to remain on your pathway.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus to get ahead.
  • Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Prepare for organic chemistry at VCU by reviewing CHM 111-112 notes and textbook.
  • Meet with VCU STEM Transitions Transfer Coordinator to discuss options and create a plan for a successful transition to VCU.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Run for leadership in your student organization.
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Attend Tyler Orientation.
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway.
  • Register for SDV course.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your ENG, CHM, and MTH classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Meet with VCU STEM Transitions Transfer Coordinator to discuss options and create a plan for a successful transition to VCU.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus or in your community.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Create Linkedln profile.
  • Get involved with a student or professional organization.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Visit career services to begin cultivating your own virtual brand across all social media profiles.
  • Browse careers related to chemistry through the career coach.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Understand how you will fund your education. Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Take a career assessment through the career coach.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Use SDV 100 to create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Meet with your academic advisor.
  • Use Navigate to remain on your pathway.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus to get ahead.
  • Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Prepare for organic chemistry at VCU by reviewing CHM 111-112 notes and textbook.
  • Meet with VCU STEM Transitions Transfer Coordinator to discuss options and create a plan for a successful transition to VCU.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Run for leadership in your student organization.
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.

Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Chemistry with a concentration in chemical science

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Science)

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 or 101 College Success Skills or Orientation to Discipline UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
MTH 161 Precalculus I (or MTH 263 Calculus I) MATH 141 3 General education
CHM 111 General Chemistry I CHEM/Z 101 4 Major
CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking (or FRE 101 or SPA 101) SPCH 121 3 Elective
ENG 112 College Composition  II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 162 Precalculus II (or MTH 264 Calculus II) MATH 151 3 Major
CHM 112 General Chemistry II CHEM/Z 102 4 Major
Social/Behavioral Science Social/behavioral science (select 1): PSY 200, SOC 200, SOC 211 (PSY 230 will be accepted if Associate degree is completed) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Humanities Select 1: PHI 111, PHI 220 or foreign language (101), SPA 102, REL 230, PHI 101, REL 100, or FRE 102 VCU equivalent 3 General education
STAT 210 Statistics STAT 210 3 Major
PHY 201 or 241 General College Physics I or University Physics I PHYS 201 or PHYS 207 4 Major
BIO 101 General Biology I BIOL/Z 151 4 Elective
Social/Behavioral Science Social/behavioral science (select 1): PSY 200, SOC 200, SOC 211 (PSY 230 will be accepted if Associate degree is completed) VCU equivalent 3 General education
ENG Any 200-level ENG literature course (select 1): ENG 241, 242, 243, 244, 251, 252 ENGL 3 General education
PHY 202 or 242 General College Physics II or University Physics II PHYS 202 or PHYS 208 4 Major
BIO 102 General Biology II BIOL/Z 152 4 Elective
HIS ___ History elective (select 1): HIS 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST ___ 3 General education
Transfer elective Transfer Elective VCU equivalent 3 Elective
John Tyler Credits Transferred to VCU 61
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Foreign language through the 102 level (if not completed at JTCC).   (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school.  Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) 0 to 8 General education (not waived by associate degree)
MATH 200 Calculus with Analytic Geometry I (not needed if students complete MTH 263 at John Tyler) 0 to 4 Major
MATH 201 Calculus with Analytic Geometry II (not needed if students complete MTH 264 at John Tyler) 0 to 4 Major
CHEM 301 + CHEZ 301 Organic Chemistry I and Laboratory 5 Major
CHEM 302 + CHEZ 302 Organic Chemistry II and Laboratory 5 Major
CHEM 309 + CHEZ 309 Quantitative Analysis and Laboratory 5 Major
CHEM 313 or CHEM 314 Physical Chemistry I or Physical Chemistry with Math Modules 3 to 4 Major
CHEM 315 Physical Chemistry II 3 Major
CHEZ 313 or CHEZ 315 Physical Chemistry I Laboratory or Physical Chemistry II Laboratory 2 Major
CHEM 320 Inorganic Chemistry I 3 Major
CHEM 398 Professional Practices and Perspectives Seminar 1 Major
CHEM 499 Capstone 0 Major
To complete the Capstone experience, choose at least one two-credit 400-level CHEZ course or two credits of CHEM 392 or CHEM 492 and at least one three-credit 400- or 500-level CHEM course. See VCU advisor for course options. 5 Major
Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level couses Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits (300- or 400-level courses) to graduate from VCU. 13 Elective
Open electives 0 to 8 Elective
Credits Completed at VCU 59
Bachelor's degree total 120