Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Chemistry with a concentration in chemical science

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: Science (Northern Virginia Community College)
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia 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

Northern Virginia Community College (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
  • Register for SDV 100 or SDV 101.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Use Navigate to connect with your advisor and create a program plan.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Attend cultural events at NOVA and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Browse careers related to Chemistry through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
Experience Year 2
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
  • Complete requirements for the associate’s degree. Earn at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
  • Continue to use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • If interested, attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Chemistry-related events.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
  • Speak with employers that visit campus 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.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Register for SDV 100 or SDV 101.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Use Navigate to connect with your advisor and create a program plan.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Attend cultural events at NOVA and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Browse careers related to Chemistry through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
  • Complete requirements for the associate’s degree. Earn at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
  • Continue to use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • If interested, attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Chemistry-related events.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Speak with employers that visit campus 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.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Chemistry with a concentration in chemical science

Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: Science)

Northern Virginia Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 (or SDV 101) College Success Skills 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
HIS Elective HIS 101 History of Western Civilization I OR HIS 102 History of Western Civilization II OR HIS 111 History of World Civilization I OR HIS 112 History of World Civilization II OR HIS 121 United States History I OR HIS 122 United States History II HIST 3 General education
MTH 167 Precalculus with Trigonometry Note: Students taking the two semester sequence of precalculus must take both MTH 161 and 162 for a total of 6 credits MATH 151 5 General education
ENG 112 College Composition  II UNIV 200 3 General education
CST Select 1: CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking OR CST 110 Introduction to Communication OR CST 126 Interpersonal Communication SPCH 121 3 Elective
MTH 263 Calculus I MATH 200 4 General education
General Education (or ITE 115/119) CHM 111 General Chemistry I CHEM/Z 101 4 Major
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective Select 1: ART 101 History and Appreciation of Art I OR ART 102 History and Appreciation of Art II OR MUS 121 Music Appreciation I OR PHI 101 Introduction to Philosophy I OR REL 231 Religions of the World I VCU equivalent 3 General education
MTH 264 Calculus II MATH 201 4 Major
Laboratory Science #1 CHM 112 General Chemistry II CHEM/Z 102 4 Major
Social/Behavioral Science Select 1: PLS 135 American National Politics OR PLS 211 United States Government I OR PSY 200 Principles of Psychology OR SOC 200 Principles of Sociology OR SOC 211 Principles of Anthropology I VCU equivalent 3 General education
Social/Behavioral Science PLS 241 International Relations I POLI 105 3 General education
Math or Science 1 CHM 241 Organic Chemistry I CHEM 301 3 Major
Math or Science 2 CHM 245 Organic Chemistry I Laboratory CHEZ 301 2 Major
Math or Science 3 CHM 242 Organic Chemistry II CHEM 302 3 Major
Math or Science 4 CHM 246 Organic Chemistry II Laboratory CHEZ 302 2 Major
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective Select 1: CST 151 Film Appreciation I OR ENG 241 Survey of American Literature I OR ENG 242 Survey of American Literature II OR ENG 243 Survey of English Literature I OR ENG 244 Survey of English Literature II OR ENG 251 Survey of World Literature I OR ENG 252 Survey of World Literature II VCU equivalent 3 General education
Laboratory Science #2 Select 1: PHY 201 General College Physics I (Biochemistry or Chemical Science concentrations) OR PHY 231 General University Physics I (Chemical Modeling or Professional Chemist concentrations) PHYS 201 or PHYS 207 4 to 5 Major
Northern Virginia credits transferred to VCU 60 to 62
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Foreign language through the 102 level.   (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)
STAT 210 Basic Practice of Statistics 3 Major
PHYS Select 1: PHYS 202 General College Physics II OR PHYS 208 University Physics II (select course based on NOVA Physics course selected) 4 to 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
CHEZ 313 or CHEZ 315 Physical Chemistry I Laboratory or Physical Chemistry II Laboratory 2 Major
CHEM 315 Physical Chemistry II 3 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 courses) Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits (300- or 400-level courses) to graduate from VCU. 12 to 13 Elective
Open electives 12 to 22 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 60 to 61
Bachelor's degree total 120